Jessica Barnhill, MD, MPH

I am passionate about helping my clients become more functional communicators, and improving their quality of life. I became a speech-language pathologist to help people access the words they need to best share their wants and ideas. It is my priority to make my patients and their families live more harmoniously by enhancing their means of communicating. I choose relevant, functional targets to capitalize on the potential for generalization of skills learned in therapy sessions. When I am not at work, I enjoy spending time with my family.

I have worked in a variety of settings throughout my career treating both adult and pediatric patients. My areas of specialty include aquatic therapy and treating individuals with bleeding disorders. I currently participate in patient care, research and other projects through the UNC Hemophilia Treatment Center and am an active member of their comprehensive care team. I also participate as a mentor within UNCs pediatric physical therapy residency. When not working, my interest includes swimming, hiking, traveling and my dog.

I was drawn to the field by a desire to help patients improve their function and achieve their goals. The field of prosthetics and orthotics allows us to make a positive impact on people’s lives through the fabrication and modification of an individualized device. I believe successful outcomes can only be achieved if a patient’s goals are taken into account when developing a device recommendation. When not at work, I am either spending time with my family, rooting for my favorite sports teams, or hacking it up on the golf course.