Jenna Bernstein, MD Appointed as Assistant Professor

Jenna Bernstein, MD, was appointed as an assistant professor on September 1.

Bernstein, who completed her fellowship in total joint arthroplasty at NYU Langone during the summer, knew early in her medical career that she wanted to be an orthopaedic surgeon. Bernstein said orthopaedics produces near-immediate rewards as a surgeon for patients who can quickly return to doing what they would consider normal activities. That part of medicine captured her attention early on and led her to decide she wanted to focus on total joint arthroplasty.

"The patients do well afterward," Bernstein said. "When they come back, they tell you that you changed their life. They couldn't walk, now they can. They couldn't play with their grandkids, but now they do every day. They couldn't play golf, but now they're back on the course. As a surgeon, I get to say 'I can fix this problem' and genuinely mean it. That’s a rewarding experience.”

Medicine captured her imagination at a young age. She recalled asking her parents for books when she was only 8-years-old because she felt a calling to help people in pain. The passion started early but grew as time passed. When she was in college at Cornell University, she became an EMT to gain hands-on experience working with people who were suffering. She attended medical school at the University of Connecticut before entering her residency at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

Part of what appealed to Bernstein about total joint arthroplasty is the degree of specialization and a chance to make her mark. While total joint remains a mostly male-dominated field, Bernstein said she feels she has an opportunity to make her mark.

“I decided that this field of orthopaedics (arthroplasty) was something that I felt particularly strong about. I spoke with my mentors about it, and they helped push me forward," she said. "I'm hopeful there will be other women who see me in this position and say to themselves, 'If she's doing it, then I can too.' I think that's absolutely true."

She trained at NYU with robotic-assisted surgeries, using minimally-invasive techniques to become even more precise in her work. Fewer cuts mean fewer issues with soft tissues, which means less pain for her patients and more comfortable recovery. That surgical style means leaving more native tissues intact for patients, and she believes working at Yale will allow her to expand her work with advanced surgical technologies.

“I get to make every surgery specific to the patient,” she said. “I’m focused on a specific set of procedures, but I’m not just taking a generalized approach: I’m looking at each person’s unique anatomy, and I'm able to make specific choices. The joy for me is that it's fun to find the best solution for each patient and their goals."

Bernstein, a Connecticut native, said she's looking forward to returning to her home state. She lives in New Haven, where when she's not in the operating room or clinic, she can be found training for the next road race or triathlon or chasing her new puppy around the city.