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
Two of Nancy Spector's 2024 papers were selected as Best in Class by the AAMC Group on Faculty Affairs repository of Faculty Affairs & Faculty Development research and scholarship. “Analysis of Pediatric Clinical Practice Guideline Authors by Gender, Race, and Ethnicity”, was selected as “Best in Class” for the category “Advocacy” for the AAMC Group on Faculty Affairs repository of Faculty Affairs & Faculty Development research and scholarship. (Martin AA, Jacobs JW, Armijo PR, Allan JM, Booth GS, Spector ND, Overholser B, Silver JK. Analysis of Pediatric Clinical Practice Guideline Authors by Gender, Race, and Ethnicity. J Women's Health (Larchmt). 2024 Aug;33(8):1052-1062. doi: 10.1089/jwh.2023.1132. Epub 2024 Jun 6. PMID: 38842430.) "Gender Differences in the Path to Medical School Deanship” was selected amongst those “Best in Class” for the category “Developing the Next Generation of Leaders” for the AAMC Group on Faculty Affairs repository of Faculty Affairs & Faculty Development research and scholarship. (Iyer MS, Bradford C, Gottlieb AS, Kling DB Jr, Jagsi R, Mangurian C, Marks L, Meltzer CC, Overholser B, Silver JK, Way DP, Spector ND. Gender Differences in the Path to Medical School Deanship. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Jul 1;7(7):e2420570. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.20570.)
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
June 11, 2025: Daniel Taylor, DO, an associate professor in the College of Medicine, wrote a Philadelphia Inquirer column about ways to encourage childhood vaccination amid the debate over vaccine exclusion policies.
May 27, 2025: Sarah Long, MD, a professor in the College of Medicine, was quoted in a New York Times article about The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention no longer advising that healthy children receive routine Covid vaccines.
May 22, 2025: Asif M. Ilyas, MD, associate dean of clinical research at the College of Medicine, authored a mychesco article about how patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain are using medical cannabis, the benefits they report and the potential cognitive effects of long-term use.
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.
More Faculty in the Media
Upcoming Events
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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.