Spotlight: Jessica Fernandez

Jessica Fernandez, 27, is graduating from the University of Central Florida's College of Medicine next week. She is about to become a member of a small group: Approximately two percent of practicing doctors have a disability. Originally from Venezuela, Fernandez was born with spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia, a rare genetic disorder that affects bone growth, making her shorter than average. She uses an electric wheelchair when she works in the hospital due to hip and back pain. Last summer, Fernandez underwent surgery in Delaware to stabilize her cervical spine. She spent her recovery time studying for her board exams.

In the spring of 2017, Fernandez spoke at the Coalition for Disability Access in Health Science and Medical Education Symposium at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. She talked about the importance of empathy and compassion while practicing medicine. An inspiration to her classmates and professors, Fernandez has not let her disability stop her from becoming a doctor. After graduation, she plans to enter a residency program, specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation. For more details on this story from the Spring 2018 issue of Pegasus Magazine, go to https://www.ucf.edu/pegasus/healing-through-understanding/.

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