Penn State College of Medicine is committed to enhancing the quality of life through improved health, the professional preparation of those who will serve the health needs of others, and the discovery of knowledge that will benefit all. We’re dedicated to demonstrating our core values: respect, integrity, teamwork and excellence.
Penn State College of Medicine is part of an academic medical center group that also includes:
- Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, the flagship hospital, a 551-bed, tertiary-care facility that serves central Pennsylvania;
- Penn State Children's Hospital, the only Level I pediatric trauma center between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh; and
- Penn State Medical Group, the academic physician practice and associated outpatient practice sites of our group.
We prepare students to become patient-centric physicians and physician assistants. The MD Program provides unique learning opportunities, such as the patient navigator program and a longitudinal humanities curriculum. The Physician Assistant Program emphasizes critical thinking skills, compassionate care, and improving health in an efficient and cost-conscious manner.
Mission and Values
Our Mission
Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Penn State College of Medicine, and Penn State Children's Hospital are committed to enhancing the quality of life through improved health, the professional preparation of those who will serve the health needs of others, and the discovery of knowledge that will benefit all.
Education
We are committed to the education of medical and nursing students, basic science graduate students, medical residents and fellows, other students in healthcare related professions, and practicing health professionals. We seek to enroll students of exceptional quality, and their education will be based on the present and future health needs of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the nation. Special recognition is given to the education of primary care providers.
Patient Care
Our objective is to provide a range of fully integrated patient care services for the people of central Pennsylvania and beyond. These services will extend from prevention of illness and maintenance of health through primary medical care to the highly sophisticated patient care expected at the nation’s premier academic medical centers.
Research
We strive to be a national leader in pursuing scientific investigation and developing programs to advance medical and scientific knowledge, which will ultimately contribute to the health of the public, the practice of medicine, and the education of health professionals.
Community Outreach
We will provide community outreach services to the public through health education, patient care, community activities, and applications of research. We endeavor to provide health education to the public. In turn, community support for our research missions fosters clinical applications that positively impact patient care.
Our Values
Respect
- Listen, hear, and give credit
- Embrace our diverse backgrounds, talents, and perspectives
- Be compassionate, thoughtful, considerate, and kind
Integrity
- Be the best you can be, every time
- Have moral courage to ask hard questions of ourselves and others
- Be consistent and fair
Teamwork
- Commit to working together to ensure the best experience for co-workers, patients, and trainees
- Share knowledge for the benefit of the team
- Earn the trust of your teammates
Excellence
- Align personal performance with our mission, vision, values, and strategic imperatives
- Set personal goals and exceed expectations
- Always be solution-focused
History
The “$50 Million Phone Call”
In 1963, the M.S. Hershey Foundation offered $50 million to The Pennsylvania State University to establish a medical school in Hershey. With this grant and $21.3 million from the U.S. Public Health Service, the university built a medical school, research center, and teaching hospital — what is now the Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.
The university broke ground in 1966, and Penn State College of Medicine opened its doors to students in 1967. The Medical Center accepted its first patients in 1970.
Leading the Way in Humanities and Family Medicine
The College of Medicine was the first in the nation to have a dedicated Department of Humanities and a Department of Family and Community Medicine. Both were original departments, created when the college opened.
The original buildings on the Medical Center campus included the Medical Science Building and University Hospital, Animal Research Farm, Laundry and Steam Plant, and University Manor Apartments. Since 1970, the campus has grown from 318 acres to 550 acres.
Many additions have been made to the academic and patient care facilities, reflecting the steady increase in patient demand for services and the need to expand research and teaching programs.
Training Tomorrow’s Leaders in Medicine
Since the first graduation in 1969, College of Medicine students have become productive physicians and scientists.
Today, we offer degree programs in:
- Anatomy
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Bioengineering
- Cellular and Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Homeland Security
- Immunology and Infectious Diseases
- Integrative Biosciences
- Laboratory Animal Medicine
- Microbiology and Immunology
- Molecular Medicine
- Molecular Toxicology
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Physiology
- Public Health Sciences
Nursing students from the Penn State College of Nursing rotate through the Medical Center for clinical courses, and students from other Penn State health-related programs and other institutions come to Hershey for their clinical experience. The extended B.S. degree program for nurses is offered in conjunction with the College of Nursing.
Continuing education programs serve Medical Center and other healthcare professionals throughout Pennsylvania, with enrollment exceeding 39,000 each year.
Basic and clinical research projects to treat and cure major diseases are conducted at the College and Medical Center. Annually, this research is supported by more than $100 million in awards from federal, state, and private agencies; businesses; and individuals.
The Medical Center is recognized as one of the nation's premier academic health centers, recruiting faculty members who are internationally known for their accomplishments in research, education, and patient care. College of Medicine and Medical Center faculty and physicians continue to integrate the latest biomedical knowledge and technology with compassionate care of patients, while educating the next generation of scientists and physicians.
Location
Penn State College of Medicine
700 HMC Crescent Road
Hershey, PA 17033
USA
Use the "Directions" button on the map below to get specific driving directions to campus. Upon arrival on campus, follow the signs to the parking garage. A complimentary shuttle is available from the second floor of the garage; ride that to the College of Medicine entrance.
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