Neurology Residency

Welcome to the Neurology Residency! Under the leadership of our chair, Dr. Krishnankutty Sathian, the Department of Neurology at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center has enjoyed continued rapid growth over the past years. This is an exciting time!

Those who explore the program will notice the collegial environment. Faculty members are actively involved in teaching and work hard to balance the educational and personal goals of residents with the service requirements of the department. There are multiple faculty in each of the subspecialties of neurology, yet the group is small enough to remain close-knit so that residents are able to get to know each faculty member during their residency.

An advantage for the residency is that almost all required rotations are at Penn State Health Milton Hershey Medical Center. This is the only hospital that the residents cover when they are on call, and a night float system is in place. In the medical center, all neuroscience patient rooms, from the neuroscience integrated care unit to the epilepsy monitoring unit, are on the same floor as the resident workroom and call room.

The following are some highlights of the residency:

• Six-week “neurology immersion” curriculum for neurology interns: First-year neurology residents spend six weeks rotating in the neurology consult service, general service and stroke service, with goal to learn the neurologic exam and obtain exposure on localization skills and clinical skills. This experience has been praised by residents and helps ease the transition between Internal Medicine and Neurology.
• A dedicated longitudinal resident continuity clinic block rotation: Residents spend four half-days per week in resident clinic every five weeks. This rotation allows a much more realistic clinic schedule for the residents that mirrors an attending schedule; continued supervision by faculty; avoidance of unnecessary inpatient handoffs; and much more relaxed dedicated outpatient learning environment.
• The residency program can be individualized to meet each trainee’s goals:
  • Integrated longitudinal Resident Research Track: Residents have the opportunity to apply for grants under the mentorship of NIH-funded researchers and participate in the Physician Scientist Training Program. Enrollment starts in early second year. Residents receive additional time and mentorship to support their research.
  • Integrated longitudinal Clinician Educator Track: Residents interested in a career as a clinician educator, or who just want to improve their skills, may participate in this flexible track, which spans one or more years during training.
  • More than 8 months of flexible and elective time: Residents have ample opportunity to explore their passions and strengthen their skills across the scope of neurology and related fields.
  • Support for a wide variety of interests: The scope of experiences has led to our residents pursuing both general neurology and a wide variety of neurologic subspecialties—12 different subspecialties in the last four years, to be exact!
• A dual “resident-driven” and “department-driven” wellness program.
• An amazing group of residents and faculty to work with!

In conclusion, I want to thank you for the opportunity to present our residency program. I hope I’ve conveyed a sense of what a special place this is to be.

Rae Bacharach, DO
Director, Neurology Residency
Assistant Professor of Neurology

The mission of the Neurology Residency at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center is to cultivate neurologists who strive for excellence in patient care, research, education and community service to create leaders in the field of neurology, reduce healthcare disparities and improve the health of the community and beyond.

General Application Information

All applications must be received through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS).

Application Requirements

The following items must be included in the ERAS application:

• Personal statement
• Medical school transcripts
• MSPE or dean’s letter
• Letters of recommendation (at least three letters from faculty, with at least one from a neurologist)
• USMLE and/or COMLEX transcripts

U.S. clinical experience is preferred, but not required.

This program is participating in the supplemental ERAS application program signaling process. Candidates with a strong interest in our residency program are highly encouraged to signal us because these applications will be prioritized.

Interview Process

The program will contact select candidates via email to schedule interviews. Interviews occur on selected Fridays between October and December. All interviews are conducted virtually.

All candidates need to be registered with the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP). No positions are offered outside the Match.

International Medical Graduates

The program accepts applications from international medical graduates. The application process is similar to the above; applicants must apply via ERAS and be registered with the NRMP.

Applicants must be either:

• A U.S. citizen
• A permanent resident (green card holder)
• The holder of a J-1 visa sponsored through ECFMG

The institution does not sponsor any other visas.

All international medical graduates must be certified by the ECFMG prior to the Match, but not necessarily prior to applying.

