Today we’d like to introduce you to Joshua Gonzalez.
Hi Joshua, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
As a native Angeleno, I always imagined myself building my life and career in LA. I attended university at UCLA before heading to NYC to start medical school at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. After medical school, I remained in New York for urological residency at the Mount Sinai Hospital. Following residency, I completed a yearlong fellowship in Sexual Medicine at UCLA before starting a private practice. Sexual Medicine is a unique, multidisciplinary field of medicine that focuses on the management of sexual health issues.
I currently serve as an official Sexual Health Advisor to Astroglide Lubricants and previously served on the board of directors for the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health. I have appeared on The Doctor’s television show, been featured in Vogue magazine, and served a medical contributor to Men’s Health, Cosmopolitan, and Oprah magazines.
I also recently co-founded a men’s health supplement, Popstar, that focuses on enhancing ejaculatory volume and taste. In addition to these many endeavors, I have continued to build a robust following on TikTok and Instagram where I use social media to educate the public on sexual health.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I don’t think any road this long is without its bumps. After university, I spent 11 years in med school and training becoming a sexual health specialist. That’s a very long time. Throughout that process, I had to continually remind myself why I was on this journey in the first place. I’m thankful that most of the struggles I faced were internal or personal and not professional. But perhaps my greatest professional challenge was making the leap to open my own practice. Solo private practice in medicine is a dying profession. Most urologists training today take jobs at a university or a larger private group. We solo guys are few and far between. When I decided to open my practice, I was taking a chance on myself and on my unique skills. It was hard in the beginning, but I’m incredibly confident now that it was the right decision. It has allowed me to practice medicine how I want and to offer my patients the best possible care.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I am a board-certified urologist who is fellowship-trained in Sexual Medicine and specializes in the management of male and female sexual dysfunctions. These include issues surrounding hormone deficiency, menopause, sexual arousal, orgasm, ejaculation, libido/desire, sexual pain, penile curvature, and erectile function. I also treat a variety of common urological conditions including benign prostatic disease, voiding dysfunction, and male infertility. Throughout my career, I have focused on advocating for sexual health and providing improved healthcare to the LGBTQ+ community.
In other words — I’m not just a regular urologist, I’m a cool urologist. LOL. (That’s a Mean Girls reference btw).
But seriously, being able to have open, honest conversations with my patients about their sex lives allows me to make a big difference in their lives in general. As medical providers, we are not often given the tools to help people achieve what they want and need out of sex. And that’s even more apparent for the queer community who often struggle to find providers who feel comfortable having these conversations.
I have used my brand on social media to help promote accurate sexual health information in a disarming and entertaining way. I’m proud of the presence and community I’ve helped build on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
The biggest risk I’ve taken has been opening my own practice. I wouldn’t necessarily identify myself as a risk taker in everyday life, but I certainly believe in taking risks on myself and my beliefs. I knew I had (and still have) something special to offer my patients so felt pretty confident that things would work out when I went out on my own.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.joshuagonzalezmd.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuagonzalezmd/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoshuaGonzalezMD/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/SexMedLA
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@joshuagonzalezmd?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
