Leslie S. Kersun, MD, MSCE, MSEd

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Leslie S. Kersun, MD, MSCE, MSEd, is a Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the Program Director for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program. Her clinical focus includes the care of patients with hematologic malignancies.

Areas of Expertise: Hodgkin's lymphoma, Pediatric oncology

Appointments and Referrals: 1-800-TRY-CHOP (1-800-879-2467)

Background

As an attending physician in the Cancer Center at CHOP, I treat children diagnosed with leukemia and lymphoma and am part of our Hematologic Malignancies Steering Committee. My area of clinical focus includes the care of patients with newly diagnosed and relapsed Hodgkin lymphoma. I develop our clinical treatment guidelines for patients with this type of lymphoma and ensure their care is consistent, carefully monitored and based upon the results of the most current clinical research. I love the clinical care model we have in the Cancer Center which involves collaboration with a large multidisciplinary team comprised of amazing, dedicated, knowledgeable, experienced team members who all work together to provide the best possible care for our patients and families. I try to ensure that every patient and family under my care has a clear understanding of their diagnosis, available treatments, and possible side effects. The time of diagnosis or relapse is so overwhelming for patients and families and puts an incredible strain on their life. One of my goals is to support them through this journey, attend to the emotional aspects involved in communicating about these challenging topics and allow me to understand what is most important to them to facilitate shared decision-making.

In addition to the care of patients, my passions are education and teaching the communication of serious news. I am the Program Director for the Hematology/Oncology Fellowship at CHOP, which is one of the largest in the country. I also serve as the Director for Medical Education in the Division of Oncology. I am the Associate Designated Institutional Official as part of the Executive Committee of Graduate Medical Education at CHOP. In this role, I collaborate with the leadership team to oversee training programs throughout CHOP and design faculty development for other program leaders at our institution. I also teach Vitaltalk to students, staff, trainees, and faculty. This is a nationally accepted and published approach to delivering serious news, attending to the emotional aspects of challenging conversations and mapping goals of care with patients and families allowing shared decision-making at critical time points in treatment and at the end of life. I have been involved in educational efforts in national organizations such as the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (ASPHO) and the American Society of Hematology (ASH). Through ASH, I have been a faculty member in the Medical Educator’s Institute and a prior Co-Director of the Program.

It is a privilege to collaborate with incredible team members and colleagues who all work tirelessly to treat the whole patient and family. I feel fortunate to help teach and design the education for the future physicians in our specialty and participate in the culture change in using the Vitaltalk approach to teach complex communication tasks.

Education and Training

Medical School

MD - Albany Medical College, Albany, NY

Internship

Pediatrics - The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA

Residency

Pediatrics - The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA

Fellowship

Pediatric Hematology/Oncology - Children's Regional Medical Center of Seattle, WA
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology - The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA

Board Certification

Pediatric Hematology-Oncology – American Board of Pediatrics
Pediatrics – American Board of Pediatrics

Graduate Degree

MSCE - University of Pennsylvania: Center for Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Philadelphia, PA
MSEd - University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

Titles and Academic Titles

Director of Medical Education, Division of Oncology

Program Director, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship

Associate Designated Institutional Official (aDIO)

Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Conditions Treated

Departments and Services

Areas of Focus

Laboratories & Research Programs

Research Topics

Research Interests

Collaborative research involving Medical Education, Innovative Teaching Methods, Psychosocial Care of Pediatric Oncology Patients

Selected Publications

2022

Tsukahara K, Lindell RB, Newman H, Lerman BJ, Kersun LS, Piccione J.  Successful whole lung lavage in a child with pulmonary alveolar proteinosis secondary to hematologic malignancy.  Pediatric Pulmonology.  2022 Jan; 57(1): 308-310.  doi: 10.1002/ppul.25718.  Epub 2021 Oct 13.  PMID:  34644455.

Milligan MP and Kersun LS.  Management Considerations of Hodgkin Lymphoma for Patients with Fontan Physiology.  Pediatric Blood and Cancer, 2022 Feb 4: e29587. doi: 10.1002/pbc29587. Online ahead of print.  PMID: 35118799.

