Dr. Julie Graves, MD
Texas medical marijuana evaluations informed by more than four decades of clinical work across family medicine, surgery, and anesthesiology training.
Dr. Julie Graves, MD supports patients who are trying to understand whether low-THC cannabis may be medically appropriate through the Texas Compassionate Use Program. She has practiced medicine since 1983 and brings an unusually broad training background to the review.
That range matters. Medical cannabis questions rarely arrive as one diagnosis with a simple history. Patients may have years of symptoms, several medications, prior procedures, changing function, or a caregiver helping explain what daily life actually looks like. Dr. Graves reviews that context before deciding whether a prescription fits the patient and the Texas program.
Dr. Graves is one of the licensed physicians who evaluates Texas 420 Doctors patients. Her responsibility is not to approve everyone who books. It is to determine whether the patient is a permanent Texas resident with an eligible condition and whether the medical history supports a low-THC cannabis prescription under state law.
Patients who are still deciding where to begin can review the statewide guide to working with a medical marijuana doctor in Texas. The current Texas qualifying conditions page explains the legal categories, including cancer, PTSD, autism, neurological conditions, and conditions that cause chronic pain.
Dr. Julie Graves at a Glance
Dr. Graves earned her medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in 1983. Her postgraduate background includes general surgery, anesthesiology, and family medicine training. Today, that mix is useful when a medical marijuana evaluation involves more than a diagnosis name. She can consider symptom history, medication exposure, prior treatment, recovery, function, and the practical risks that may matter for an individual patient.
Physician Snapshot
| Full Name | Dr. Julie Deaun Graves |
|---|---|
| Credentials | MD |
| Texas License | G5110 |
| National Provider Identifier | 1093794265 |
| Clinical Experience | More than 40 years |
| Medical Degree | University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, 1983 |
| Postgraduate Background | General Surgery internship, Anesthesiology residency, and Family Medicine residency and fellowship training |
| Primary NPI Classification | Family Medicine |
| Texas 420 Doctors Role | Physician evaluation for eligible patients under the Texas Compassionate Use Program |
About Dr. Julie Graves, MD
What stands out about Dr. Graves is not one narrow specialty label. It is the range of medicine she has studied and practiced over more than four decades. She graduated from UT Southwestern in 1983, then trained in settings that required different ways of looking at a patient: the immediate problem, the effect of treatment on the body, and the longer story of health over time.
That breadth is relevant to medical marijuana evaluations because the same qualifying condition can look very different from one person to another. One patient may be managing persistent pain after several treatments. Another may be in active cancer care. A family may be describing changes in sleep, behavior, appetite, or daily support needs for a patient with autism. The condition opens the legal question, but the history shapes the medical decision.
At Texas 420 Doctors, we don't treat the diagnosis code as the whole appointment. The physician still needs to understand how symptoms affect daily life, what has already been tried, which medications are currently being used, and whether there are concerns that deserve more discussion before a prescription is considered.
Patients who haven't been through the program before can read what first-time Texas medical marijuana patients should expect. It covers the practical questions that often come up after the evaluation, not just the eligibility decision.
Education and Medical Training
Dr. Graves received her medical education from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. Her postgraduate training includes an internship in General Surgery at Parkland Memorial Hospital, a residency in Anesthesiology at University of Florida Shands Hospital, and residency and fellowship training in Family Medicine.
Each part of that background adds a different kind of context. Surgical training emphasizes diagnosis, procedure history, complications, and recovery. Anesthesiology training brings attention to pain, medication exposure, sedation risk, and how treatments can affect multiple body systems. Family medicine keeps the focus on the person as a whole, including conditions that may overlap or change over time.
None of those credentials automatically leads to approval. They help make the review more complete. A patient with a long medication list, several diagnoses, or years of treatment deserves more than a quick yes-or-no based on one line in a chart.
Clinical Experience and Verified Credentials
Dr. Graves has practiced medicine since 1983. Her public NPI record identifies her as a Family Medicine physician and lists Texas license G5110. The license number can also be checked through the Texas Medical Board search.
Forty-plus years in medicine means she has seen healthcare change, treatments evolve, and patient histories become more complicated. That experience can be especially useful when someone is older, sees several specialists, relies on a caregiver, or has records spread across different health systems.
A long history does not make a patient more or less likely to qualify by itself. It means the physician may need to sort the relevant details from the noise: the confirmed diagnosis, current symptoms, previous care, medications, functional limits, and the patient's goals for the visit.
How Dr. Graves Approaches a Texas Medical Marijuana Evaluation
Dr. Graves approaches the appointment as a medical review, not a paperwork exercise. She looks at whether the condition fits Texas law, but she also considers whether the patient's history supports moving forward and whether anything needs clarification first.
