Michelle L. Hernandez, MD

I decided to become a pediatrician after teaching second-graders as part of Teach for Americas mission to create opportunity for all children. As a teacher, I learned how much of a childs success and happiness is determined by their physical health. I became a pediatrician for the same reason I became a teacher “ to give children strong, healthy starts to their lives. One of the best parts of being a pediatrician is developing partnerships with families and making joint decisions to treat their child as a whole. To me, effective primary care also means to utilize evidence-based medicine and preventive health measures, such as vaccines and judicious use of medications, to support children through their formative years. Aside from practicing medicine, I love spending time with my husband and our two hilarious daughters. Since moving to Durham in 2017, we have been busy romping through museums and aquariums, exploring the North Carolina coast and mountains, and eating our way through the Triangle.

I initially thought of becoming a medical missionary when I first considered becoming a nurse practitioner. As time went on, I came to love taking care of people in any community or culture. I love prevention. I would like, in an ideal world, to work myself out of a job. Teach people to take care of themselves. When I am not working, I love reading, singing, dancing, hiking and travel.