Dr. Jody Berner was born and raised on Long Island, outside New York City. He received his undergraduate Bachelor of Science from Harper College at the State University of New York in Binghamton, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa with Honors. From there he went on to complete his MD degree at the University of Rochester before returning to New York City for his postgraduate training. Following Internship and Residency at Beth Israel Medical Center, he was first awarded Board certification in Internal Medicine in 1990 and then elected to pursue advanced training as a digestive specialist. During his Gastroenterology Fellowship at Mount Sinai Medical Center and the Bronx Veterans hospital he became involved in research focusing on new endoscopic technologies, pharmaceuticals, colitis, as well as liver disease. This interest in liver disease in particular led him to pursue an additional year of advanced training in liver disease, transplant medicine, and biliary endoscopy with his Hepatology Fellowship at Mount Sinai as well. Subsequently he received initial Board Certification in Gastroenterology in 1993 and he relocated with his wife to Clearwater where he entered private practice. He has been a member of the medical staff at Morton Plant Hospital since that time, and served on various committees. In addition to multiple awards he has received the honors of additional titles from several professional societies, including the distinction of American Gastroenterologist Association Fellow as well as Fellow of the American College of Gastroenterology. He and his wife have participated in school boards and committees, religious organizations, charitable societies, film & the arts.  Most importantly they have been very involved with numerous sports teams and activities with their 3 boys.