Welcome ACV’s New Physician Assistant

Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park is happy to announce an addition to their medical team: Certified Physician Assistant Nicole Hernandez. Nicole, a graduate of Nova Southeastern University in Orlando, will be working primarily at Copeland Clinic in Copeland Medical Center. She will also make regular visits to Good Samaritan Center, ACV’s skilled nursing community.

Originally from California, Nicole’s family moved to Florida when she was still very young. She has two older sisters, one of whom now lives in Valdosta, Georgia, and the other lives in Tallahassee, Florida. Nicole credits her sister with having a major impact on the path Nicole’s life has taken. It was because of her sister’s childhood cancer diagnosis that the family moved to Florida after enjoying a Make-a-Wish vacation there. And, because of the medical treatment her sister went through, Nicole became interested in pursuing a medical profession.

After graduating from high school, Nicole attended New College of Florida for one year. While there, she became interested in pursuing a physician assistant (PA) certification and shadowed a PA for six months. After New College, she attended the University of Central Florida for two years, and then Nova Southeastern.

“She’s doing a great job,” says Ann Toole, Director of Nursing/Informatics Services at Copeland Clinic. “The patients love her. She has an outgoing personality.”

Nicole began work in October and is already seeing patients. “I love it so far,” says Nicole. “Everybody is nice.”

In her free time, Nicole enjoys hanging out with her five-year-old niece and her mother, Nicole’s sister.

Advent Christian Village is pleased to welcome Nicole to Dowling Park.