Dr. Antonio Fernos-Isern was born in 1895 in San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico. His early education took place in Puerto Rico until he and his family moved to Pennsylvania during his high school years. He completed medical school in 1915 at the College of Physicians and Surgeons at the University of Maryland.
Dr. Ferno-Isern subsequently returned to Puerto Rico where he started his medical practice but also became involved in politics and public service, eventually serving as the commissioner of health of Puerto Rico in the 1930s and 40s. He returned to the United States to complete additional training in cardiology at Columbia University, becoming the first Puerto Rican cardiologist. He returned to Puerto Rico to serve as a professor at the Public Health School of Tropical Medicine of Puerto Rico, in addition to continuing his own private practice in San Juan.
In 1945 he was appointed by the Governor of Puerto Rico to serve as Resident Commissioner to the U.S. Congress. He served in that position for a total of 19 years, becoming the longest serving Resident Commissioner in the island’s history. During his time as Resident Commissioner, he played a critical role in convincing the U.S. Government to give Puerto Ricans the right to govern their island. On June 8, 1950, the U.S. Senate passed a law allowing Puerto Rico to establish its own constitutional government. Dr. Fernos-Isern served as president of the Consitutional Convention and worked closely with Congress and his fellow Puerto Ricans to create the Puerto Rican constitution officially establishing the Commonwealth relationship between the United States and Puerto Rico that still exists today. He subsequently served in the Puerto Rican Senate and as a Resident Scholar at the University of Puerto Rico until his death in 1974.
Dr. Ferno-Isern subsequently returned to Puerto Rico where he started his medical practice but also became involved in politics and public service, eventually serving as the commissioner of health of Puerto Rico in the 1930s and 40s. He returned to the United States to complete additional training in cardiology at Columbia University, becoming the first Puerto Rican cardiologist. He returned to Puerto Rico to serve as a professor at the Public Health School of Tropical Medicine of Puerto Rico, in addition to continuing his own private practice in San Juan.
In 1945 he was appointed by the Governor of Puerto Rico to serve as Resident Commissioner to the U.S. Congress. He served in that position for a total of 19 years, becoming the longest serving Resident Commissioner in the island’s history. During his time as Resident Commissioner, he played a critical role in convincing the U.S. Government to give Puerto Ricans the right to govern their island. On June 8, 1950, the U.S. Senate passed a law allowing Puerto Rico to establish its own constitutional government. Dr. Fernos-Isern served as president of the Consitutional Convention and worked closely with Congress and his fellow Puerto Ricans to create the Puerto Rican constitution officially establishing the Commonwealth relationship between the United States and Puerto Rico that still exists today. He subsequently served in the Puerto Rican Senate and as a Resident Scholar at the University of Puerto Rico until his death in 1974.
