Event Description

When Dr. Stacey Ellen became Assistant Dean of Student Affairs at Drexel University College of Medicine, she quickly learned about student accommodations and realized that there were increasing numbers of students requiring accommodations and wanted to improve support to this population of students. Simultaneously, there were students in their pre-clinical years who wanted to improve supports for themselves and their peers. This presentation walked the audience through the needs assessment, relevant processes, research, analysis of results and presentations of relevant work in this area. This presentation was delivered by Dr. Ellen and two student advisees, Kathryn Mozzochi and Kendall Smith.

 

Event Video

 

Meeting Agenda

• Introduction: 15 minutes
• Presentation: 45 minutes
• Questions and Answers: 30 minutes

Speakers

Stacey Ellen, DO, FAAP:  Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics

• Dr. Stacy Ellen completed her medical degree at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2009 and her residency in Pediatrics at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, PA in 2012. She is an outpatient attending in the Section of General Pediatrics at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, PA and has a faculty appointment in the Department of Pediatrics at Drexel University, both since summer 2012. Dr. Ellen is a clinician educator, spending her clinical time as an outpatient pediatrician in the general Pediatrics clinic at St. Chris as well as the Center for Children and Youth with Special Healthcare Needs. In both roles she teaches medical students and precepts in the residency program. Her clinical niche is the primary care of youth with Autism. Prior roles include 4th year rotation director at St. Chris and Pediatrics advisor for Drexel Medical Students and Primary Care Pathway Advisor for the Pediatric Residency Program. She also created and sustained the 4th year elective “Outpatient Pediatrics and Advocacy” since 2015. In July 2022, Dr. Ellen became an Assistant Dean of Student Affairs at Drexel University College of Medicine, with roles in all aspects of student life. Her current leadership and scholarship work focus on further understanding and improving the student experience of students who need reasonable accommodations in the classroom, testing and clinical settings and elevating the voices of students through scholarship, presentation and publications opportunities in this important field.

 

Kathryn Mozzochi:  4th-Year Medical Student

• Kathryn Mozzochi is a fourth-year medical student at Drexel University College of Medicine. Prior to medical school, she studied neuroscience and Spanish at Lafayette College and received her master’s degree in medical sciences from Boston University. Her research interests include vestibular processing, sleep disorders, and disability advocacy.

Kendall Smith:  4th-Year Medical Student

• Kendall Smith is a fourth-year medical student at Drexel University College of Medicine applying to psychiatry residency in the upcoming cycle. She is the founder and co-president of the Drexel Coalition for Disability Advocacy, a student-led organization dedicated to fostering community and promoting accessibility in medical education and patient care. Kendall has led multiple initiatives focused on disability in healthcare and medical training. Her clinical interests include psychiatric care for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, with a particular focus on autism spectrum disorder.