News and Media
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.
Bioscience in Berks
Wei Du, MD, professor and academic chair of the Department of Psychiatry, will present "Elevating Clinical Research" at the Bioscience in Berks: Innovation Symposium on Friday, January 17, 2025. Learn more.
“Parents’ screen time impacts child’s mental health, shock new study finds”
Research from Karen Heffler, MD, an associate professor, and David Bennett, PhD, a professor, both in the College of Medicine, that linked screen time in toddlers with later development of atypical sensory behaviors, was mentioned in a Sept. 17 New York Post story about new research that shows parents’ screen time can impact the child’s mental health.
“Children under two should not be exposed to TV or screen time”
Research from Karen Heffler, MD, an associate professor, and David Bennett, PhD, a professor, both in the College of Medicine, that linked screen time in toddlers with later development of atypical sensory behaviors, was mentioned in articles by Earth.com and by Parent Herald.
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 2024 issue. Congratulations to the following Drexel University College of Medicine faculty members who were named this year. Read more.
Shi Receives New Investigator Award
Denia Cai Shi, PhD, received the prestigious New Investigator Award from the International Society of CNS Clinical Trials and Methodology (ISCTM). Her poster won one of only three awards for Distinguished Poster at ISCTM Annual Conference. Dr. Denia Cai Shi is a fellow in the Janssen-Drexel Fellowship in Psychiatric Drug Development and an instructor in the Department of Psychiatry. Congratulations to her mentors Carla Canuso, MD, vice president, Neuroscience Clinical Development at Janssen, and David Bennett, PhD, professor of psychiatry, Drexel University College of Medicine.
Dr. Petros Levounis at Special Grand Rounds
Dr. Petros Levounis presents at grand rounds.
On December 13, 2023, Department of Psychiatry hosted a special grand rounds in the new Health Science Building. Our guest speaker was Dr. Petros Levounis, Professor of Psychiatry, Chair of Department of Psychiatry, Rutgers University Medical College. He also serves as President of American Psychiatric Association. The grand rounds lecture topic was "New Neurobiology of Addiction."
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2023 Faculty LAUNCH
Two faculty members in the department successfully completed a year-long leadership development program, LAUNCH, at Drexel University College of Medicine. Congratulations to Dr. Zhabiz Kazeminezhad, assistant professor of psychiatry at Phoenixville Hospital, Tower Health and Dr. Eduardo Espiridion, associate professor of psychiatry, at Reading Hospital, Tower Health.
2023 Faculty Awards
Wei Du, MD, professor and chair, was the recipent of the 2023 June Klinghoffer Clinical Educator Award. This lifetime achievement award recognizes a faculty member at the rank of professor who has devoted their career to promoting excellence in clinical skills education and knowledge, serving as an innovative educator, a leader and a role model for students, residents and faculty colleagues.
The Future of GME in Expanding and Improving Health Care
Wei Du, MD, professor and chair, recently wrote a guest editorial for the Berks Medical Society’s magazine Medical Record, “The Future of GME in Expanding and Improving Health Care.”
Psychiatry Resident News
Dr. Saral Desai, PGY2 psychiatry resident in Phoenixville Hospital General Psychiatry program, was selected to be an American Psychiatric Association Foundation Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellow.
Dr. Kathrine Hubert, PGY4 psychiatry resident in Phoenixville Hospital General Psychiatry program, is the recipient of 2023 CBT Scientific Paper or Case Formulation Award for Resident from the Philadelphia Psychiatric Society.
The Janssen-Drexel Fellowship in Psychiatric Drug Development recently onboarded its third fellow. Participants in the program, from organizers to fellows, said the initiative offers a much-needed combination of two different research environments. Read more.
The Commonwealth Universal Research Enhancement (CURE) Program funds collaborative biomedical research that aims to improve the health of Pennsylvanians. Read more.
The annual Golden Apple Awards recognize outstanding service, teaching and mentoring by Drexel University College of Medicine faculty and professional staff, who are nominated by each class of medical students for the honor. Students vote to determine the award winners. Read more.