That may involve asking when symptoms began, how they have changed, what treatment has already been tried, what medications are being taken now, and how the condition affects sleep, mobility, work, self-care, or family support. Records can help, but a thoughtful explanation from the patient or caregiver can also provide important context.
The aim is not to rush someone into CURT. It is to make a defensible clinical decision. Approval is never guaranteed, and a patient may be asked for more information when the diagnosis or treatment history is unclear.
What Her Broad Training Adds to the Conversation
Medical cannabis questions often cross specialty lines. Pain may be connected to a surgery, nerve injury, cancer treatment, inflammatory disease, or a condition that has changed over time. Sleep, appetite, mood, mobility, and medication side effects can all affect how the patient describes the problem.
Dr. Graves' training helps her look for those connections without pretending that low-THC cannabis replaces the patient's regular care. She can evaluate the request while recognizing when another clinician, updated records, or continued treatment with the existing medical team remains important.
Patients should not stop a medication, change a dose, or abandon an existing treatment plan because they are considering medical cannabis. Those decisions belong in a medical conversation with the clinicians responsible for that care.
How TCUP and CURT Fit Into the Visit
Texas does not issue a physical medical marijuana card. The state uses the Compassionate Use Registry of Texas, known as CURT. When a qualified physician approves a prescription, it is entered into the registry so a licensed dispensing organization can verify it.
The Texas Department of Public Safety oversees the program. Patients can review the official DPS Compassionate Use Program information and the Texas.gov medical marijuana overview.
A diagnosis alone is not enough. Texas requires a physician to weigh the potential benefit against the medical risk and decide whether low-THC cannabis is appropriate for that patient. The patient must also be a permanent Texas resident.
Can the Evaluation Be Completed Online?
Telemedicine may be available when clinically appropriate. An online appointment is still a real medical visit. The physician reviews the patient's information, asks follow-up questions, and decides whether the record and conversation support a prescription.
For patients with mobility limits, chronic symptoms, long travel distances, or caregiving responsibilities, a remote visit can remove an unnecessary barrier. It does not lower the medical standard or make approval automatic.
The guide to medical marijuana telemedicine in Texas explains how to prepare for a virtual appointment and what happens during the call.
Conditions and Patient Questions Dr. Graves May Review
Dr. Graves may evaluate patients with conditions recognized by the Texas Compassionate Use Program. The current list includes cancer, PTSD, autism, multiple sclerosis, spasticity, epilepsy, seizure disorders, ALS, traumatic brain injury, Crohn's disease or another inflammatory bowel disease, terminal illness or hospice and palliative-care situations, and conditions that cause chronic pain, among other categories in state law.
Condition-specific guidance is available for conditions that cause chronic pain, PTSD, cancer, and autism. These resources can help a patient prepare better questions, but they can't predict the physician's decision.
Two people with the same diagnosis can have different treatment histories, current medications, symptoms, and safety considerations. That is why the appointment still matters after a patient confirms that a condition appears on the state list.
Useful Questions to Bring to the Appointment
- Does my diagnosed condition fit a current TCUP category?
- Which records would help confirm the diagnosis or treatment history?
- Should I have a current medication and supplement list ready?
- How should I describe the effect of symptoms on sleep, movement, work, or daily care?
- Can a caregiver join when the patient needs help explaining symptoms or routines?
- What happens when the physician needs more information before deciding?
- How does the prescription appear in CURT after approval?
Patients concerned about timing can review how long the Texas medical marijuana process may take. Those comparing expenses can read the current guide to the cost of a medical marijuana prescription in Texas.
Why Some Patients Prefer Dr. Graves
Some patients want a physician who has worked across more than one area of medicine. That can matter when the story is complicated, the records are old, or the patient is unsure which details are relevant. Dr. Graves' background supports a calm review that leaves room for questions rather than treating the appointment as a race to approval.
Her experience may be especially reassuring for older adults, caregivers, and patients with several diagnoses. It does not replace the need for documentation or clinical judgment. It means the conversation can account for the full history without losing sight of the immediate reason for the visit.
There is a practical difference between helping someone understand the program and selling them an outcome. Texas 420 Doctors physicians make the medical decision. When the information does not support approval, the honest answer may be that more records are needed or that the patient does not qualify.
Dr. Graves and the Texas 420 Doctors Physician Team
Patients can compare Dr. Graves' background with the other physicians on the Meet Our Medical Marijuana Doctors in Texas page. Each doctor brings a different clinical perspective, but the standard is the same: review the patient's situation carefully, follow Texas rules, and don't promise an approval before the medical evaluation.
