Kimberly Fernandez, 4th year UNC Medical Student, has been named the 2024 William Hersey Davis Jr., MD Pediatric Student Scholar.
Kimberly stood to the selection committee for her ability to build rapport with patients and her compassion for and commitment to underserved communities. What impressed her preceptors most was “her ability to handle medical complexity while also earning the trust of patients from all communities and backgrounds during the most acutely stressful times of their lives.”
Kimberly began medical school at UNC in 2021 after earning a BS in Biology and BA in Sociology from UNC-Chapel Hill and an MS in Physiology (cum laude) from NC State University. During her time at UNC School of Medicine, she has demonstrated high academic achievement and strong leadership in the medical school community. Among many volunteer roles, she has served as a student chief for the CAMPOS program, co-director and volunteer for the SHAC student-run free clinic, and co-president of the Latino Medical Student Association. She was recently awarded the peer-nominated James A Bryan II award to recognize her contributions to improve the educational experience of the other medical students.
The Scholarship honors Dr. Davis, who was the first Chief Resident in Pediatrics at the North Carolina Memorial Hospital and in the UNC Department of Pediatrics. The Pediatric Student scholarship is funded through a generous gift from Pamela Davis Leight (daughter of Dr. Davis) and George Staples Leight, Jr., MD.
Congratulations Kimberly!