Department of Pediatrics
On December 15, 2019, Drexel University and Tower Health completed the acquisition of St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. Founded in 1875, St. Christopher’s is a vital resource of health and healing, medical education and research, and is relied upon by the children and families in its Philadelphia neighborhood and the broader region. The goal of St. Christopher’s pediatric medical training programs is to offer a comprehensive, in-depth and personally rewarding educational experience in one of its many pediatric disciplines, preparing trainees to confidently choose careers in academic medicine, private practice or public health.
Research
The Carey Lab seeks to identify mechanisms and potential modifiable risk factors for infants' susceptibility to infections using animal models, in vitro work and ex vivo studies on human cord blood.
Visit The Carey Lab
News and Announcements
Philadelphia magazine published its annual list of the region's “Top Doctors.” The list of physicians, who were chosen by their peers, can be found in the May 2025 issue. Congratulations to the following Drexel University College of Medicine faculty members who were named this year. Read more.
- Nataly Apollonsky, MD
- Brooke A. Burkey, MD
- Alison J. Carey, MD
- Janet S. Chen, MD
- Mario Cruz Jr., MD
- Nicole H. DeLarato, MD
- Stacy Ellen, DO
- Jeremiah Goldstein, MD
- Megan E. Gresh, MD
- Folasade Kehinde, MD
- Shareen F. Kelly, MD
- Hans B. Kersten, MD, FAAP
- Roberta Laguerre-Frederique, MD
- Bryon J. Lauer, MD
- Svetlana Lvovich, MD
- Frank X. McNesby Jr., MD
- Joseph J. Melvin, DO, JD
- Nadja G. Peter, MD
- Shannon Safier, MD
- Elizabeth Suarez, MD
- Renee M. Turchi, MD, MPH
- David A. Zwillenberg, MD
UMass Chan Medical School Alumni Distinguished Service Award
Nancy D. Spector, MD, professor of pediatrics, senior vice dean for faculty, Betty A. Cohen Chair in Women’s Health, and executive director of the Executive Leadership in Medicine program, the Executive Leadership in Health Care program, and the Lynn Yeakel Institute for Women’s Health and Leadership, is the recipient of the 2025 Alumni Distinguished Service Award from the UMass Chan Medical School. The award honors alumni UMass Chan alumni who have demonstrated outstanding career achievements and impact that embody the school’s mission of advancing the health and wellness of diverse communities by leading and innovating in education, research, health care delivery and public service.
The annual Golden Apple Awards recognize outstanding service, teaching and mentoring by Drexel University College of Medicine faculty and professional staff. The honorees are nominated by each class of medical students, who vote to determine the award winners. Read more.
Best in Class Faculty Affairs & Faculty Development Research
太瓦
Pediatrician of the Year Award, Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics Chapter
The Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (PA AAP) is thrilled to announce that Norrell Atkinson, MD, FAAP has been named “2025 Pediatrician of the Year,” an honor that reflects her outstanding dedication, compassion, and contributions to the field of Pediatrics. The Pediatrician of the Year Award was incepted in 1988, and is awarded annually to a Pennsylvania-based pediatric fellow who exemplifies the ideals of the pediatric profession and participates in activities that reflect the mission and values of the Chapter. Read more.
In the Media
March 26, 2025: Drexel's partnership with Tower Health to operate St. Christopher's Hospital for Children was mentioned in a WCAU-TV (NBC-10) story about the hospital's 150th anniversary celebration.
February 18 & 19, 2025: Asif M. Ilyas, MD, an academic vice chair in the College of Medicine, was quoted in two stories - Health Medicine Network and My ChesCo — story about recent research from Drexel, Cooper University and the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, examining the challenges of treating wounds related to the use of xylazine, also known as tranq.
January 28, 2025: Sarah Long, MD, a professor in the College of Medicine, was quoted in an episode of the Tradeoffs podcast about how Robert F. Kennedy Jr., if confirmed as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, could influence the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. The committee is tasked with making vaccine recommendations to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
January 20, 2025: Daniel R. Taylor, DO, associate professor of pediatrics, shared the importance of racial concordance in medicine – when a doctor has the same racial or ethnic identity as their patient – and its positive impact on care, in an opinion piece in the Philadelphia Inquirer. He touched on what steps can be taken to increase the number of underrepresented students going into medicine.
January 13, 2025: Nancy Spector, MD, executive director of the Executive Leadership and Academic Medicine and Executive Leadership in Health Care programs and executive director of the Lynn Yeakel Institute for Women’s Health and Leadership in the College of Medicine, was quoted in a Healio article about the steady expansion of women physicians in gastroenterology and medicine, while data have shown that marked disparities in pay policies, career advancement and leadership continue to widen the gap in representation and gender equity among active physicians.
More Faculty in the Media
St. Christopher's Hospital for Children is a primary academic campus of Drexel University College of Medicine. Its physicians are non-compensated members of the teaching faculty of Drexel University College of Medicine and its clinical practices are independent of Drexel University.