Dr. Fernandez obtained his medical degree from Michigan State University and completed his orthopedic residency at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City and the Florida Fellowship in Reconstructive Spinal Surgery in Gainesville, Florida. Dr. Fernandez loves to teach and has mentored orthopedic residents and medical students throughout his career as an Associate Clinical Professor of Surgery at the College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University. He has instructed at many spine courses across the country and is frequently consulted as an orthopedic hardware expert.

Dr. Fernandez is a member of several professional organizations, including the American College of Surgeons, North American Spine Society, American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, American College of Lifestyle Medicine, American Association for Physician Leadership, and the Adventist Medical Evangelistic Network. He has lectured on various health topics, preached internationally, and participated in international medical mission trips with his family. He and his wife, a registered dietitian, have taught numerous vegetarian cooking schools and other health programs for their community.

Dr. Fernandez proudly served our country as a physician in the US Navy, achieving the rank of Commander. While stationed at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD he had the privilege of treating members of Congress and all our Armed Forces, as well as those of foreign allied militaries. Dr. Fernandez earned several awards, including the Meritorious Unit Commendation Armed Forces Service Medal, Fleet Marine Force Designator, National Defense Service Medal, and Pistol Expert. While deployed to Haiti he was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal for participating in over 90 humanitarian missions, providing medical care to the Haitian people, and leading a task force to evaluate the needs of Haiti’s main medical center. A report was forwarded to the Governor of Florida at his request, which secured several hundred thousand dollars worth of equipment and supplies for the hospital, significantly improving the quality of care the facility could provide.

Some of the procedures Dr. Fernandez performs include cervical discectomy and fusion, cervical artificial disc replacement, spinal stenosis procedures, lumbar fusions and instrumentation, minimally invasive micro lumbar discectomies for disc herniations, direct lateral lumbar interbody fusion (XLIF/DLIF), sacroiliac joint injections and fusions, spinal cord stimulator trials, and permanents, Activ8 stimulators for back muscle (multifidus) dysfunction, kyphoplasty for thoracic and lumbar compression fractures, and other spinal procedures.

In their spare time, he and his family enjoy traveling, hiking, skiing, and trying international vegetarian cuisine! Dr. Fernandez is fluent in Spanish and is currently learning Portuguese.