Cynthia J. Mollen

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Cynthia J. Mollen, MD, MSCE

Chief, Division of Emergency Medicine

Dr. Mollen's research career has been focusing on using non traditional setting as sites for interventions to improve adolescent reproductive health. She founded and oversees a research program in Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's Emergency Department that provides sexual health education and HIV testing services, and explores intervention opportunities for increasing access to reproductive health services in the ED.

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Bio

Dr. Mollen's particular research interest focuses on using the Emergency Department and other non-primary care settings as sites for interventions related to major reproductive health issues affecting adolescents, such as unintended teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

She has worked, both as principal investigator and collaborator, to better understand adolescents’ attitudes regarding sexual health services offered in the ED. She found that adolescents highly value sexual health services provided in the ED setting, either through one-on-one contact or via various technological methods.

Over a decade ago Dr. Mollen developed an HIV screening program in the CHOP ED, which has identified multiple new HIV infections in youth and facilitated entry into HIV care services. She also co-founded and led a sexual assault response team which streamlined and standardized multidisciplinary care for these vulnerable patients, ensuring timely delivery of care and reduced patient burden navigating assault services. Her work has also investigated provider perceived and policy barriers to the use of expedited partner therapy for adolescents diagnosed with Chlamydia, identifying both provider and policy level barriers that can be addressed to improve treatment for this important STI.

Additionally, as a senior investigator Dr. Mollen has explored rates of common STIs among the adolescent ED population, which has led to improved screening and treatment of these infections nationally. A common thread among these projects has been working with multi-disciplinary teams of physicians, allied health professionals, community and social service professionals to develop new health initiatives.

Education and Training

BA, Cornell University (Biological Sciences), 1991

MD, Cornell University, 1995

MSCE, University of Pennsylvania (Clinical Epidemiology), 2002

Titles and Academic Titles

Chief, Division of Emergency Medicine

Leader, Qualitative Methods Research Affinity Group

Distinguished Chair in the Department of Pediatrics

Professor of Pediatrics

Professional Memberships

Member, American Academy of Pediatrics, 2000-

Member, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, 2004-

Member, Association of Reproductive Health Professionals, 2006-

Member, Society for Pediatric Research, 2007-