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Melissa Fernandes, MD, MA

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Gastroenterology)

About

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Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Gastroenterology)

Biography

Dr. Fernandes is board certified in Pediatrics and Pediatric Gastroenterology. She received her undergraduate and medical degree from St. Louis University in St. Louis, MO. She then went on to complete her pediatrics training at Tufts University (Floating Hospital for Children) in Boston, MA and her pediatric gastroenterology fellowship at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF). During her fellowship at UCSF she completed a master’s degree in Clinical & Epidemiological Research with her research focused on pediatric inflammatory bowel disease.

She has been in practice in Connecticut since 2016. She enjoys caring for patients with a wide variety of gastrointestinal needs with a particular interest in children with inflammatory bowel disease.

Appointments

Other Departments & Organizations

Education & Training

Pediatric Gastroenterology Fellow
University of California, San Francisco (2016)
MA
University of California, San Francisco (2016)
Pediatric Resident
Floating Hospital for Children - Tufts University (2013)
Pediatric Intern
Floating Hospital for Children - Tufts University (2011)
MD
Saint Louis University School of Medicine (2010)

Research

Publications

2019

2016

Clinical Care

Overview

Melissa Fernandes, MD, MA, is a pediatric gastroenterologist with a special interest in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

IBD refers to diagnoses such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, which cause chronic inflammation of the GI tract, leading to diarrhea, rectal bleeding, weight loss, and fatigue.

Dr. Fernandes became interested in pediatric gastroenterology during medical school.

“I did a pediatric GI rotation and loved the group I worked with. I saw the continuity of care they had with patients,” she says. “During a clinic day, I was able to see kids with a diverse range of issues.”

Dr. Fernandes particularly enjoys working with children with pediatric IBD because they are being seen every few months for visits.

“It’s wonderful to develop relationships with the kids and their families. When a child is first diagnosed, the family is thankful to know what is going on, but then they often feel overwhelmed and we work with them through it,” she says. “I like to spend a lot of time in the exam room with them and hear their story.”

Dr. Fernandes also treats children with general GI concerns including constipation, feeding and growth issues, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and generalized belly pain.

Clinical Specialties

Pediatric Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Board Certifications

  • Pediatrics

    Certification Organization
    AB of Pediatrics
    Original Certification Date
    2013

Get In Touch

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Locations

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