2021

Aziz Bose R, Wertheim G, Kersun L.  Active Learning for Fellows:  The Hematopathology Unknown Case.  Pediatric Blood and Cancer. 2021 Apr;68(4):e28895. doi: 10.1002/pbc.28895. Epub 2021 Jan 23. PMID: 33484062

Flerlage JE, Hiniker SM, Armenian S, Benya EC, Bobbey AJ, Chang V, Cooper S, Coulter DW, Cuglievan B, Hoppe BS, Isenalumhe L, Kelly K, Kersun L, Lamble AJ, Larrier NA, Magee J, Oduro K, Pacheco M, Price AP, Roberts KB, Smith CM, Sohani AR, Trovillion EM, Walling E, Xavier AC, Burns JL, Campbell M.  Pediatric Hodgkin Lymphoma, Version 3.2021. Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.  2021 Jun 30; 19(6):  733-754.  Doi:  10.6004/jnccn.2021.0027.  PMID:  34214968

2020

Schwartz LA, Daniel LC, Henry-Moss D, Bonafide CP, Li Y, Psihogios A, Butler ES, Szalda D, Ver Hoeve ES, Hobbie WL, Dowshen N, Pierce L, Kersun LS, Barakat L.  Feasibility and Acceptability of a Pilot Tailored Text Messaging Intervention for Adolescents and Young Adults Completing Cancer Treatment.  PsychoOncology.  2020 Jan 29(1):  164-72.  PMID: 31713265.

Si S, Erickson K, Evageliou N, Silverman M, Kersun, LS.  An usual presentation of pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia in a woman treated with immune checkpoint inhibitor.  Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, 2020.  Feb 24.  Online ahead of print.  PMID:  32097278.

Kesselheim J, Baker J, Kersun L, Lee-Miller C, Moerdler S, Snaman J, Warwick A, Weng S, Zhang Z.  Humanism and Professionalism Training in Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Fellowship:  Results of a Multi-Center Randomized Trial.  Pediatric Blood and Cancer, 2020.  Jul 30: e28308.  Online ahead of print.  PMID 32729211.

Psihogios AM, Schwartz LA, Ewing KB, Czerniecki B, Kersun LS, Pai ALH, Deatrick JA, Barakat LP.  Adherence to multiple treatment recommendations in adolescents and young adults with cancer:  A mixed methods, multi-informant investigation.  Journal of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology, 2020.  May 11. Online ahead of print.  PMID 32392434.

Psihogios AM, Li Y, Ahmed A, Huang J, Kersun LS, Schwartz LA, Barakat LP. Daily text message assessments of 6-mercaptopurine adherence and its proximal contexts in adolescents and young adults with leukemia: A pilot study. Pediatric Blood Cancer. 2021 Feb;68(2):e28767. doi: 10.1002/pbc.28767. Epub 2020 Oct 18. PMID: 33073479.

2019

Henrickson SW, Dolan JG, Forbes LR, Vargas-Hernandez A, Nishimura S, Okada S, Kersun LS, Brodeur GM, Heimall JR.  Gain-of-Function STAT1 Mutation With Familial Lymphadenopathy and Hodgkin Lymphoma.  Frontiers in Pediatrics Apr 30;7;160.  Doi: 10.3389/fped.2019.00160. e Collection, 2019.  PMID:  31114772.

2018

Kersun LS.  Who does she think she is?  Pediatric Blood and Cancer, Epub ahead of print April 11: e27061, 2018.  PMID:  29644793.

2017

Kesselheim JC, Agrawal AK, Bhatia N, Cronin A, Jubran R, Kent P, Kersun L, Rao AN, Rose M, Savelli S, Sharma M, Shereck E, Twist CJ, Wang M.  Measuring pediatric hematology-oncology fellows’ skills in humanism and professionalism:  A novel assessment instrument.  Pediatric Blood and Cancer 64(5), 2017.  PMID: 27808467.

Vaughan AM, Ross R, Gilman MM, Satchell L, Ditaranto S, Reilly AF, Kersun LS, Shanahan A, Coffin SE, Sammons JS.  Mucosal Barrier Injury Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infections: What is the impact of standard prevention bundles?  Infect Control Hospital Epidemiology, 38(11):  1385-87, 2017.  PMID. 28874212.

Publications

Abstracts

2021

Prabhakar G, Lenz KB, Kersun LS, Boyer DL. The Fast Five: Multidisciplinary Development of Learning Objectives for a Pediatric Resident Code Curriculum.  Poster Presentation at The International Conference on Residency Education. Oct, 2021

2020

Lenz K, Prabhakar G, Kersun LS, Boyer D.  The First Five: An Interprofessional Approach to Developing a Mock Code Curriculum.  The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia 3rd Annual Interprofessional Education Symposium.  Jan, 2020.

Diorio C, Eison D, Faust H, MacFarland S, Newman H, Palmer L, Pradhan M, Kersun LS.  Development of a Narrative Medicine Curriculum for Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellows.  E-Poster Presentation at The 52nd Congress of the International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP).  Oct, 2020.

