Gilbert Gonzales

Associate Professor of Medicine, Health, and Society
Director & Associate Professor of Public Policy Studies; Associate Professor of Health Policy

Gilbert Gonzales, PhD, MHA, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, Health & Society; the Department of Health Policy; and the Program for Public Policy Studies at Vanderbilt University. Professor Gonzales’ research examines how public policies affect health outcomes, access to care, and health disparities for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) populations. He also studies the role of health care reforms on low-income populations and the social determinants of health among vulnerable youth. His research has appeared in the American Journal of Public Health, Pediatrics, JAMA, Health Affairs, The Milbank Quarterly, and the New England Journal of Medicine.

Professor Gonzales’ research has been covered by diverse news outlets such as CNN, Reuters, The New York Post, The Guardian, US News & World Report, and The Rush Limbaugh Show.  He has presented research on LGBTQ+ health at international research conferences in the United States, Mexico, Belgium, Portugal, and Italy. He is a member of AcademyHealth, the American Public Health Association (APHA), the Interdisciplinary Association for Population Health Sciences (IAPHS), and the Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management (APPAM).

Professor Gonzales teaches courses in health policy, quantitative research methods, and LGBTQ+ health to undergraduate students at Vanderbilt University. He also mentors undergraduate, graduate, and medical students interested in LGBTQ+ health equity research. In 2016, he was awarded the Chancellor’s Award for Research on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion for his research on LGBTQ+ health at Vanderbilt University. In 2022, Professor Gonzales was awarded a Jeffrey Nordhaus Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching by the College of Arts & Science. The National Minority Quality Forum also recognized Professor Gonzales as part of the 2023 class of “40 Under 40 Leaders in Minority Health.”

Professor Gonzales completed his Ph.D. in Health Policy & Administration at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health; a Master of Health Administration from the University of North Texas Health Science Center; and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Biology from Baylor University.