This onboarding guide has been created to help residents and fellows in the ACGME-accredited programs at Penn State Health get started. A printable copy of this guide is available here; however, trainees are encouraged to save this webpage and refer to it for any future needs, as it will always contain the most current information.
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Resident/Fellow Onboarding Overview
Penn State Graduate Medical Education
Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State College of Medicine are fully committed to the education of health care professionals and providers as part of its core mission. This includes, but certainly is not limited to, allocation of substantial resources to support the educational programs, including those in graduate medical education. Penn State will continue to provide the clinical learning environment and opportunities to meet the needs of all students and trainees.
The Graduate Medical Education Committee is committed to offer graduate medical education programs in which physicians in training develop personal, clinical and professional competence under the guidance and supervision of the faculty and staff. Graduate Medical Education programs will ensure the progression of responsibilities through demonstrated clinical experience, knowledge and skill. Penn State Health is committed to and responsible for promoting high-quality care, patient safety and resident well-being, and to providing a supportive educational environment.
This “Statement of Commitment” is supported by the governing authority, the Graduate Medical Education Committee, administration, the teaching faculty and medical staff. It is the responsibility of the Graduate Medical Education Committee to assure that the necessary educational, financial and human resource provisions are made to support all graduate medical education training programs.
The Resident/Fellow Onboarding Guidebook has been combined with the New Employee Resource Guide and provides information on the Penn State Health culture, values and history, regulatory requirements, and important employee resources. The guide is not intended to be a comprehensive employee handbook but provides useful tools and resources to help employees become familiar with the health system.
Human Resources Orientation Expectations:
- Fully review and acknowledge receipt of the Resident/Fellow Onboarding Guidebook
- Complete all orientation assignments via Compass within the first 30 days of employment at Penn State Health (unless otherwise specified)
To support orientation to Penn State Health, employees are encouraged to become familiar with mySolutions, a platform that provides on demand access to knowledge articles on Human Resources and Payroll topics. More information specific to mySolutions can be found in this guide or by visiting the homepage of the Infonet.
To request an ADA accommodation, trainees can contact their manager or reach out to Human Resources via mySolutions or by contacting the HR Solutions Center. With questions regarding the information, tools and/or resources included in this Resident/Fellow Onboarding Guidebook, please ask the GME Office at ltalhelm@pennstatehealth.psu.edu or contact the HR Solution Center at 717-531-8440 or hrsolutions@pennstatehealth.psu.edu.
Graduate Medical Education Office
To reach the Graduate Medical Education team at Penn State College of Medicine:
Phone: 717-531-5768
Fax: 717-531-2077
Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays
Office: Room C1630 in Penn State College of Medicine (between North Lobby and Harrell Health Sciences Library)
Mailing Address:
Office of Graduate Medical Education
Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
P.O. Box 850
Mailcode H088
Hershey, PA 17033
Money
Paychecks are issued bi-weekly. Direct deposit is required. Trainees with a start date of June 21 will be paid for 6 days (48 hours) on Friday, July 5, 2024. Trainees with a start date of July 1 will be paid for 2 weeks (80 hours) on Friday, July 19, 2024. Trainees with a start date of July 8 will be paid for 1 week (40 hours) on Friday, July 19, 2024. All information regarding payroll can be found on MySolutions under the Payroll Knowledge Base.
Communication
Email: All residents have an Outlook email address. Use the Penn State Health ePass username and password to login. Your email address is epass@pennstatehealth.psu.edu.
Email list: An email list for all residents is maintained by the GME Office. The email list is the main communication link between the GME Office and the residents.
Pagers and keys are provided by the clinical department.
Call Rooms
Programs with in-house call have dedicated call rooms within their department. A common-area call room for programs without dedicated call room space is available in room C1827.
Residents or fellows who are too tired to drive safely should use Uber or Lyft, and will be reimbursed by the GME office. (Receipt and proof of payment is required.)
Food
Money is added to each trainee’s cafeteria account on a quarterly basis. The hospital identification (ID) badge will serve as a debit card for access to the account. The account may be used in all food services locations, including Starbucks and Au Bon Pain.
There is a refrigerator located in the back of the Rotunda Café. This refrigerator is stocked daily. It is to be utilized by residents/fellows who are in-house when the cafeteria is closed. The refrigerator can be accessed using ID badge during the following times:
- Weekdays: 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- Weekends: 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
USMLE Step III (MD residents only)
USMLE Step III must be taken during the PGY-1 year. The cost is $925. All USMLE scores must be uploaded to New Innovations.
Lab Coats and Scrubs
Each trainee will receive one white jacket during orientation. An additional three white coats will be ordered, with name, and distributed by the department. Laundering of white coats is the responsibility of the resident.
