Dr. Carmina Charles is a native of Port-au-Prince, Haiti who immigrated to the United States when she was 3 years old. Her childhood was captivated by a plethora of culture, diversity, love and language from family and friends. Service was an integral part of her upbringing and she recalls deciding at a young age that she wanted to help others via the medical field and decided to pursue a career in medicine.
She completed her high school education at Miami Union Academy and then went on to Oakwood University to embark on the first phase of achieving her goals. However, her matriculation at Oakwood College was shortened after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma at the end of her freshmen year. Her educational journey was interrupted by this major hiccup; however, it taught her to expect detours, persevere, rest when needed, enjoy life, be grateful for every moment and maximize every opportunity given.
Dr. Charles obtained her undergraduate degree in Biology/Biotechnology from Florida Atlantic University and went on to teach high school math and science at her Alma Mater for three years and served as the chair of the math department. She subsequently left to pursue a medical degree at Ross University School of Medicine as the recipient of the Eliza Anna Grier scholarship, which provided her a full academic scholarship to medical school. She graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2008. Dr. Charles completed her residency at Orlando Health and then a dual fellowship in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism and Nutrition and Medical Genetics at Medical University of South Carolina. She is board certified in Internal Medicine and in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism and is preparing to sit for the Lifestyle Medicine boards in 2020 in order to strengthen the services rendered in her clinic.
She joined the Advent Health System in October of 2013. Dr. Charles has a passion for women’s health and established a subspecialty clinic in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and Endocrine Disorders in Pregnancy. The clinic is designed to provide comprehensive management for PCOS – medical treatment, Laser Hair Removal for Hirsutism, Nutrition counseling, psychological counseling for eating disorders, depression and anxiety affiliated with the disease, and scholarships for families who would like to expand their families. She is also a member of the National PCOS Challenge Advisory Board.
In October of 2018, her journey at Advent Health was interrupted by another major life hiccup with the recurrence of her Hodgkin’s lymphoma more than twenty years later. After 3 months of chemotherapy, she had a Bone Marrow Transplant on February 1, 2019. With the support and love of her husband, Emmanuel of 16 years and her daughter who is 3 years old, she returned to work in April of 2019. During her recent illness, her perspective on the practice of medicine and how it is delivered; or better yet, how she delivers medicine has been challenged and has provoked a desire to do and be better. In February of 2020, with the help of the wonderful Advent Health Team, she will launch the Apopka Endocrine Clinic for the Advent Health System and hopes to continue to offer endocrine services to the residents of Central Florida.
