Katherine J. Leaming-Van Zandt, MD

About Me

I serve as the division chief of pediatric emergency medicine and am an associate professor of emergency medicine and pediatrics at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State College of Medicine. I am committed to fostering a culture of collaboration, safety and quality improvement to ensure that all children and their families receive exceptional, patient-centered and evidence-based care.

I have had the pleasure of presenting both regionally and nationally on topics such as patient experience, service quality and culture, and relationship-centered communication. I have also published several peer-reviewed articles on developing and validating patient communication assessment tools and communication training for health care professionals.

I am dedicated to bridging the communication gap between health care professionals and patients and families through medical journalism and blogging. I’ve contributed to and been interviewed by regional and national media outlets on a variety of medical topics, including emergency department utilization and processes, common childhood symptoms and treatments, and pediatric illness and injury prevention.

Board Certifications

• Pediatrics, American Board of Pediatrics
• Pediatric Emergency Medicine, American Board of Pediatrics