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Philadelphia Psychiatry Society
Wei Du, MD, professor and chair, has been elected to serve as president-elect, Philadelphia Psychiatry Society, as of June 2021.
ACGME Psychiatry Review Committee
Donna Sudak, MD, professor, vice chair, general psychiatry residency program director, began her term on the ACGME Psychiatry Review Committee as of July 1, 2021.
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In the Media
Parents’ screen time impacts child’s mental health, shock new study finds. New York Post (September 17, 2024)
Children under age 2 should be forbidden screen time and TV, according to this country. New York Post (September 2, 2024)
Kids’ screen time should be cut to this surprisingly low number of hours a week, experts say. New York Post (July 15, 2024)
How bad, really, is screen time for young children? HuffPost (January 25, 2024)
Screen time for toddlers below 2 years may harm their sensory development, study reveals. The Science Times (January 14, 2024)
Screen time for kids under 2 can lead to development problems, study says. MSN (January 11, 2024)
Screen time for kids under 2 can lead to developmental problems, study says. PennLive (January 10, 2024)
Real danger of allowing your toddler to watch TV, say scientists. Devon Live; Nottinghamshire Live; The Plymouth Herald; Wales Online; The Coventry Telegraph; Cambridge News (January 9, 2024)
Drexel University study finds screen time for kids under 2 is harmful for sensory development. ABC 6, WPVI; Philadelphia (January 9, 2024)
Screen time for kids under 2 linked to sensory differences in toddlerhood: Study. Good Morning America, ABC (January 8, 2024)
Too much screen time might harm kids' 'Sensory Processing'. US News & World Report & Healthday (January 8, 2024)
Children should avoid screen time until this age, experts warn: ‘Important implications’. New York Post (January 8, 2024)
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Announces Recent CURE Grant Recipients. Drexel University College of Medicine website (August 14, 2023)
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Holiday season can amplify mental health issues, stress for those experiencing challenges. WFMZ TV, Allentown, PA (December 23, 2024)
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TV exposure and toddler development. SiriusXM Doctor Radio (June 12, 2024)
Screen time for babies, toddlers may harm their abilities to process the world around them Drexel researchers say. Philly Voice (January 12, 2024)
Screen time for kids under 2 linked to sensory differences in toddlerhood, study finds. WTXF-TV (FOX-29) January 11, 2024
Early-Life Screen Time Tied to Atypical Sensory Processing Outcomes in Toddlers. Physicians Weekly (January 11, 2024)
How much screen time is too much when it comes to kids? WNYW-TV, FOX-New York (January 10, 2024)
Screen time for kids under 2 can lead to developmental problems, study says. PennLive (January 10, 2024)
Screen time for kids under 2 linked to sensory differences in toddlerhood: Study. Good Morning America, ABC NEWS (January 8, 2024)
Watching TV Linked to Abnormal Behavior in Toddlers, Parents Warned. Newsweek. (January 8, 2024)
Alarming study links screen time in early childhood to atypical sensory processing. PsyPost (January 8, 2024)
Too much screen time might harm kids sensory processing. HealthDay, US News and World Report (January 8, 2024)
The health risks of exposing toddlers to tv, video, and more. WGN9 Chicago. (January 8, 2024)
Children should avoid screen time until this age, experts warn: ‘Important implications’. New York Post (January 8, 2024)
Staring at screens can cause toddlers to have problems processing world. NBC6 KPVI (January 8, 2024)
Can limiting screen time improve autism symptoms? Disability Scoop (January 24, 2023)
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Interviewed in a national CBS Evening News segment about a camp for kids of parents with a substance use disorder (July 29, 2024)
As wounds and amputations spike, experts say Philly’s $100M addiction treatment center must ensure adequate medical care for patients. Philadelphia Inquirer (June 24, 2024)
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Allam, A., Madaan, V., Sudak, D. International Medical Graduates (IMG) Resource Guide, APA website, November 2023
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