Carolyn R. Stern, M.D.

Carolyn R. Stern MD is a Deaf, Board Certified Family Physician.

I am the first Deaf Faculty Physician to work at University of Rochester! I enjoy URMC’s concept of Meliora, and work everyday to improve the lives of Deaf patients and Deaf professionals at URMC.

Since September of 2015...

Carolyn R. Stern MD is a Deaf, Board Certified Family Physician.

I am the first Deaf Faculty Physician to work at University of Rochester! I enjoy URMC’s concept of Meliora, and work everyday to improve the lives of Deaf patients and Deaf professionals at URMC.

Since September of 2015, I have worked as an Urgent Care physician–Instructor of Clinical Emergency Medicine at the University of Rochester’s 6 Urgent Care Centers throughout Monroe County. I have also served as the Medical Director and School Physician at Rochester School for the Deaf since July 2000.

I am also proud to be the co-founder of DeafDOC.org (since 2006), with health related videos on YouTube and on www.deafdoc.org, a website with numerous health education videos.

I have been a physician to thousands of Deaf, Hard of Hearing (D/HH), hearing patients, and the extended D/HH community. At URMC, I am a member of the Deaf Professional Advisory Committee (DPAC) under the URMC’s Office of Equity and Inclusion, on the Deaf Patient and Family Advisory Committee (DPFAC) under the Patient Care Experience office under Jacqueline Beckerman’s office, and on the Clinical Cultural Competency committee.

I have extensive experience in public speaking and consultations with multiple organizations, including the D/HH, interpreter, medical, and general community, including university and government organizations, both nationally and internationally, as a role model, advocate, mentor, consultant, and educator.

She graduated Cum Laude from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, and received her MD degree from Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago, Illinois. She completed her Family Medicine Residency at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois.

She has a wonderful husband, Al Spanjer, and 3 amazing children.