Penn State Milton S Hershey Medical Center/Hershey Program

The Family and Community Medicine Residency at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania, is a three-year, ACGME-accredited program that accommodates eight residents annually. Established in 1967, this program prioritizes the creation of a supportive and educational environment, encouraging residents to become full-spectrum family physicians equipped to lead in an evolving healthcare landscape.

Program Overview

The program integrates comprehensive clinical training with a focus on health systems management, quality improvement, population health, and community advocacy. Residents participate in diverse clinical experiences facilitated by a faculty of enthusiastic family physicians dedicated to promoting personal and professional development through excellence in patient care, education, scholarship, and community service.

Curriculum

The residency curriculum is designed to provide exposure to a wide variety of clinical settings and experiences. Residents may opt for specialized areas of concentration, including academic medicine, care of marginalized patients, global health, hospital medicine, leadership and advocacy, sports medicine, and women’s health. The program offers both structured curricula and opportunities for residents to shape their learning experiences according to their interests.

Rotations

Residents participate in progressive rotations across various specialties, engaging in longitudinal training, where essential areas like population health and behavioral health are interwoven throughout their education. The program enables residents to progress through a structured timeline of rotations, including:

• PGY-1: Orientation, adult inpatient medicine, night float, inpatient pediatrics, emergency medicine, sports medicine, and longitudinal experiences.
• PGY-2: Continued exposure to adult inpatient medicine, intensive care, medical specialties, and electives.
• PGY-3: Emphasis on sports medicine, electives, and a longitudinal family medicine practice.

Clinical Sites

Residents gain experience in a tertiary-care referral center known for its capacity to manage both unique and routine medical diagnoses. Training occurs at primary locations like the Penn State Health Medical Group at Fishburn Road and Nyes Road, which provide dual outpatient practice environments complementing the full spectrum of family medicine. The medical center itself is the flagship facility of the Penn State Health system, ensuring residents learn in an advanced academic setting with access to comprehensive resources.

Inpatient and Outpatient Care

Residents deal with continuity patients from family practice in a team-based environment while receiving direct instruction from attending physicians. The program also focuses on serving medically underserved populations, providing residents with outreach experiences that have practical impacts on local communities.

Research Opportunities

The residency encourages engagement in scholarly activity with robust support for research initiatives. Residents collaborate with faculty mentors on projects relevant to family medicine, including qualitative and quantitative studies leading to national and international dissemination of findings.

Osteopathic Recognition

This program is notable for its osteopathic recognition status, which fosters additional education and mentorship for both MD and DO residents in osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), ensuring a well-rounded exposure during the training period.

Wellness Initiatives

Recognizing the stresses of residency, the program places significant emphasis on the wellness of residents. A dedicated wellness committee promotes “relax hard” initiatives alongside academic rigor, establishing a foundation for resilience during the training.

Diversity and Inclusion

The program actively emphasizes diversity, equity, and inclusion both among its trainees and the patient populations it serves. Various initiatives aim to support under-represented residents, encouraging a culturally competent approach to healthcare.

Application Process

The program accepts either MD or DO applicants and requires applications to be submitted through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). It grants preference to applicants who have graduated from LCME-accredited medical schools within the past three years and have a strong academic record.

Visa Support

For non-U.S. applicants, the program exclusively sponsors J-1 visas. It is essential for international medical school graduates to possess ECFMG certification to be eligible for residency appointments.

Competitiveness

The program is highly competitive, favoring candidates who demonstrate a strong commitment to family medicine, teamwork, and community service.