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Info For Prospective Residents

Thank you for your interest in Graduate Medical Education at Penn State Health! See an overview of what we offer at Penn State Health and the Penn State College of Medicine in the tabs below.

If you are interested in a specific residency or fellowship program, please visit their individual page by visiting this page. To learn more about training at Penn State Health, follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

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See what Penn State Health offers its employees.

Information for Prospective Trainees

About Penn State Health Expand answer

A screenshot shows the 2020 virtual tour of Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine.

Virtual Tour

A recently developed virtual tour showcases locations across Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, Pa.

Explore the virtual tour


Penn State Health

Penn State Health is an integrated academic health system serving patients and communities across 25 counties in central Pennsylvania. It employs more than 20,900 people systemwide.

The system includes Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical CenterPenn 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 HospitalHershey 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 Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State College of Medicine campus is seen in an aerial photo on a sunny day.

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

A statue of Penn State's Nittany Lion mascot is seen in the front yard of Penn State Health St. Joseph 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

Learn more about St. Joseph

Benefits and Agreements Expand answer

Learn more about the benefits of residency and fellowship at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and the agreements that govern residents and fellows.

Learn more about Benefits and Agreements

Wellness Initiatives Expand answer

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

Graduate medical education resources

Partners in Medicine Expand answer

Partners in Medicine is a support and social group for spouses of medical students, residents, fellows and new attending physicians at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

Learn more about Partners in Medicine

Diversity Expand answer

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
  • Black Physician Professional Staff Association – Resource Group
  • Hispanic Professional Association
  • Asian Physician and Professional Staff Association
  • International Workforce Inclusion
  • Inclusion Academy

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

Network of Under-represented Residents and Fellows (NURF) Expand answer

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

About the Area Expand answer

Visit Hershey & Harrisburg

Learn about the area

Live the Life You Want

The “Live the Life You Want” website, created by the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDC, highlights living and working in Harrisburg and central Pennsylvania. The website includes information on cost of living, education, cultural initiatives, things to do, transportation and more. Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center is a partner of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDC.

Visit Live the Life You Want

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to park my car when I’m at work? Expand answer

Parking is free on our campus and at our associated medical group clinics!

Do we provide a food stipend? Expand answer

Yes. Our Graduate Medical Education office provides a meal allowance per quarter for all GME trainees based on work hours to be used at any hospital food entity, including Starbucks!  Additionally, there is a refrigerator stocked with small items and drinks available for free in the cafeteria for use when food services is closed.

Did someone say Starbucks? Expand answer

Yes, at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, we have a Starbucks in the Main Lobby.  They are open every day – even on the weekends!

Do we provide an educational stipend? Expand answer

Yes, we do provide Educational Support Funds annually. The amount varies per program. Additional details can be found in our Educational Support Funds Policy on the policy page.

Do we offer any education benefits? Expand answer

Yes, we do. Penn State offers a 75% tuition discount to all Milton S. Hershey Medical Center employees, and Hershey Medical Center offers a 100% tuition reimbursement. GME trainees are eligible for the 75% discount towards numerous degrees, including an MBA. Additionally, the Woodward Center for Excellence in Health Sciences Education supports scholarships for GME trainees towards the Masters or Certificate Programs in Adult Education.

Do we offer a way for our fellows to stay healthy? Expand answer

Yes, wellness matters at Penn State Health! The University Fitness Center (UFC) is an exclusive health and wellness facility on campus, within walking distance, which serves our Penn State Health affiliates. Membership is discounted to less than $25/month for GME trainees and includes access to the cardiovascular and strength training rooms, the gymnasium, free group fitness classes, racquetball and squash court usage, and the facility locker rooms.

Penn State Health offers a variety of physical health resources, as well as social, mental, and financial health resources.  For a comprehensive list of Wellness Resources available, visit https://residency.med.psu.edu/wellness/.

Is there support for my spouse while I am in training in Hershey? Expand answer

Yes. Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and College of Medicine are proud to have Partners in Medicine (PIM).  PIM is a group of spouses and significant others of residents, fellows, medical students, and new attending physicians (during their first 3 years at Hershey) of all specialties that support each other.  They offer an outlet for networking, coordinate social activities, and facilitate friendships. They also support the greater community through acts of service.

Penn State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.