Living in Her Purpose: Dr. Julie Kantor

By: Ryan Bermudez | June 01, 2026 | 5 min. read |

Emergency pediatrician and Miller School alum Dr. Julie Kantor steps into a key leadership role championing physician voices, patient access and community-centered care across South Florida.

Dr. Julie Kantor in a softly lit indoor setting, wearing a light-colored blazer over a white blouse and a necklace, with a blurred office or institutional background.

At a time when physicians are navigating growing challenges in health care delivery, physician burnout and patient access, Julie Kantor, M.D. ’99, has been named the incoming president of the Miami-Dade County Medical Association (MDCMA), one of South Florida’s leading physician advocacy organizations. Dr. Kantor will become the third University of Miami Miller School of Medicine alum to lead the MDCMA since 2023.

An emergency room pediatrician, educator and longtime community advocate, Dr. Kantor approaches her role with a clear mission of ensuring that both patients and physicians have a strong voice in the systems that govern care. Through the association, she works to advance policies that promote access, uphold high standards of care and support the well-being of the medical community. She sees this work as essential, not optional, for today’s physicians.

Miller School Values Shape a Commitment to Service

Her leadership is rooted in the belief that medicine extends beyond the exam room, an ideal that was heavily influenced by her education. Dr. Kantor recalls how significant community service was during her time at the Miller School.

I believe the great physicians are those who collaborate and that was the expectation from day one at the Miller School.
Dr. Julie Kantor

“What the Miller School instilled in me as a medical student was a deep sense of responsibility to the community,” Dr. Kantor said. “They taught us that giving back to the community is essential.”

From community health fairs to volunteer initiatives across South Florida, Dr. Kantor learned early on that service and compassionate care were central to the practice of medicine, making her leadership in MDCMA a natural extension of those values.

Mentorship and Collaboration as Cornerstones of Leadership

Dr. Kantor also emphasizes the importance of mentoring and supporting the next generation of physicians. She encourages young doctors to get involved in professional organizations early in their careers, reinforcing the idea that meaningful change happens when physicians collaborate and lead together.

Dr. Kantor’s appointment reflects the Miller School’s longstanding commitment to developing physician leaders who serve both patients and the broader community.

“I believe the great physicians are those who collaborate and that was the expectation from day one at the Miller School,” Dr. Kantor said.

As she prepares to lead MDCMA, Dr. Kantor continues to embody the collaborative, service-oriented spirit that shaped her years at the Miller School, and that continues to define her approach to medicine today.