Carmella Fernandez, MD, MBA

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Get to know Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Carmella Fernandez, who serves patients in Florida.

Named a Top Doctor in Naples Illustrated (2018 – 2023), Dr. Fernandez is a dual fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon specializing in surgery of the hand, wrist, and elbow. Her clinical interests focus on developing personalized treatment plans to restore pain-free function to her patients through a variety of non-surgical and surgical solutions.

With a patient-centric practice, she is the Owner & Operator of Fernandez Upper Extremity Institute in Naples, Florida. She is also a part of the team of professionals at Seaside Surgery Center.

Experienced with helping patients who are suffering from arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, Dr. Fernandez also designs well detailed care plans. From aging reconstruction to total joint replacement, she is passionate about helping to alleviate each patient from their pain and to help them regain function. 

Her specialities include bone and soft tissue trauma of the upper extremity, arthritis and aging – reconstruction and joint replacement, nerve compression syndromes – carpal tunnel and cubital tunnel, microvascular and nerve repair/reconstruction, Dupuytren’s contracture, rheumatoid arthritis, arthroscopy – small joints hand, wrist, elbow, tendon repair, and Trigger finger.

Starting from humble beginnings, Dr. Fernandez is a first generation American, born and raised in New Jersey. Her father was from Cuba and worked two jobs to provide for his family. He cleaned doctors’ offices at night and on the weekends. Dr. Fernandez would help him on the weekends so that she could spend time with him. Through these experiences with him as well as through his unfortunate passing when she was thirteen years old, she realized that she wanted to be different from the doctors her family encountered. This is when her journey to become a doctor began. 

With an educational track at several prestigious institutions, Dr. Fernandez received her undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois, where she competed as a collegiate gymnast. She subsequently earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Rutgers University and her medical degree from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in 2006. She went on to complete an internship in internal medicine at Lankenau Hospital, followed by a residency in orthopedic surgery at Louisiana State University. She then completed a fellowship in plastics hand and microsurgery at Yale in 2015, and a fellowship in orthopedic upper extremity surgery at the University of Pittsburgh in 2016.

Dedicated to surgical excellence, the doctor is board-certified in orthopedic surgery by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery (ABOS). The ABOS is an organization with the goal of establishing educational and professional standards for orthopedic residents and surgeons as well as evaluating the qualifications and competence of orthopedic surgeons.

Having established her private practice, Dr. Fernandez looks forward to continuing her legacy of community volunteerism, actively participating in orthopedic research projects, and adding to her compendium of publications.

Orthopedic surgery is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedic surgeons use both surgical and non-surgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors, and congenital disorders.

A firm believer that compassion and empathy cannot be taught in a book, Dr. Fernandez’s ability to connect and communicate with her patients has allowed her to become successful in her practice. At the end of the day, she appreciates that people come to see her for help when they are scared and in pain. It is an honor that people entrust their care with her.

Among her various distinctions include candidate member of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, recipient of the Resident Research Award from the Louisiana Orthopedic Association, and recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

Outside of practicing medicine, Dr. Fernandez enjoys running, lifting weights, spending time with her Chihuahua Phoebe, exploring new areas and restaurants, wine tasting, and spending time with friends. Her favorite place to vacation is anywhere with a beach and her dog, and her favorite professional publications are the Journal of Hand Surgery and Becker’s Orthopedic Review.

The Former Team Captain of the University of Illinois Gymnastics Team, she enjoys staying physically active.

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