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Hans Kersten

Hans Kersten, MD, FAAP

Professor of Pediatrics


Department: Pediatrics

Specialties: Pediatrics

Education

  • Temple University School of Medicine

Awards & Honors

  • William Likoff Clinical Excellence Award, Drexel University College of Medicine (2023)
  • Named "Top Doctor" by Philadelphia Magazine (2018, 2021, 2023)
  • Best Doctors, 2009-2010, 2010-2011
  • First annual Celebrate Literacy Award from the Delaware County Reading Council
Philadelphia magazine's Top Doctors 2023

Dr. Hans Kersten is board certified in pediatrics. He is the medical director for the Grow Clinic (for children with failure-to-thrive [FTT]) and a pediatrician at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, Pa.

Dr. Kersten is a children’s environmental health faculty champion of the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation (NEETF), a member of the Mayor’s Lead Poisoning Primary Prevention Task Force in Philadelphia and an advisory committee member of Reach Out and Read Greater Philadelphia.

  • Named "Top Doctor" by Philadelphia magazine (2018, 2021, 2023)
  • Best Doctors, 2009-2010, 2010-2011

Clinical Services

Failure to thrive, Evidence-based medicine

Internships

  • St. Christopher's Hospital for Children

Residencies

  • St. Christopher's Hospital for Children

Fellowships

  • Primary Care Faculty Development - Michigan State University

Affiliated Hospitals

St. Christopher's Hospital for Children

Dr. Kersten became an assistant professor of pediatrics in 1997 at Drexel University College of Medicine after completing his residency at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, was promoted to associate professor in 2006, and to professor in 2014. His scholarly activity includes research on lead poisoning, development and implementation of competency-based educational programs in direct observation and EBM as well as FTT. He has lectured on tattoos and piercings, lead poisoning and environmental health, delinquency, FTT, and EBM in the Philadelphia region and beyond.

Dr. Kersten was a part of the first cohort of graduates from the APA Educational Scholars Program in 2009. He has also completed coursework in evidence-based medicine (EBM) at the Pediatric Program Director’s and Educator’s Workshop on EBM at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the Workshop on Teaching EBM at the Center for Evidence-Based Medicine in Oxford, England.

Research

Recent Publications:

"A Multidisciplinary Team Experience with Food Insecurity & Failure to Thrive"
Kersten, Hans B. and Bennett, David
Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at Risk: Vol. 3: Iss. 1, Article 6 (2012)

In the Media

“Improving Resiliency and Literacy”
Pharos Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Society (Winter 2024)

"Drexel University College of Medicine Faculty Named Philadelphia Magazine Top Doctors™ for 2023"
(May 1, 2023)

Drexel University College of Medicine Faculty Named Philadelphia Magazine Top Doctors™ for 2021
(May 14, 2021)

"What’s Scaring the Pediatricians"
New York Times (May 12, 2020)

"Hunger Hero addresses food insecurity at Honey Brook Food Pantry dinner"
Berks-Mont News (May 3, 2017)

"Meet a Health Hero: Dr. Hans Kersten"
Philadelphia magazine (September 26, 2016)

"W. Pa. doctors call for universal testing of children's lead levels"
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (May 15, 2016)

"St. Christopher’s Physician Receives Prestigious Award in Recognition of Fight Against Hunger"
BioPortfolio (January 12, 2015)

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.


Contact Information


St. Christopher's Hospital for Children
160 East Erie Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19134
Phone: 215.427.4266
Fax: 215.427.6014