Felicia Cooper, MD
I am a third-year pediatric endocrinology fellow at Nemours Children’s Health in Orlando, Florida. I will be staying at my current institution as a pediatric endocrinologist starting July 2026. My medical training began shortly after high school—I completed a 7-year accelerated BS/MD pipeline program at Florida Atlantic University College of Medicine. I then completed my residency at Nemours Orlando and became the inaugural pediatric endocrinology fellow at Nemours Orlando, a role that has offered unique opportunities to help shape the fellowship experience and contribute meaningfully to our academic culture. I am passionate about medical education and have taken several teaching courses through Nemours and the University of Central Florida College of Medicine (UCFCOM). As a Nemours residency alum, I have developed a close affiliation with the residency program and teach the residents often (I am also co-director for their Medical Education longitudinal elective). I also serve as an Assistant Professor for the UCFCOM and interview candidates yearly for their MD program.
Besides medical education, research is also an interest of mine. I have published 20 publications, including my fellowship research project (a systematic review of subclinical hypothyroidism in children). My case reports and clinical research projects have been presented at several national conferences, such as the Endocrine Society and Pediatric Endocrine Society meetings.
I am also enthusiastic about quality improvement. In addition to starting the first Medical Education & Quality Improvement elective experience for trainees at my institution, I have taken many courses and classes on methods of QI. I took the knowledge I learned and have begun a project of my own, aiming to reduce referrals for elevated thyroid stimulating hormone. My uncle is an endocrinologist for adults, so I knew from a very young age what a thyroid gland was. When thinking about whether to subspecialize upon my residency graduation, I reflected upon my love of medical education and realized that endocrinologists were some of the best teachers in the hospital, as they truly understood the interactions of the various complex glands in the body. I was captivated watching them explain and draw pictures for the patients and their parents regarding disease processes. I also enjoyed learning from certified diabetes educators, since there are so many intricacies in troubleshooting diabetes management. I feel that endocrinology affords the perfect balance of inpatient consultations and outpatient visits, and the feedback loops of the body’s hormones are fascinating.
I also enjoy the continuity of care and long-term relationships with my patients. My husband and son are big sources of love, support, and encouragement at home. My program director, Dr. Shilpa Gurnurkar, has been an incredible role model of how to “do it all”— excellent bedside manner, pursuing your educational goals and passions, and staying up-to-date in clinical practice. She has been instrumental in my career development since I was a resident. I am also grateful to my research mentors Drs Neha Vyas, Mauri Carakushansky, and Andrea Rivera-Sepulveda, who have guided me in my research projects. I hope to continue mentoring students and trainees in the future, as I have learned so much from my teachers, professors, seniors, and attendings over my 20+ years of education.