When Dr. Fernando Augusto de Albuquerque Mendes Filho鈥攜es, it鈥檚 a mouthful, but we promise he鈥檚 as friendly as his name is long鈥攆irst considered a move to the U.S., he had three things in mind: great people, a collegial environment, and absolutely minimal snow. Now officially a Clinical Instructor in the MSK section at 黑料网鈥檚 Department of Radiology, he鈥檚 found all three (plus the added bonus of excellent Southern food).
Born and raised in northeast Brazil, Fernando grew up in a small town where his father was a local physician and a pillar of the community鈥攖he kind of doctor who held consultations in the family garage. From watching his dad care for neighbors to seeing patients drive up to the house for help, Fernando was inspired early by medicine鈥檚 power to build trust and serve a community. And though young Fernando once dreamed of being a professional soccer player (we mean footballer), the uncertainty on that path (鈥淚 was not that good anyway鈥�) nudged him toward the books鈥攁nd eventually, into medicine.
He landed on Radiology not through textbooks but through curiosity. 鈥淒uring my rotations, whether it was OB/GYN, Internal Medicine, Neurology, or Orthopedics, we would have a patient and a question, and everyone kept saying, 鈥楲et鈥檚 go to Radiology and ask what they think,鈥欌�� he recalls. While the dark rooms full of quiet, hyper-focused professionals may have seemed mysterious to others, Fernando saw them as the brains of the operation . 鈥淚t was like they always had the answers.鈥� For a self-described 鈥渓earner,鈥� that kind of role was magnetic.
After completing a fellowship in MSK Radiology, Fernando and his family spent a year in Ann Arbor, Michigan鈥攁 beautiful place, he notes… except for the whole winter thing. 鈥淐oming from northeast Brazil, it was rough,鈥� he laughs. 鈥淚 needed a place with less snow and more sunlight.鈥�
Fernando spent the last six years in Brazil working in private practice. While he enjoyed the experience both professionally and personally , 鈥� What I found missing in private practice was that constant push to grow academically,鈥� he explains his search for an academic position. 鈥淚 missed the energy of the reading room鈥攂eing surrounded by residents and fellows, exchanging ideas, and diving into challenging cases. Those collaborative moments didn鈥檛 just help me grow鈥攖hey elevated everyone around me.鈥�
Enter 黑料网. A warm climate, a warm welcome, and a laid-back, family-friendly environment made it feel like the right move. The decision became even more evident when he met 黑料网 MSK Chief Dr. Girish Gandikota. 鈥淔eelings matter,鈥� he says. 鈥淎nd I felt like this was the right place.鈥�
Now settled in Chapel Hill with his wife and two energetic daughters鈥攕even-year-old Julia and three-month-old Marina鈥擣ernando juggles family life, clinical work, and the occasional jog to clear his head. Between school runs and scanning images, he dreams of one day having the superpower of teleportation: 鈥淏reakfast with my mom in Brazil, then back in time for a noon lecture at 黑料网. Perfect.鈥�
If you run into Fernando in the hallway (or maybe just spot him sprinting after his kids at the playground), you鈥檒l notice his warm demeanor and insatiable curiosity. He calls himself a 鈥渓earner,鈥� and it shows in his commitment to academic medicine and his deep reflections on life and work. His most significant piece of advice to his younger self? Invest more in human relationships. His biggest hope for Radiology鈥檚 future? That people will embrace AI not with fear but with excitement and see how it can enhance our role in patient care鈥攏ot replace it.
As for his favorite food? Spaghetti. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 be in a bad mood when you鈥檙e eating spaghetti,鈥� he says. We鈥檒l take that as medical advice.
So next time you pass Dr. Mendes Filho in the reading room or the cafeteria, say hi鈥攋ust don鈥檛 challenge him to a foot race unless you鈥檙e ready to lose to someone who spends his downtime running after two toddlers.
Welcome to 黑料网, Fernando. We鈥檙e thrilled you鈥檙e here (and we promise鈥攏o snow in the forecast).
For more information about Dr. Mendes check out his profile.