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| Jenelle Fernandez, M.D. |
She is double board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in pediatrics and pediatric gastroenterology and will serve as an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Whiddon College of Medicine.
Fernandez said she decided to become a pediatrician because she loves children and enjoys seeing how small changes can make big impacts in their lives.
The decision to pursue a specialty in pediatric gastroenterology came following an experience she encountered during her residency.
“I got to take care of a teenager with Crohn's disease,” Fernandez recalled. “She was very ill and could not participate in school activities as she was so weak.” Shortly after diagnosis and treatment, she was able to return to competitive cheerleading and spending time with friends.
Watching the teen recover helped open her eyes, she said, to how physicians can help patients improve their quality of life.
Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease affecting the GI tract.
Fernandez earned her medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine in Dominica, West Indies. She completed her residency at Atrium Health Navicent in Macon, Georgia, and a fellowship at Orlando Health. Most recently, she served as an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Morsani College of Medicine at the University of South Florida in Tampa.
Among her achievements, Fernandez earned the Young Investigator Award by the Federation of International Societies of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition in 2021.
