Before Julie Hopper, a certified physician assistant, could even write her own name, she was examining her dolls with a toy stethoscope. For as long as she can remember, medicine has been part of Hopper’s life plan – and now she’s bringing that lifelong passion and nearly two decades of experience to care for patients at Northeast Georgia Physicians Group (NGPG) Chestnut Mountain.
“I was the little girl asking for doctor kits for Christmas so I could check my dolls’ heartbeats,” Hopper said. “Even back then, I knew I wanted to care for people. I’m thankful I get to do that now in the community that raised me.”
Hopper originally thought she’d go through medical school to become a doctor. But during her senior year at the University of North Georgia, everything changed after shadowing an orthopedic physician assistant.
“I fell in love with the way they connected with patients and the role they played on the care team,” Hopper said. “I quickly realized I could still follow my calling to care for people, just through a different path.”
Hopper graduated from South University in Savannah, Georgia, with her master’s degree in physician assistant studies and has spent the past 19 years gaining experience across multiple specialties – including internal medicine, pediatrics, rheumatology, orthopedics and urgent care.
“I’ve spent most of my time in internal medicine, and it’s where I feel most at home,” Hopper said.
A longtime resident of Gainesville, Hopper has deep roots in the area. She and her husband Josh have been married for 18 years and have three children – Rylie, Max and Zoe. When she’s not at work, she’s leading kids’ worship every Sunday at Christ Place Church’s north campus, cheering on her kids at dance competitions and baseball games or spending time outdoors with the family dog, cat and horse. She also loves playing piano, writing music and is a proud Atlanta Braves and Georgia Bulldogs fan. On top of all of this, she said she finds purpose in volunteering with women coming out of prison through The Deeper House ministry in Birmingham, Alabama.
“My faith and my family are at the center of everything I do,” Hopper said. “Whether I’m serving on a medical mission trip or helping patients navigate their health journey, I want to be someone they know they can trust.”
NGPG Chestnut Mountain is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and is located at 4754 Martin Road in Flowery Branch. Call 770-848-9130 to schedule an appointment with Hopper or visit ngpg.org/hopper to learn more.
NGPG is an affiliate of Northeast Georgia Health System.