Enmanuel “Manny” Fernandez
Enmanuel “Manny” Fernandez is a second-year PhD student at Penn Nursing. Manny aims to revolutionize sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention and care among disproportionately affected populations. Despite advances in STI treatment, testing rates remain suboptimal, particularly in underserved communities. This gap hinders the effective implementation of innovative strategies like Doxycycline Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (Doxy-PEP) for STI exposures. Manny’s research focuses on understanding the complex multi-level factors influencing STI testing behaviors. By identifying barriers and facilitators to testing, his work aims to inform targeted interventions to increase STI testing rates. This research is crucial for maximizing the utilization of Doxy-PEP and other STI prevention strategies.
What's your favorite place to eat on campus or in the city?
El Vez
What's your favorite non-required or elective class?
Fundamentals of Health Policy
What's your favorite Penn perk (e.g. access to museum, ICA, athletics, Arboretum, etc)?
Access to the Fitness Center
What's your favorite place on campus?
The 6th Floor of the Van Pelt Library
What's your favorite Penn activity / hobby outside of class (e.g. on-campus groups, clubs, athletics, volunteering, etc)?
Hiking, Going to Concerts, and Traveling
The most memorable moment I've had at Penn Nursing so far is...?
My most memorable moment was recently completing my first year of my doctoral studies, passing my Qualifying exam, and landing a prestigious research grant and fellowship.
Is there anything that you wish you knew before coming to Penn?
I wish I knew to believe in myself more. Truth be told the imposter syndrome isn’t still going away anytime soon.
What is something that you really like about your program of study?
I’m currently enjoying my second-year of course work. Taking classes outside of the school of nursing has really allowed me to explore other interdisciplinary pursuits.
What's your favorite thing about your cohort and/or the community at Penn?
My favorite thing about my cohort is the sense of community building. There’s people in my cohort I see myself keeping strong bonds with for a lifetime.
What or who has inspired you the most while pursuing your degree, and why?
My mentor at John Hopkins University: Dr. Robert Atkins. He’s the first person who believed I could pursue such a rigorous degree. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for him.
What opportunities are you taking advantage of to advance your degree?
I’m taking full advantage of opportunities to grow within scholarship, leadership, and through professional development under the direction of the mentorship team.
