Raquel Gomez Hernandez, M.D., M.P.H.

Headshot of Raquel Gomez Hernandez
  • Director, Healthy Weight Initiative
  • Associate Professor of Pediatrics

Languages: English, Spanish

Research Interests

Childhood obesity; Childhood nutrition; Center-based child care; Preschool weight risks ...read more

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Locations

St Petersburg Outpatient Care Center - Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine

601 5th Street S
St Petersburg, FL 33701
Phone: 727-767-8917
St Petersburg Outpatient Care Center - Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine - Google Maps

Background

Dr. Raquel G. Hernandez is an associate professor of pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Her clinical interests include general pediatric and adolescent medicine, health disparities, culturally and linguistically appropriate care as well as pediatric obesity.

Dr. Hernandez completed her medical school training, pediatric residency and fellowship in academic general pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. During her fellowship she also earned a master of public health degree with an emphasis on nutrition from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

At Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, Dr. Hernandez is the director of the Healthy Weight Initiative, a multi-tiered approach including innovative clinical care, research and educational efforts targeting pediatric obesity. In this role, she has been instrumental in advocating for the care of patients with pediatric obesity using evidence-based and culturally appropriate services.

Her research currently focuses on health disparities among vulnerable populations with a focus on pediatric obesity. She has identified factors that enhance obesity prevention and treatment efforts within the pediatric primary care setting, with a focus on the role of parental perceptions of child weight, parental participation and modifiable factors in obesity prevention.

She additionally leads the JHACH Center for Pediatric Health Equity Research based within the Institute for Clinical and Translational Research. The center seeks to develop and implement research efforts focused on promoting health equity for children and families within the organization and community with a focus on community-informed efforts.

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Titles

  • Director, Healthy Weight Initiative
  • Director, Center for Pediatric Health Equity Research
  • Associate Professor of Pediatrics

Departments / Divisions

Centers & Institutes

Education

Degrees

  • MD; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2003)

Residencies

  • Pediatrics; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2006)

Fellowships

  • Pediatrics; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2009)

Board Certifications

  • American Board of Obesity Medicine (Obesity Medicine) (2015)
  • American Board of Pediatrics (Pediatrics - General) (2006)

Research & Publications

Research Summary

Dr. Hernandez’s research focuses largely on the prevention and management of childhood obesity.

She has identified factors that enhance obesity prevention and treatment efforts within the pediatric primary care setting, with a focus on the role of parental perceptions of child weight, parental participation and modifiable factors in obesity prevention.

At the 2014 annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies, Dr. Hernandez presented research demonstrating that few overweight school-age children are able to outgrow their weight problems.

At Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, Dr. Hernandez is working on a grant-funded project to delineate socio-ecologic factors that promote return to healthy weight. She has also introduced an obesity prevention and treatment model to the resident clinic.

Her future areas of research include describing the genetic and biochemical markers of early childhood obesity to target prevention strategies in the general pediatric clinic setting.

Technology Expertise Keywords

Obesity, health equity, social determinants of health

Activities & Honors

Honors

  • Fellow, American Academy of Pediatrics, 2010
  • Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, University of South Florida, 2009
  • Travel Award, National Institutes of Health, National Medical Association Annual Conference, Honolulu Hawaii, 2007
  • Diplomate, American Board of Pediatrics, 2006
  • Castle Connolly Top Doctor-Pediatrics, Castle Connolly, 2017
  • Castle Connolly Top Doctor-Pediatrics, 2018
  • Castle Connolly Top Doctor-Pediatrics, 2019
  • Castle Connolly Top Doctor-Pediatrics, 2020
  • Castle Connolly-Top Doctor Pediatrics, 2021
  • Castle Connolly Top Doctor-Pediatrics, 2022

Memberships

  • National Childhood Obesity Foundation
  • Academic Pediatric Association, 2006
  • American Academy of Pediatrics, 2003

Professional Activities

  • Medical Student Assessment Program, Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, 2011
  • Curriculum Committee, Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, 2011
  • Graduate Medical Education Committee, Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, 2011
  • Healthcare Committee, National Childhood Obesity Foundation, 2010
  • Obesity Leadership Workgroup, American Academy of Pediatrics, 2009
  • Reviewer, Integrated Cardiovascular Health and Risk Reduction (Pediatrics guideline),, 2008

Videos & Media

Recent News Articles and Media Coverage

How to Reduce Hidden Sugars in Your Family’s Diet, Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine (March 1, 2022)

New study shows childhood obesity requires early and aggressive treatment, like surgery or medication, WFTS -TV (January 10, 2023)

Teens Are Taking Wegovy for Weight Loss. But Doctors Have a Lot to Learn, TIME Magazine (June 6, 2023)

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