2019

Ilowite M, Phillips C, Kersun L, Kesselheim J.  Needs Assessment of Advocacy Training for Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Fellows.  Poster Presentation at The American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA.  May, 2019.

Psihogios A, Ewing K, Czerniecki B, Deatrick J, Kersun L, Pai A, Schwartz LA, Barakat LP.  Using a Social Ecological Framework to Understand Medication Adherence in Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer.  American Public Health Association Meeting, Philadelphia, PA.  November, 2019.

Naik R, Plazas Montana M, Kersun LS, Nagalla S, Lee AI.  Perceptions and Attitudes Toward Single-Board Hematology Training in the United States:  A Program Director Survey.  Poster Presentation at The American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL.  Dec, 2019.

2018

Psihogios A.M., Schwartz L.A., Fellmeth, H., Deatrick J., Kersun L., Pai A., & Barakat, L.P. (2018, April). Medical adherence among adolescents and young adults on treatment for cancer: A multi-faceted adherence conceptualization. Poster session at the Society of Pediatric Psychology Annual Conference, Orlando, FL. April, 2018.

Kilkenny M and Kersun L.  Developing Wellness Initiatives in a Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program.  Poster presentation at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Education Symposium, Philadelphia, PA.  January, 2018.

Kesselheim J, Weng S, Allen V, Collaborative Group Fellowship Program Directors.  Humanism and Professionalism Training in Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Fellowship:  Results of a Multi-Center Randomized Trial.  Poster presentation at the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology National Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA.  April, 2018.

Arscott WT, Cope C, Kersun L, Reilly A, Ginsberg G, Hobbie W, Kurtz G, Hill-Kayser C.  Proton Therapy for Management of Pediatric Hodgkin Lymphoma Involving the Mediastinum:  Evaluation of Toxicity and Evolution of Therapy Over 7 Years of Experience.  Oral Presentation to be presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX. October, 2018.

Books

Chapters

2013

Kersun, LS. Mediastinal Mass. In: Schwartz’s Clinical Handbook of Pediatrics, 5th Ed.  Zorc JJ, Alpern ER, Brown LW, Loomes KM, Marino BS, Mollen CJ, Raffini LJ, Eds.  Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, 2013

Kersun, LS. Lymphadenopathy. In: Schwartz’s Clinical Handbook of Pediatrics, 5th Ed.  Zorc JJ, Alpern ER, Brown LW, Loomes KM, Marino BS, Mollen CJ, Raffini LJ, Eds.  Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, 2013.

2012

Kersun LS.  Hodgkin Lymphoma in The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult Sixth Edition.  Editor, M. William Schwartz, MD. Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore, Maryland, 2012. 

2011

Kersun LS, Section ed.  Neoplastic Disorders.  In:  Florin TA, Ludwig S, eds.  Netter’s Pediatrics.  Philadelphia:  Elsevier, 2011.

Sepe D, Kersun LS.  Lymphomas in Children.  In:  Florin TA, Ludwig S, eds.  Netter’s Pediatrics.  Philadelphia:  Elsevier, 2011.

2008

Kersun LS. Hodgkin lymphoma. In: Schwartz MW, editor. The 5-minute pediatric consult. 5th ed. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins; 2008.

2007

Kersun LS, Shemesh E. Depression and anxiety in children at the end of life. In: Kang TI, Klick J, Munson D, editors. Pediatric palliative care: pediatric clinics of North America. Philadelphia: Elsevier Health Sciences; 2007.

Posters and Presentations

2022

Kersun LS. “Coaching the Problem Learner.”  American Society of Hematology Medical Educator Institute Webinar. April 2022.

Kersun LS. “Small Group Teaching”  Medical Education Session at the American Society of Hematology, Invited Lecturer. Atlanta, GA. Dec 2021.

Kersun LS. “Helping Fellows with the Job Search”  Program Director Session at the American Society of Hematology, Invited Lecturer. Atlanta, GA. Dec 2021.

Kersun LS. “New Developments in Pediatric Lymphoma Treatment:  Hodgkin Lymphoma.”  Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Cancer Center Clinical Innovations in Pediatric Oncology Lecture Series.  Philadelphia, PA. Nov 2021.

Kersun LS. “Mentoring and Coaching in Hematology.”  American Society of Hematology Medical Educator’s Institute, Invited lecturer.  Jan 2021.

2020

Kersun LS. “Coaching the Problem Learner.”  American Society of Hematology Webinar. Jan 2020.