Trainees in departments that utilize the sterile scrub machines have been assigned an account to acquire up to four sets of sterile blue scrubs.
Loan Deferments
The GME Office processes student loan deferments and public service loan forgiveness paperwork.
Individuals now have the opportunity to submit Public Service Loan Forgiveness electronically via email directly from Federal Student Aid and receive notification immediately when it is completed. Below is a link that will assist you with this process, this is how the GME Office has elected to complete the PSLF for our residents/fellows moving forward. Please utilize the general GME mailbox at gme@pennstatehealth.psu.edu.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Help Tool | Federal Student Aid
Please contact the GME Office via email (gme@pennstatehealth.psu.edu) with other loan deferments requiring employment verification.
PA Driver’s License
Trainees with a Pennsylvania Driver’s License who need to change their address, or those who have an out-of-state license and need to obtain a Pennsylvania Driver’s License, should visit dmv.pa.gov.
Contracts
Residency contracts are signed annually for the following training year. Contracts are contingent upon the appropriate state licensure.
Licenses
All residents training in Pennsylvania are required to have a graduate training license to practice within the medical center. Licenses are valid for one year and must be renewed annually.
University Fitness Center
There is a reduced membership fee for residents and fellows at University Fitness Center. The reduced membership with payment by payroll deduction is available July 1.
To obtain the reduced fee, trainees should visit the front desk of the University Fitness Center and identify themselves as resident physicians.
Websites of Interest
- Penn State residency and fellowship website (this website)
- Penn State Graduate Medical Education policies
- Penn State Graduate Medical Education wellness
- Partners in Medicine
- Internal Infonet (Penn State Health epass login required)
- Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)
- American Medical Association (AMA)
- American Board of Medical Specialties
- American Hospital Association
- Association of American Medical Colleges
- Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG)
- Federation of State Medical Boards
- National Resident Matching Program
- National Practitioner Data Bank
- USMLE
- Visit Hershey & Harrisburg
- Live the Life You Want in Pennsylvania
When calling from inside the organization:
- For four-digit extensions, dial the four digits listed.
- For six-digit extensions, dial 0003, then enter the six digits listed when prompted.
When calling from outside the organization:
- For four-digit extensions, dial 717-531 and the four digits listed.
- For six-digit extensions, dial 717-531-0003, then enter the six digits listed when prompted.
Trainees should also make note of any department-specific numbers (manager, supervisor, number of illness or emergency call-in, etc.)
Organizational Information
Penn State Health is a multi-hospital health system serving patients and communities across 29 counties of Pennsylvania. Its mission is to continually improve the health and well being of the people of Pennsylvania and beyond. With every person, practice and partner that joins our health system, we bring more high-quality clinical care, clinical trials and education to the people of central Pennsylvania and beyond.
Virtual Tour
Penn State Health
Penn State Health is an integrated academic health system serving patients and communities across 15 counties in central Pennsylvania. It employs more than 20,900 people systemwide.
The system includes Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Penn State Health Children’s Hospital and Penn State Cancer Institute based in Hershey, Pa.; Penn State Health Hampden Medical Center in Enola, Pa.; Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center in Camp Hill, Pa.; Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center in Lancaster, Pa.; Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center in Reading, Pa.; Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute, a specialty provider of inpatient and outpatient behavioral health services, in Harrisburg, Pa.; and 2,417 physicians and direct care providers at 225 outpatient practices. Additionally, the system jointly operates various healthcare providers, including Penn State Health Rehabilitation Hospital, Hershey Outpatient Surgery Center and Hershey Endoscopy Center.
In 2017, Penn State Health partnered with Highmark Health to facilitate creation of a value-based, community care network in the region.
Penn State Health shares an integrated strategic plan and operations with Penn State College of Medicine, the University’s medical school. With campuses in State College and Hershey, Pa., the College of Medicine boasts a portfolio of more than $150 million in funded research and more than 1,700 students and trainees in medicine, nursing, other health professions and biomedical research.
Learn more about Penn State Health
Penn State Health Children’s Hospital (left), Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center (center) and Penn State Cancer Institute (right)
Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
500 University Dr., Hershey, Pa., 17033 (Derry Township, Dauphin County)
- The health system’s 611-bed flagship teaching and research hospital
- The only medical facility in Pennsylvania accredited as both an adult and a pediatric Level I (highest-level) trauma center
- Dedicated surgical, neuroscience, cardiovascular, trauma and medical intensive care units
- Accredited Life Lion critical-care transport providing more than 1,100 helicopter and approximately 750 ground ambulance transports per year
- More than 1,300 faculty members and more than 650 residents and fellows
- Approximately 29,000 admissions, 73,000 emergency department visits, 1.1 million outpatient visits and 33,000 surgical procedures annually
- Designated as a Magnet hospital since 2007
Learn more about Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
Penn State Health Children’s Hospital
600 University Dr., Hershey, Pa. 17033 (Derry Township, Dauphin County)
- An eight-story, 263,000-square-foot-facility built in 2013 and expanded in 2020
- 160 licensed pediatric beds, 26-bed pediatric intensive care unit and a 56-bed neonatal intensive care unit
- Level IV (highest-level) neonatal intensive care unit
- Level I quaternary (highest-level) pediatric intensive care unit
- Level I (highest-level) pediatric trauma center designation
- Intermediate care unit
- Dedicated pediatric operating rooms
- More than 150,000 pediatric outpatient visits, 20,000 pediatric emergency room visits, and approximately 5,000 pediatric patient discharges annually
Learn more about Penn State Health Children’s Hospital
Penn State Cancer Institute
Penn State Cancer Institute
400 University Dr., Hershey, Pa., 17033 (Derry Township, Dauphin County)
- The region’s only comprehensive cancer center
- Clinical services offered at the institute in Hershey, Pa., as well as in State College, Pa. (in partnership with Mount Nittany Health) and Reading, Pa., at Penn State Health St. Joseph
- Five floors, with ground level and first two devoted to patient care and top two housing research labs
- Infusion therapy suites, private chemotherapy rooms and a state-of-the-art radiation oncology suite
- Dedicated chemotherapy and infusion pharmacy
Learn more about Penn State Cancer Institute
Holy Spirit Medical Center
Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center
503 N 21st St., Camp Hill, Pa. 17011 (East Pennsboro Township, Cumberland County)
- 281-bed acute care hospital that serves the greater Harrisburg region with outpatient and inpatient diagnostic, medical and surgical services
- The four-story Ortenzio Heart Center is devoted to the care and treatment of patients with heart problems
- Level II trauma center physicians and staff provide around-the-clock complex critical care for those suffering from life-threatening injuries
- A community Catholic hospital sponsored by the Sisters of Christian Charity to carry out the healing ministry of Jesus Christ to all in need
Learn more about Holy Spirit Medical Center
Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center
Penn State Health St. Joseph
2500 Bernville Road, Reading, Pa. 19605 (Bern Township, Berks County)
- A two-campus community medical center in Berks County (southeastern Pennsylvania), with an acute care hospital in Bern Township and a downtown Reading campus
- Approximately 1,800 employees, including 400 board-certified and fellowship-trained physicians in all specialties
- Nationally accredited centers for chest pain, stroke, heart failure and cancer care
- Roughly 47,000 emergency department visits and 7,500 inpatient admissions annually
Hampden Medical Center
Penn State Health Hampden Medical Center
2200 Good Hope Road, Enola, Pa., 17025 (Hampden Township, Cumberland County)
- 120-private-inpatient-bed hospital on the West Shore that opened to patients in October 2021
- Three-story, 300,000-square-foot facility designed to provide acute care and outpatient services
- Provides expert 24/7 emergency medical care, inpatient and outpatient medical and surgical care, and labor and delivery services (opening in late 2021)
Learn more about Hampden Medical Center
Other hospitals
Six institutes
- Penn State Cancer Institute
- Penn State Heart & Vascular Institute
- Penn State Bone & Jone Institute
- Penn State Neuroscience Institute
- Penn State Institute for Personalized Medicine
- Penn State Clinical & Translational Science Institute
The mission of Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine is to continually improve the health and well-being of the people of Pennsylvania and beyond.
- Provide patients with excellent, compassionate, culturally responsive and equitable care
- Education and train healthcare professionals
- Advance evidence-based medical innovation through research and discovery
Penn State Health’s vision is to be Pennsylvania’s most trusted healthcare organization.
Explore 2023 Fiscal Year goals on the Infonet
(Penn State Health ePass login required)
What are Organizational Values?
Organizational Values are the bedrock of an organization. They are the foundation on which an
organization is built. They describe the individual and organizational behaviors that will get a company from where it is now, to achieving the mission and living the vision.
RITE Values
The values Penn State Health lives by are referred to as R.I.T.E., which stands for Respect, Integrity, Teamwork and Excellence. These values are the driving forces that will lead to continued success.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Learn about the Penn State Health Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Learn about the Penn State College of Medicine Office for Diversity, Equity and Belonging
See details on the Culture of Respect in Education
See details on the Office for a Respectful Learning Environment
See details on the Office for Culturally Responsive Health Care Education
New Employee Resources
The well-being of the residents and fellows at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center is a top priority for the Office of Graduate Medical Education. We understand the residents’ schedule can be demanding at times, but it is important for them to care for themselves. The Office of GME, all GME programs and the institution provide multiple ways to support residents and fellows in caring for themselves. The Office of GME supports programs that meet the eight dimensions of wellness: Emotional, Financial, Intellectual, Vocational, Social, Physical, Environmental and Spiritual. The Office of GME hosts various wellness initiatives throughout the academic year along with notifying GME Trainees of opportunities offered at our Institution. If you ever have suggestions of new GME-wide wellness initiatives please reach out to Lauren Talhelm at ltalhelm@pennstatehealth.psu.edu.
Review the resources below that the institution and the Office of Graduate Medical Education provide to residents and fellows.
See more about wellness programs
Office for Professional Mental Health
The Office for Professional Mental Health offers direct clinical care to all students, trainees and faculty, referring cases to local providers as necessary; promoting personal health, connectivity and peer support; emphasizing work-life integration; and much more.
View information about the Office for Professional Mental Health
Crisis Resources
Penn State Crisis Line: 877-229-6400 or Text LIONS to 741-741
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or Text TALK to 741-741
Dauphin County Crisis Intervention: 717-232-7511
SupportLinc Employee Assistance
All requests for information or assistance are free of charge and completely confidential. You can contact SupportLinc 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at 888-881-5462, visit www.supportlinc.com, group code psh, or email support@curalinc.com. Access support whenever needed, wherever is most convenient for you.
SupportLinc Provides:
- In-the-moment & short-term counseling
- Convenience resources
- Financial expertise
- Legal consultation
- Text therapy
- Virtual support connect
mySolutions
Go to mySolutions and search for: Wellness
- On-campus and virtual wellness programming
- Bringing wellness to you – yoga for your program or department
- Additional programs: AL-ANON at Work, Band Together Class, Eat Right, Employee Tobacco Intervention, Meditation Breaks, SAMBA Bike Trails, University Fitness Center, Bike Share, TEEM Wellness Pilot Study
Too Tired to Drive?
If a resident is unable to safely drive home due to sleep deprivation, the Office of Graduate Medical Education will reimburse residents for Uber, Lyft, etc. with a valid receipt. Both rides will be reimbursed, home and back to the hospital. Find additional information here.
For strategic napping, non-assigned call rooms are located in the BMR building, Room 1827. Please contact the Office of Graduate Medical Education at 717-531-5168 for the access code.
Ombudsperson
Mark Dias, MD: mdias@pennstatehealth.psu.edu or 717-531-3828
Jamie Maines, MD: jmaines1@pennstatehealth.psu.edu or 717-531-8629
Patient Safety
To access the Patient Safety Event Reporting Forms, search “Patient Safety Event Reporting” on the internal Infonet.
Resident Council
The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Institutional Requirements state that the sponsoring institution must have an organization that allows residents to communicate and exchange information with each other. See the full requirements below. Resident Council meetings will be held bi-monthly, with all residents and fellows invited to attend
ACGME Institutional Requirements
II.C. Resident/Fellow Forum: the Sponsoring Institution with more than one program must ensure availability of an organization, council, town hall or other platform that allows residents/fellows from within and across the Sponsoring Institution’s ACGME-accredited programs to communicate and exchange information with each other relevant to their ACGME-accredited programs and their learning and working environment.
II.C.1 Any resident/fellow from one of the Sponsoring Institution’s ACGME-accredited programs must have the opportunity to raise a concern to the forum.
II.C.2 Residents/fellows must have the option, at least in part, to conduct their forum without the DIO, faculty members, or other administrators present.
II.C.3 Residents/fellows must have the option to present concerns that arise from discussions at the forum to the DIO and GMEC.
For details on meeting dates and times, contact Stephanie States in the Office of Graduate Medical Education at sstates@pennstatehealth.psu.edu.
Research Day
The annual Resident/Fellow Research Day is held once a year in a venue near the Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center campus. The intent of this event is to provide an opportunity for residents and fellows to showcase their research accomplishments to their peers in clinical departments, as well as their colleagues in the basic sciences. For details, email the Office of Graduate Medical Education at gme@pennstatehealth.psu.edu.
Harrell Health Sciences Library: Research and Learning Commons is the on-campus library.
Website: med.psu.edu/library
Location: C1620
The library has librarian liaisons for each department listed on its website.
Services
Available services and tools include, but are not limited to:
- Literature searching: Get help researching a topic
- Systematic review: Partner with an information expert (Fee-based, make an appointment for a free consultation)
- EndNote citation management: Assistance with managing citations and formatting manuscripts with EndNote Online or EndNote Desktop
- 3D printing services: Use 3D printers and software, and assistance with design
- Copyright: Assistance with understanding copyright and fair use
- Public access compliance: Assistance with making grant-funded research publicly available
- Data visualization best practices: Consultations for best practices in data visualization
- In Person IT Service Desk Help: There is an IT representative at the library service desk from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., 7 days a week, to help you with IT issues.
- Interlibrary loan: Get articles and books not owned by Penn State
- Intercampus loan: Get books and videos from any campus at Penn State
- eLearning and digital media development: Convert standard learning materials into digital learning programs (Fee-based, make an appointment for a free consultation)
Resources
- Virtual reality: Available for use in the Library’s Technology Sandbox and Experimental classroom
- Specialized software installed on computers in the library:
- Statistical analysis
- 3D scanning, design and modeling
- Citation management
- Multimedia recording and editing
- Data visualization
- Qualitative analysis
- Point-of-care (EBM) tools and databases: UpToDate, Dynamed Plus, etc. are accessible through the library website
- Access to many research databases, including PubMed, Web Of Science, PsycInfo and more through the library website
- Access to all research databases and journals available through Penn State University
Access
Online library resources are available both on and off campus.
- Off Campus Access: Go directly to the Harrell Health Sciences Library website. Most library resources will prompt you to sign in with your Penn State University Access ID.
- Example PSU Access ID: abc123@psu.edu
- Some select resources including UpToDate will prompt you to sign in with your Penn State Health ePass
- Example Penn State Health ePass: Jsmith@pennstatehealth.psu.edu
- IT Help: Contact IT for help with IDs and 2-factor authentication (x6281 or
help@pennstatehealth.psu.edu)
Spaces
- Keycard access is 24/7 for all Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Health employees and students.
- The library service desk is staffed from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
- Check the library website for current hours.
- 13 small group study rooms
- These rooms can be booked in the library or through the library’s website.
Quiet study
- There is a large quiet study lounge located on the second floor of the library next to the Simulation Center (24 hour access)
Classrooms and collaboration spaces
- The Technology Innovation Sandbox is a collaboration and education space located on the first floor of the library that offers 3D printers, 3D scanners, Virtual Reality and a nine-panel video wall
- The Experimental Classroom is located on the second floor of the library and offers advanced multimedia capabilities and, with an active learning layout, and can be used for study as well when not in use.
- The One Button Studio is an easy to use professional video and audio recording space with editing workstations
The mySolutions portal is Penn State Health’s online employee support center for all things HR and payroll. The mySolutions support center provides search-based access to HR and Payroll resources:
- Forms, instructional guides, detailed information and resources
- Announcements and events
- Personalized support from an HR service member when needed
mySolutions is available on the homepage of the Infonet and accessible through mobile devices when you are logged into the Penn State Health network.
Learn more and access mySolutions
(Penn State Health ePass login required)
HR Solution Center
The Human Resources department is a team of HR professionals and business partners providing services and support in a variety of areas such as benefits, retirements, worker’s compensations, training, recruitment and labor. The department is happy to serve the faculty, staff and families of Penn State Health.
For assistance, call 717-531-8440 Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please note that the office is closed on major holidays.
Penn State College of Medicine and Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
See campus map and directions here
More Penn State Health locations
The following directions tell how to get to common places on campus. All directions are given from the Rotunda Lion.
Rotunda: The Rotunda has a large Nittany Lion statue in the center with a compass on the floor pointing to the north, south and east wings in the hospital. It is on the first floor.
Centerview Parking Garage: Go east to main entrance. Exit and follow walkway to parking garage.
Chapel: Go east to surgical waiting area (Gift Shop area). Go across to connecting hallway. Chapel is on left.
Children’s Hospital: Go east toward Gift Shop and Starbucks. Continue east to Main Entrance. Children’s Hospital entrance will be on right.
Heart and Vascular Institute (outpatient): Go north toward North Lobby. Heart and Vascular Institute is located on the right.
Junker Auditorium: Go north to North Lobby. Take elevators to ground (G) floor. Walk toward nursing station and then turn left down hallway. Auditorium is on the right.
Lab (outpatient): Suite 520 in the University Physician Center (UPC). Follow directions to UPC. Make left down hallway marked “Suites 100-900” upon entering UPC lobby. Follow hallway along perimeter of building until reaching sign for Suite 500. Go down hallway. Lab is on right.
Labor and delivery: Take Rotunda elevator to third floor. Check in at nursing station.
Outpatient pharmacy: Follow directions to University Physician Center. Suite 1200 is located in the lobby upon entering UPC from the hospital.
Radiology (X-ray) and ultrasound: Go east to Radiology elevators located on left. Take elevator to ground (G) floor. From elevator, go right to check in desk.
Same-day admissions: Go south to south elevators (on left). Take elevator to second floor. Turn right and go down hallway. Turn right at intersection and follow hallway. Entrance is on left.
South parking garage: Go south to south elevators, take corridor to left toward the Chapel. At the chapel, turn right and exit through doors ahead.
Surgical intensive care waiting room: Go east to Radiology elevator located on left. Take elevator to second floor; go left and continue to waiting room on left.
Surgical waiting area: Go east toward Gift Shop and Starbucks. Surgery waiting area is adjacent to Gift Shop and Starbucks.
University Physician Center (UPC): Go south to south elevators (on left). Take elevator to second floor. Turn right and go down hallway. Turn right at intersection and follow hallway to bridge to UPC.
What training do new Penn State Health employees have to complete?
Orientation training requirements will be assigned based on an employee’s role/position in the organization. Trainees will use COMPASS, Penn State Health’s learning management system, to complete these assignments.
How to access COMPASS
To access COMPASS, trainees should use the link provided in the emails sent to their new work email address. If prompted, COMPASS uses the Penn State Health ePass username and password.
Where to start in COMPASS?
Once in COMPASS, click the “View Transcript” button to view the training that has been assigned. Most training will be located within the curriculum found on the “Active” transcript. Click Open Curriculum to view each of your assigned courses.
This image shows the main screen of COMPASS, with the View Transcript button and other buttons at right.
More information about COMPASS navigation
For more information on how to navigate Compass, click Getting Started and/or Compass Support.
Employee Benefit Resources
Virtual Benefits Fair
- Visit the benefits orientation website
- Under “Your Entity” select RESIDENT
- Access anywhere, anytime – computer, tablet, or phone
HR Solution Center
- Learn more under the Human Resources and mySolutions section.
Dedicated Penn State Health Highmark Representative
- Phone: 717-531-4330
- Email: pshdedicated@highmark.com
Empower Retirement
- Customer Service: 1-866-986-9477
- On-site Representatives: 717-531-1878
- Schedule an appointment to meet an on-site live at retire.pennstatehealth.org
Navigating the Virtual Benefits Fair
Looking for more information about benefit options? Visit the Penn State Health Virtual Benefits Fair to watch short videos about the options.
- Lobby: Homepage for navigating the benefits fair
- Briefcase: Click on the briefcase to view the Benefits Guide, Empower Retirement New Hire Presentation and the Wellness Toolkit
- Auditorium: Short 2-3 minute videos on the benefits available to Penn State Health employees
- Resource Center: Guides, videos and forms to assist with completing benefit enrollment. New employees must enroll for benefits within the first 31 days of employment.
- Vendor Hall: Each benefit vendor has a vendor booth, which houses specific information related to that benefit.
Penn State Health Employee Navigator
Employees of Penn State Health and their immediate family members can count on one team to help navigate their wellness and healthcare needs.
Phone: 833-PSH-TEAM (833-774-8326), Opt 2
Members of the Penn State Health team have access to a team of HR professionals dedicated to professional and career development. The HR Learning and Leadership Development team is committed to educating and investing in employees, as internal consultants, by providing professional development products and services to the employees of Penn State Health.
The team’s main focus includes, but is not limited to, the following:
Professional Development
The HR Learning and Leadership Development team offers numerous professional development tools and resources to assist employees in charting their professional journey. A variety of solutions are available along with additional on-demand learning opportunities and resources to meet a variety of individual and department needs. These offerings are focused on those that best support the professional and leadership development goals and organizational initiatives.
During onboarding, trainees will receive access to one of the Penn State Health’s Learning Management Systems (LMS). The LMS is used during the first week of employment to complete new employee orientation education. The LMS can also be used to access on-demand education, browse and register for upcoming instructor-led training, and complete role specific orientation and annual requirements.
During department-specific orientation, employees may be introduced to additional learning and development opportunities offered through various departments across the health system. For additional information regarding training and role specific education, trainees should see their manager.
Leadership Development
The HR Learning and Leadership Development team offers various tools for leaders to utilize in the development of their current role as well as for future potential within the health system.
Award Winning Leadership Development Programs: Penn State Health’s multi-level Leadership Development Programs were created by members of the HR Learning and Leadership Development team. These programs address the professional development needs of leaders across Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine. Each program offers a cohort structure to allow for networking and experiential opportunities with learning activities inside and outside of the classroom. In order to be considered for participation in these programs, interested employees must be nominated by their managers and HR Strategic Business Partners.
Foundations of Leadership Workshop: The foundations of Leadership Workshop provides leaders with proven techniques and skills to make better decisions, resolve conflicts, improve employee performance and lead change. During this full day workshop, leaders will develop their own unique leadership style through guided investigations, self-assessments and challenging problem-solving studies. This virtual opportunity is open to all new Penn State Health supervisors/managers. Registration is available through the Learning Management System.
Performance Management
Performance management is an ongoing process of communication between an employee and their leader to provide feedback throughout the year on performance outcomes. This form of continuous feedback is an opportunity for employees to understand how their performance objectives relate to the overall strategic imperatives of the organization while providing an opportunity for engagement and accountability. New members of the Penn State Health team can anticipate being introduced to the system-wide Performance and Goals process during their first year of employment.
Employee Engagement
The HR Learning and Leadership Development team recognizes a high level of employee engagement is vital to the success of the health system. The team is committed to supporting engagement interventions throughout the health system, including the coordination and evaluation of system-wide Employee Engagement surveys.
For additional information, visit mySolutions or contact the HR Solutions Center at 717-531-8440 or hrsolutions@pennstatehealth.psu.edu.
With the Penn State Health OnDemand app, patients can visit with a doctor by video on a phone, tablet or computer – 24/7.
Highlights:
- Select from a broad team of trusted, board-certified physicians with an overage of more than 15 years of experience
- Available video video 24 hours a day, seven days a week
- Can prescribe medication through local pharmacies
Sign up:
- Download the iOS or Android mobile app or visit PennStateHealthOnDemand.com.
- Complete registration
Note: For patients without medical insurance, a standard $49 charge is applied. For patients with medical insurance, individual copays are based on insurance carrier, typically in line with in-person visit copays.
Penn State Health employees and students training at Penn State College of Medicine are already registered to receive emergency notifications and other critical alerts to their work or academic contact information listed in the Unified Directory. This includes any voice, cell, email or pager info listed.
However, to receive these alerts via personal email, voicemail or a text message, trainees will need to register these alternative contacts with the Penn State Health Alerts system.
Penn State Health Alerts is the primary emergency notification system for the academic health enterprise based in Hershey, including outpatient practice sites and the College of Medicine. The system allows employees to receive emergency information no matter where they are — desktop, patient bedside, lab, classroom, outpatient office or at home. Download the system’s mobile app (called “Everbridge” in GooglePlay and the iPhone AppStore) to receive critical messages when cell reception is limited, or when communication methods requiring computer systems or land lines fail.
Penn State Health Alerts is never used to send promotional, non-critical messages to staff, faculty or students.
It’s easy to add contact information:
- Log into the Penn State Health Alerts member portal at alerts.pennstatehealth.net/ using Penn State Health e-pass credentials. Instructions on the home page will explain the process.
- If any contact information isn’t up-to-date, visit the update contact information form, located on the directory page off the Infonet homepage.
Note: To receive alerts for other Penn State campuses – including University Park, Harrisburg and Berks – employees should update their contact info in PSUAlert, the University’s notification system.
Penn State Health’s dedicated Information Services (IS) team is available to assist with questions related to system access, software issues, Outlook email, remote access and more.
All of Penn State Health – including faculty, staff, students and anyone else with network access – must complete Cybersecurity and Privacy Awareness Training within 30 days of hire and annually, thereafter.
Completion of the Cybersecurity and Privacy training modules is a condition of continuing employment. The 2023 Cybersecurity and Privacy Awareness Training will be automatically assigned through Compass; the curriculum is called 2023 Cybersecurity & Privacy Awareness Training—New Hire.
Find out more about Cybersecurity and Privacy on the Infonet
Compliance Training for New Employees
Compliance means conforming to a rule, such as a regulation, policy, standard or law. Most healthcare compliance issues relate to charging, coding, billing practices, patient safety and privacy of patient information.
A compliance program:
- Promotes a culture of honest and ethical behavior
- Helps detect, prevent, and deter fraud, waste and abuse
- Helps healthcare organizations continue to improve the quality of care by complying with industry standards and regulations
- Helps organizations comply with government rules and regulations that are complex and are constantly changing
In order to meet regulatory requirements, Penn State Health requires employees to complete compliance training within 30 days of hire and annually thereafter. There are a large number of healthcare rules and regulations that organizations and their employees have to follow, and while employees are not required to know all the rules and regulations, they are required to have a basic understanding of some which they will learn about when you take compliance training. The training includes information related to current risk areas, so it is very important to pay close attention to the training. Completion of new hire and annual compliance training is a condition of employment.
The reporting of suspected child abuse be that physical, emotional, sexual or neglect can have a powerful impact on the life of a child. Failing to report abuse can have tragic consequences. When employees fail to address concerns raised by our patients and families, those consequences can be devastating.
Who is a Mandated Reporter?
By law, all employees in every department across the health system are what is known as “mandated reporters,” as are volunteers and students. This means if an employee has reason to suspect child abuse or neglect, or learns about suspected child abuse or neglect from someone else (including a patient or family member), they are required by state law and by Penn State Health’s own policies to report it.
Reporting child abuse
First, all suspected child abuse must be reported verbally to the state’s ChildLine hotline immediately by calling 800-932-0313. Pennsylvania law does not require the reporter to witness the abuse, or even see an injury, in order to make a report. Within 48 hours of calling ChildLine, the reporter must submit a written CY47 form to a county Children and Youth Services agency.
The report can also be made online through Pennsylvania’s Child Welfare Portal. Calling ChildLine and submitting a written CY47 form are not needed if reporting online.
Find information about Pennsylvania’s reporting requirements here
Title IX is a federal statute (part of the Education Amendments of 1972, of the Civil Rights Act of 1964) which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any education program or activity in any institution that accepts federal funding. It does not just apply to athletics.
Penn State Health Policy HR 68, relating to background checks, requires all employees and individuals covered under the policy to self-report all pending charges and convictions within 72 hours to Human Resources.
Minor traffic violations and summary offenses do not need to be reported, but all other offenses, including all misdemeanors and felonies, must be.
In addition, the individual must self-disclose any charges or convictions that occur between the date on which results of the background check(s) were obtained and the first day of their PSH engagement.
Information submitted will be used only if the alleged conduct is position-related, and will not necessarily affect the status of the engagement. Human Resources will notify the individual’s department of a charge or conviction only if it is determined that the charges and/or convictions is pertinent to the individual’s ability to carry out the duties or functions of their position.
If reported to the individual’s department, such charges and/or convictions, depending on the facts and the individual’s involvement in the events leading to charges and/or convictions, may subject the individual to discipline, up to and including termination.
Report an arrest or conviction here.
Failure to disclose shall be considered as non‐compliance, subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination, and/or criminal prosecution, if applicable. Below is a sample list of serious reportable offenses:
Reportable Offenses
1. An offense under one or more of the following provisions of Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes:
- Chapter 25 (relating to criminal homicide)
- Section 2702 (relating to aggravated assault)
- Section 2709.1 (relating to stalking)
- Section 2901 (relating to kidnapping)
- Section 2902 (relating to unlawful restraint)
- Section 2910 (relating to luring a child into a motor vehicle or structure)
- Section 3121 (relating to rape)
- Section 3122.1 (relating to statutory sexual assault)
- Section 3123 (relating to involuntary deviate sexual intercourse)
- Section 3124.1 (relating to sexual assault)
- Section 3124.2 (relating to institutional sexual assault)
- Section 3125 (relating to aggravated indecent assault)
- Section 3126 (relating to indecent assault)
- Section 3127 (relating to indecent exposure)
- Section 3129 (relating to sexual intercourse with animal)
- Section 4302 (relating to incest)
- Section 4303 (relating to concealing death of child)
- Section 4304 (relating to endangering welfare of children)
- Section 4305 (relating to dealing in infant children)
- A felony offense under section 5902(b) (relating to prostitution and related offenses) Section 5903(c) or (d) (relating to obscene and other sexual materials and performances) Section 6301(a)(1) (relating to corruption of minors)
- Section 6312 (relating to sexual abuse of children)
- Section 6318 (relating to unlawful contact with minor)
- Section 6319 (relating to solicitation of minors to traffic drugs)
- Section 6320 (relating to sexual exploitation of children)
2. An offense designated as a felony under the act of April 14, 1972 (P.L. 233, No. 64), known as “The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act.”
3. An offense SIMILAR IN NATURE to those crimes listed above in clauses (1) and (2) under the laws or former laws of:
- the United States or one of its territories or possessions; or
- another state; or
- the District of Columbia; or
- the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; or
- a foreign nation; or
- under a former law of this Commonwealth.
4. An offense that could potentially affect the individual’s ability to safely or effectively perform the duties of a position, in particular a sensitive position (as defined in the Background Check Policy). Offenses include but are not limited to:
- For positions that drive a PSHMC vehicle in any capacity: driving while under the influence, loss of driver’s license due to traffic violations or other similar charges/convictions
- For positions involving financial responsibilities and/or access to buildings: theft, robbery, embezzlement, arson, criminal trespass, forgery, or other similar charges/convictions
- Based upon the position and its work responsibilities: animal cruelty, firearms/weapons violations, drug charges
5. A felony or misdemeanor offense