What Happens After the Appointment
The next step depends on the physician's decision. When the patient is approved, the prescription is entered into CURT. The patient can then contact a licensed dispensing organization, which verifies the registry entry before dispensing.
- Complete the intake information and gather relevant records.
- Attend the physician evaluation.
- Answer questions about the diagnosis, symptoms, medication history, and prior care.
- Receive the physician's decision or a request for more information.
- If approved, wait for the prescription to be entered into CURT.
- Contact a licensed Texas dispensing organization.
Patients who are unsure about eligibility should use the current qualifying conditions guide rather than the retired eligibility URL. Older adults and family members can also review medical marijuana for seniors in Texas.
What to Have Ready
- A government-issued photo ID and information confirming permanent Texas residency
- A current medication and supplement list
- Records that show the diagnosis, when available
- Notes about symptoms, daily limitations, and treatments already tried
- A caregiver or family member when the patient needs help describing the history
The full medical marijuana evaluation preparation guide explains which documents and notes can make the appointment easier.
A Note for Patients With Complex Histories
Multiple diagnoses, a long medication list, or care from several specialists does not automatically prevent an evaluation. It does mean the physician may need to slow down, identify the condition being considered under TCUP, and separate the most relevant medical details from the rest of the chart.
Bring what you have. Don't guess about medication names, doses, or diagnoses. When something is missing, say so. A clear gap is easier for a physician to address than an uncertain answer presented as fact.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dr. Julie Graves, MD
Who is Dr. Julie Graves, MD?
Dr. Julie Deaun Graves is a Family Medicine physician who graduated from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in 1983. She has more than 40 years of clinical experience and conducts medical marijuana evaluations for Texas 420 Doctors patients.
How can I verify Dr. Graves' Texas credentials?
Her Texas medical license number is G5110, which can be searched through the Texas Medical Board. Her public National Provider Identifier is 1093794265, and the NPI record identifies her as a Family Medicine physician.
What makes her background different from a typical online evaluation?
Dr. Graves has postgraduate training in general surgery, anesthesiology, and family medicine. That combination gives her context for procedure history, pain and medication exposure, recovery, chronic conditions, and the way several health issues can overlap.
What should I have ready before meeting with Dr. Graves?
Have your identification, medication list, diagnosis information, relevant records, and a brief description of how symptoms affect daily life. Exact details are more useful than trying to remember everything during the call.
Can a caregiver or family member join the evaluation?
A caregiver may be helpful when the patient relies on support, has difficulty describing symptoms, or needs someone to explain routines and medication history. The patient should still be present unless the physician or clinic provides different instructions.
Does Dr. Graves prescribe medical marijuana to everyone she evaluates?
No. She must decide whether the patient is eligible and whether low-THC cannabis is medically appropriate. Some patients may need more documentation, and others may not meet Texas requirements.
How is a condition that causes chronic pain reviewed?
The physician may ask what causes the pain, how long it has lasted, how it affects function, which treatments have been tried, and what medications are currently used. Texas law recognizes conditions that cause chronic pain, but the medical review still determines whether a prescription is appropriate.
What may be discussed during a PTSD evaluation?
The conversation may include the diagnosis, current symptoms, treatment history, medications, sleep, daily function, and any safety concerns. PTSD is an eligible Texas condition, but approval remains an individual medical decision.
What information is useful for a cancer-related evaluation?
Patients may be asked about the cancer diagnosis, current or previous treatment, pain, nausea, appetite, sleep, comfort needs, and the existing care plan. Medical cannabis is not a cancer treatment or cure.
How is an autism evaluation handled when a caregiver is involved?
A parent, guardian, or caregiver may help describe communication needs, sleep, appetite, behavior, medication response, and daily support. The physician still reviews the individual patient's history and decides whether low-THC cannabis may be appropriate.
Can I meet with Dr. Graves through telemedicine?
Telemedicine may be available when appropriate. The physician still conducts a medical evaluation, reviews the available information, and asks the questions needed to reach a decision.
What happens if I am not approved during the visit?
The physician may explain that more information is needed or that the patient's situation does not meet current requirements. An evaluation is not a guarantee, and Texas 420 Doctors should not promise a prescription before the doctor reviews the case.
Schedule a Texas Medical Marijuana Evaluation
A strong appointment starts with an honest medical history, not a rehearsed answer. Bring the diagnosis information you have, list current medications accurately, and be ready to explain what symptoms interfere with everyday life.
Dr. Graves can review that information and determine whether the patient meets Texas requirements and whether a low-THC cannabis prescription is medically appropriate. The answer is based on the individual review, not on a website quiz or a promise made before the visit.
Review Texas 420 Doctors services to begin, or read the statewide guide to working with a medical marijuana doctor in Texas.