To be considered competitive for the program, international applicants should:

• Have passed USMLE Step 1 and 2. There is no specific cutoff for USMLE scores.
• Have U.S. clinical experience in the past two years, with a letter from a U.S. neurologist.
• Have graduated from medical school in the past five years.
• Be able to attain ECFMG certification as a part of their application.

We undertake a comprehensive, holistic approach to reviewing applications received from both U.S. and international candidates. 

Virtual Tour

Penn State Health

Penn State Health is a multi-hospital health system serving patients and communities across 29 counties of Pennsylvania. Its mission is to improve health through patient care, research, education and community outreach.

In December 2017, the system partnered with Highmark Health to facilitate creation of a value-based, community care network in the region. The shared goal of Highmark and Penn State Health is to ensure patients in the community are within:

• 10 minutes of a Penn State Health primary care provider
• 20 minutes of Penn State Health specialty care
• 30 minutes of a Penn State Health acute care facility

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 647-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
• 146 licensed pediatric beds, 18 acute care beds 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 and approximately 5,000 pediatric patient discharges annually

Learn more about Penn State Health Children’s Hospital

Welcome to Hershey

More About Hershey

Interested in learning more about living and working in Hershey, Pa.? See details here:

• Benefit and stipend information
• Virtual tour
• GME policies
• Wellness resources
• More about Penn State Health and its locations
• Application and visa requirements

Wellness, including emotional, spiritual, social and physical health, is a crucial component to training and to becoming a professional, compassionate and resilient physician. Self-care is a skill which must be continually practiced and reinforced. Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Health are committed to addressing wellness among residents and fellows, with multiple resources readily available.

Institutional resources

• Visit BeWell – a health program designed to support Penn State Health employees
• See Penn State College of Medicine wellness resources here
• Employee Health Care Concierge and Case Management Service
• Partners in Medicine
  Moving to a new city with your family does not have to be stressful. Residency programs have assisted many significant others with finding employment. There is also a GME-Wide Partners in Medicine (PIM) group that offers networking opportunities as well as various social and community oriented activities.
• The Doctors Kienle Center for Humanistic Medicine
• Active and easily accessed Office of Professional Mental Health

Graduate medical education resources

• See resident and fellow wellness resources here

Program Resources

The Neurology Residency program recognizes that the well-being of residents is paramount to their success and fulfillment. The program’s leadership is committed to fostering a supportive and nurturing environment. Through mentorship, peer support networks, comprehensive mental health resources, resident recognition programs and dedicated wellness initiatives, residents receive the tools and support necessary to thrive both personally and professionally.

Examples of recent resident-driven activities have recently included:

• Bowling
• Hershey Bears hockey game
• Going out to eat
• Holiday parties
• Birthday parties
• Coffee breaks

Examples of recent program activities have included:

• Annual resident retreat—cookout and kayaking on the Swatara creek
• Pumpkin carving
• Gingerbread house decorating competition
• Evening at Dave & Buster’s
• Neurology Department cookout
• Holiday party at the Hotel Hershey
• Annual resident welcome picnic
• Wellness bingo

Examples of recent institutional activities have included:

• Pet therapy, including dogs, kittens, goats, kangaroos, etc.
• Food truck festivals
• Live music
• Pop-up solace rooms
• Thank a Resident Day
• Donuts with the GME office

To foster peer support, the group has started a resident-to-resident mentorship program to facilitate academic success, professional growth and development. The program also developed a peer-to-peer “kudos” program, in which trainees praise each other anonymously and announce comments at monthly business meetings. The program also recognizes resident achievements and contributions through several award programs.

Institutional Resources

Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine celebrate, embrace and support the diversity of all patients, faculty, staff, students and trainees.

Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

In keeping with this, Penn State Health has an active Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion with various programs, networks and resource groups, including:

• Talks and lectures on diversity, equity and inclusion through the Inclusion Academy
• Regular events on topics such as eradicating racism and creating a culture of inclusiveness
• Many Business Employee Resource Groups (BERGs), including:
  • Disability Business Employee Resource Group
  • Interfaith Business Employee Resource Group
  • LGBTQ+ Business Employee Resource Group
  • Military and Veterans Business Employee Resource Group
  • Multicultural Business Employee Resource Group
  • NextGen Business Employee Resource Group

Learn more about the Penn State Health Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Learn more about the College of Medicine’s Office for Diversity, Equity and Belonging

Office for Culturally Responsive Health Care Education

The vision at Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Health is to equip learners with the knowledge, skills and attitudes they will need to provide culturally excellent health care and research for an increasingly diverse U.S. population. The Office for Culturally Responsive Health Care Education was formed to help meet that goal.

Learn more about the Office for Culturally Responsive Health Care Education

Office for a Respectful Learning Environment

In addition, the institution does not tolerate discrimination, biases, microaggression, harassment or learner mistreatment of any kind, and any concerns are immediately addressed by the Office for a Respectful Learning Environment.

Learn more about the Office for a Respectful Learning Environment

Network of Under-represented Residents and Fellows
The Network of Under-represented Residents and Fellows (NURF) is a group of diverse residents and fellows representing all specialties. NURF’s goal is to promote cultural diversity in the residency programs through community involvement, mentorship with diverse faculty, professional networking and support for the recruitment of diverse medical students into the residency programs.

NURF is sponsored by the Penn State College of Medicine Graduate Medical Education Office and the Penn State Health Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Learn more information about NURF

Mailing Address

Department of Neurology, EC037
30 Hope Dr., Box 859
Hershey, PA 17033-0859

General Contact Information

Phone: 717-531-0003, ext. 283934

Fax: 717-531-0384

All residents must complete do the following during their training:

• Show consistent progress on all ACGME milestones and core competencies
• Complete a quality improvement project
• Participate and be productive in research/scholarly activity project
• Pass the annual RITE exam
• Complete faculty evaluations after every rotation
• Complete evaluations of rotations as indicated
• Take part in quarterly evaluation by office staff
• Pass ABPN clinical examinations (five by end of residency)
• Complete a biannual and end-of-residency evaluation of the program
• Participate in quarterly meetings with program director
• Complete and maintain case logs and procedure logs in New Innovations
• Attend 75 percent of required conferences: Morbidity and Mortality, Grand Rounds, neurology lectures, Friday neuroradiology lectures, neurology noon lectures and morning report

• Neurology noon lecture (12:10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays)
• Neuroradiology/cerebrovascular conference (8 a.m. Fridays)
• Neurology Grand Rounds (noon Fridays)
• Morbidity and Mortality conferences (quarterly)
• Neuromuscular (EMG) quality conference (monthly)
• Epilepsy (EEG) quality conference
• Morning report (8 to 8:30 a.m. Mondays through Thursdays

• Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
• Penn State Neuroscience Institute
• Lebanon VA Medical Center
• Penn State Rehabilitation Hospital

Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center accept ongoing nominations for the Exceptional Moments in Teaching award.

The award, given monthly by the Office for a Respectful Learning Environment, accepts nominations from College of Medicine students who are invited to submit narratives about faculty members, residents, fellows, nurses or any other educators who challenge them and provide an exceptional learning experience. See more about the award here.

Previous nominees from the Neurology Residency are listed here. Click the + next to a nominee name to read their nominator’s comments.

The annual Resident/Fellow Research Day is held each year (with exception of during the COVID-19 pandemic) on and around the Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center campus.

The intent of the event is to provide an opportunity for residents and fellows to showcase their research accomplishments to their peers in other clinical departments, as well as their colleagues in the basic sciences.

Learn more about Resident/Fellow Research Day here.

Previous presentations from the Neurology Residency are listed here.

Previous oral and poster presentations from the Neurology Residency are listed here.

Previous awards from the Neurology Residency are listed here.