2019

Kersun LS. “High Risk Hodgkin Lymphoma.”  NCCN Guideline Panel for Pediatric Hodgkin Lymphoma.  NCCN Headquarters.  Plymouth Meeting, PA. Nov 2019.

Kersun LS. “Smaller may be better.  Small group instruction.”  American Society of Hematology Medical Educator’s Institute, Invited lecturer.  Washington, DC. Oct 2019.

Kersun LS. “Mentoring and Coaching in Hematology.”  American Society of Hematology Medical Educator’s Institute, Invited lecturer.  Washington, DC. Oct 2019.

2018

Kersun LS. “Smaller may be better.  Small group instruction.”  American Society of Hematology Medical Educator’s Institute, Invited lecturer.  Washington, DC. Oct 2018.

Kersun LS. “Mentoring and Coaching in Hematology.”  American Society of Hematology Medical Educator’s Institute, Invited lecturer.  Washington, DC. Oct 2018.

2017

Kersun LS. “Coaching the Learner in Difficulty.”  American Society of Hematology Medical Educator’s Institute, Invited lecturer.  Washington, DC. Oct 2017.

Kersun LS. “What Can I Do?  Finding your Niche in Clinical Academic Medicine.”  FOCUS Lunchtime Seminar Series with Dr. Anne Reilly.  University of Pennsylvania.  Philadelphia, PA. Oct 2017.

Kersun LS. “Case presentation:  Hyperleukocytosis and Leukocytapheresis.”  American Austrian Foundation Open Medical Institute, Invited Lecturer.  Salzburg, Austria. Apr 2017.

Kersun LS. “Lymphomas in Children and Young Adults:  An Overview.”  American Austrian Foundation Open Medical Institute, Invited Lecturer.  Salzburg, Austria. Apr 2017.

Kersun LS. “Integrating Palliative Care into the Care of Children with Serious Illness.”  American Austrian Foundation Open Medical Institute, Invited Lecturer.  Salzburg, Austria. Apr 2017.

Kersun LS. “Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation:  An Overview.”  American Austrian Foundation Open Medical Institute, Invited Lecturer.  Salzburg, Austria. Apr 2017.

2016

Kersun LS. “End of Life Discussions in Hematologic Malignancies (Pediatric Perspective).”  ASH Educational Spotlight Session Treatment of the Patient, Not the Disease.  American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting.  San Diego, CA.  Dec 2016.

Kersun LS. aw“No More Powerpoint!:  The Art of Workshop Design to Enhance Trainee Learning and Engagement.”  Association of Pediatric Program Directors (APPD) Forum for Fellowship Directors.  Baltimore, MD.  Apr 2016.

Awards and Honors

2018, Alan R. Cohen Master Clinician Award for the Department of Pediatrics at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
2017, Joanne Decker, M.D. Mentor Award at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
2015, Perelman School of Medicine at The University of Pennsylvania Dean’s Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching at an Affiliated Hospital
2006-2009, The Goodman Clinical Oncology Research Scholar
2005, 2008-2011, 2013, 2015, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Junior Faculty Honor Roll
1999, CHOP Senior Resident Humanitarian Award
1996, Albany Medical College Frederick McCandless Prize
1996, Albany Medical College Charles Eckert Award
1996, Albany Medical College Pediatric Faculty Prize
1996, Albany Medical College Janet Glasgow Memorial Achievement Citation
1995, Alpha Omega Alpha
1993-1995, Dartmouth College Commendation for Scholastic Excellence
1991-1992, Casque and Gauntlet Senior Honorary Society

Editorial and Academic Positions

Editorial positions

Reviewer

American Journal of Hematology
Bone Marrow Transplantation
Pediatric Blood and Cancer
Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology

Academic and Institutional Committees

2023-present, Enhancing Educational Pipeline Hematology Strategic Planning Taskforce
2023-present, Division of Oncology Awards Committee
2020-present, Program Evaluation Committee of the Pediatric Residency
2020-present, Executive Committee of the Graduate Medical Education Committee
2020-present, Chair, Program Development Subcommittee of the Graduate Medical Education Committee
2019-present, Abramson Cancer Center’s Paul Calabresi Career Development Award for Clinical Oncology K12 Executive Committee
2013-present, Graduate Medical Education Committee
2011-present, Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Committee

Leadership and Memberships

Memberships in Professional Organizations

2023-present, ACGME Standing Panel for Accreditation Appeals for Hematology/Oncology
2019-present, NCCN Guideline Panel for Pediatric Hodgkin Lymphoma
2004-present, Children’s Oncology Group (COG)
2001-present, American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology