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Benefits and Agreements - Residencies and Fellowships

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See the benefits offered to residents and fellows in ACGME-accredited programs at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

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Make sure to check out the "Resident/Fellow Recruitment Policy" which dives into our eligibility and selection process. Specific fellowship program eligibility is available on each of our program websites in the section to the right.

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Penn State College of Medicine Residencies and Fellowships

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A number of policies guide the work of residents and fellows in the ACGME-accredited programs offered at Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine.

Graduate Medical Education Policies

Additional Work Policy

Purpose

Circumstance may arise in which a department/division/institute would wish to ask a resident/fellow to perform clinical duties that are outside their normal duties. In such a situation, it would be fair and appropriate to provide remuneration for this work. The purpose of this policy is to describe the principles to be used by a program director to develop a policy for their program and determine if compensation is allowable.

Principles

Each program that wishes to provide compensation for additional work under this policy must develop their own policy consistent with this policy, institutional policy, ACGME/RRC requirements, and relevant state/federal law, which provide details of the process for allocating these duties and the remuneration. This policy should be distributed to the residents and fellows of the program and be available for their review.

Additional Work policies should be used only for brief and self-limited staffing needs. The requests may not extend beyond 90 days.

All requests for Additional Work must be provided to the Office of Graduate Medical Education. The request must include a justification for the additional work, a description of the duties and compensation, and the plan for solving the service-need issue.

All requests will be forwarded to the GMEC for review. A decision for acceptance or rejection of the request will be determined by a simple majority of the voting GMEC members.

Any Additional Work requests that are accepted will not be subject to extension beyond the 90-day period.

The Graduate Medical Education Committee reserves the right, after review, to terminate any Additional Work policies felt not to comply with this policy or to otherwise not serve the best interests of the residents/fellows or the institution.

Residents and fellows cannot be paid for doing additional work that would, under other circumstances, be part of their training. This would include such things as taking call or covering a shift for another resident who has become sick, injured, or is on vacation/leave.

Under no circumstances can a resident or fellow be required or obligated to take on additional work under this policy.

Under no circumstances can a resident or fellow violate ACGME work hour rules by taking on additional duties.

Remunerated work hours performed under this policy must be tracked and included as duty hours.

The program director must indicate that the resident is in good standing and that this additional duty will not interfere with their didactic training or educational needs (e.g., this would not be appropriate for a resident who is on academic probation and needs to spend more time reading).

Residents and fellows cannot work outside their scope of practice, i.e., they must be appropriately supervised by qualified faculty. Fellows can work independently in the area of their qualified underlying specialty, consistent with hospital policy concerning licensure and privileging.

Approved by GME Committee: Jan. 14, 2013
Revised: July 2018

Away (Off-Site) Elective Rotation Policy

Residents and fellows may desire to take an elective rotation at an outside institution within the United States or abroad. Such away elective rotations should have as its primary goal an educational focus that cannot be obtained at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. During the elective rotation Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center will continue to pay the resident's or fellow's salary, benefits, and malpractice insurance as currently provided. Malpractice coverage is not provided for rotations outside the United States. All other associated expenses (housing, meals, travel, etc.) will be the responsibility of the resident/fellow. Additional malpractice insurance beyond the current coverage will not be provided by Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

Requirements and Process

The "Application for Off-Site 'Away' Elective Rotation" must be completed by the trainee and signed/approved by the applicant's Program Director and the Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education and DIO (or his designee). All requests must be received by the Graduate Medical Education Office at least 60 days before the beginning of the rotation to be considered for approval. If it is submitted with less than 60 days, there is a chance the necessary agreements cannot be completed and the rotation is may not be allowed.

The preceptor at the outside elective site must provide a letter agreeing to accept the resident/fellow for the time period requested, agreeing to the stated goals and objectives of the rotation, and agreeing to complete an evaluation of the resident's/fellow's performance during the rotation and to send this evaluation to the resident's Program Director.

No more than one elective away month may be taken per resident/fellow during their training period. Programs that require four years or more of residency training may offer one additional away elective month, as determined by the Program director. Exceptions may be granted by the Designated Institutional Official (DIO).

Elective rotations to countries either on the U.S. State Department's Travel Warning list or those with U.S. Treasury OFAC restrictions will not be permitted.

Revised by GME Committee: Jan. 11, 2023

Clinical Experience and Education Policy (formerly Duty Hours)

Maximum Hours of Clinical and Educational Work per Week

Clinical and education work hours must be limited to 80 hours per week, averaged over a four-week period, inclusive of all in-house clinical and educational activities, clinical work done from home, and all moonlighting.

Mandatory Time Free of Clinical Work and Education

The program must design an effective program structure that is configured to provide residents with educational opportunities, as well as reasonable opportunities for rest and personal well-being.

Resident should have eight hours off between scheduled clinical work and education periods.
There may be circumstances when residents choose to stay to care for their patients or return to the hospital with fewer than eight hours free of clinic experience and education. This must occur within the context of the 80-hour and the one-day-off-in-seven requirements.

Residents must have at least 14 hours free of clinical work and education after 24 hours of in-house call.

Residents must be scheduled for a minimum of one day in seven free of clinical work and required education (when averaged over four weeks). At-home call cannot be assigned on these free days.

Maximum Clinical Work and Education Period Length

Clinical and educational work periods for residents must not exceed 24 hours of continuous scheduled clinical assignments.

Up to four hours of additional time may be used for activities related to patient safety, such as providing effective transitions of care, and/or resident education.
Additional patient care responsibilities must not be assigned to a resident during this time.

Clinical and Educational Work Hour Exceptions

In rare circumstances, after handing off all other responsibilities, a resident, on their own initiative, may elect to remain or return to the clinical site in the following circumstances:

to continue to provide care to a single severely ill or unstable patient;

humanistic attention to the needs of a patient or family; or,

to attend unique educational events.

These additional hours of care or education will be counted toward the 80-hour weekly limit.

Moonlighting

Moonlighting must not interfere with the ability of the resident to achieve the goals and objectives of the educational program, and must not interfere with the resident's fitness for work nor compromise patient safety.

Time spent by residents in internal and external moonlighting (as defined in the ACGME Glossary of Terms) must be counted toward the 80-hour maximum weekly limit.

PGY-1 residents are not permitted to moonlight.

For additional details, see GME Moonlighting Policy.

In-House Night Float

Night float must occur within the context of the 80-hour and one-day-off-in-seven requirements. (The maximum number of consecutive weeks of night float, and maximum number of months of night float per year may be further specified by the Review Committee.)

Maximum In-House On-Call Frequency

Resident must be scheduled for in-house call no more frequently than every third night (when averaged over a four-week period).

At-Home Call

Time spent on patient care activities by residents on at-home call must count toward the 80-hour maximum weekly limit. The frequency of at-home call is not subject to the every-third-night limitation but must satisfy the requirement for one day in seven free of clinical work and education, when averaged over four weeks.
At-home call must not be so frequent or taxing as to preclude rest or reasonable personal time for each resident.

Residents are permitted to return to the hospital while on at-home call to provide direct care for new or established patients. These hours of inpatient patient care must be included in the 80-hour maximum weekly limit.

Revised: June 24, 2017

CORE (Culture of Respect in Education)

Maintaining a culture of respect in our clinical learning environment is a core value of Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. With input from our trainees, as well as faculty, nursing staff, medical students and others, we have developed a set of expected behaviors in our professional interactions. We also have provided examples of behaviors that we believe are not conducive to a productive educational experience.
Learn about Penn State Health's commitment to a Culture of Respect in Education and its CORE policy here

Disaster Policy

In the event of a local or national disaster or public health emergency, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center will continue to provide salary, benefits, professional liability coverage, and resident/fellow assignments. (IV.N.1.) Trainees in ACGME accredited programs are considered essential personnel. In the event of a disaster, all residents and fellows shall report to work as scheduled unless personally notified by their supervisor or if reporting to work would put the resident at extreme risk. In the event that such a disaster or its after effects warrant reduction or closure of a program(s), then the Reduction/Closure Policy will take effect.

If, because of a disaster, an adequate educational experience cannot be provided for each resident/clinical fellow the sponsoring institution will:

Arrange temporary transfers to other programs/institutions until such time as the residency/fellowship program can provide an adequate educational experience for each of its house officers/fellows.

Create Emergency GME Affiliation agreements retroactive to the date of the disaster to incorporate new host hospitals, even if the host hospital is outside the affected area.

Cooperate in and facilitate permanent transfers to other programs/institutions. Programs/institutions will make the keep/transfer decision expeditiously so as to maximize the likelihood that each resident will complete the resident year on schedule.

Inform each transferred resident of the minimum duration of his/her temporary transfer, and continue to keep each resident informed of the minimum duration. If and when a program decided that a temporary transfer will continue to and/or through the end of a residency year, it must so inform each such transferred resident.

The Designated Institutional Official (DIO) will notify the ACGME Institutional Review Committee Executive Director with information and/or requests for information. When appropriate, the DIO will contact executive directors of specific residency review committees (RRCs).

Within ten days after the declaration of a disaster, the DIO will contact the ACGME to discuss due dates that the ACGME will establish for the programs:

To submit program reconfigurations to the ACGME, and

To inform each program's house officers of resident transfer decisions.

The due dates for submission shall be no later than 30 days after the disaster unless other due dates are approved by the ACGME.

Approved by GME Committee: January 11, 2023
Revised: May 14, 2012; Nov. 25, 2013

Educational Support Funds Policy (Allowable Expenditures for Graduate Medical Education Educational Support Funds)

Purpose

To define allowable expenditures related to Graduate Medical Education-Educational Supplement Funds (expense account 690240) for residents and fellows.

Definition

Graduate Medical Education Educational Supplement Funds (GME ESF) is a specific form of
financial support to help residents and fellows learn about new and developing areas of their field. This includes activities such as professional conferences, written publications, online programs, and other media forms.

Procedure

During the annual budget process GME ESF funds are approved for each applicable training program.

Allowable GME ESF Fund expenditures for residents and fellows include:

Professional conferences and related travel expenses

Medical books, professional literature, medical journals/magazine subscriptions (including electronic books and subscriptions)

Professional licensing exam fees

Individual membership dues and fees to Professional Organizations/Societies, if Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center does not pay separate organizational membership dues to the same Professional Organization/Society

Departments/Employees must follow established Accounts Payable policies &procedures for payment/reimbursement of GME ESF allowable expenditures.

Reviewed: December 2011
Revised: June 2023

Grievance and Due Process Policy

This Grievance and Due Process Policy shall be utilized for academic or other disciplinary actions that could result in suspension, dismissal, non-renewal of contract, non-promotion to the next level of training or other action that could significantly affect a resident's intended career development (the "Grievance Review Process"). This policy also sets forth the manner in which resident complaints related to the clinical learning environment, the program or faculty will be addressed. Any Resident or Fellow serving in an ACGME accredited program at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center ("PSHMC") may seek resolution of grievances under this Grievance and Due Process Policy.

Academic or Other Disciplinary Actions

All residents and fellows participating in an ACGME accredited program shall be afforded the opportunity to have reviewed, in the manner set forth below, any of the following decisions:

non-renewal of the Resident Agreement

non-promotion to the next year of the training program

suspension from the training program

dismissal for cause

The process described in this document is designed to provide appropriate review of actions that may adversely affect a resident's or fellow's status while at the same time ensure patient safety, quality of care and the proper conduct within the training programs. The resident/fellow is NOT entitled to legal representation at any point in the Grievance Review Process.

Program-Level Review

The following process for review of an academic or other disciplinary action shall be available to the resident or fellow:

Upon receipt of a decision from either the Clinical Competency Committee (CCC), the Program Director or the Department Chair, resulting in the suspension or dismissal from the training program, non-promotion to the next level of training or the non-renewal of the Resident Agreement, the resident/fellow may request the opportunity to present, in person, to the CCC their appeal of the decision. The resident/fellow must make this request to their respective Program Director, in writing, within seven (7) days of receiving the notice of the decision. The resident/fellow presentation to the CCC shall occur within fifteen (15) business days of receipt of the request to the Program Director unless a later date is mutually agreed to by all parties. The resident/fellow shall be provided with the opportunity to present oral and written statements in support of the appeal.

If the CCC upholds the initial decision and the Program Director is not a member of the CCC, the resident/fellow will have the option of making an appeal to the Program Director for the respective Program.

If the Program Director is a member of the CCC or, upon review, the Program Director upholds the CCC decision, the resident/fellow will be given the opportunity to make the final Program Level Review appeal to the Department Chair.

If the resident/fellow waives all or any remaining steps in the process afforded under the Program Level Review or if the initial decision is upheld and all procedural steps of the Program Level Review have been exhausted, the Program Level Review has been concluded. If the resident/fellow does not make a timely request for the GME Level Review, the decision resulting from the Program Level Review shall be final and binding on the resident/fellow and Program, and shall conclude the Grievance Review Process.

The Program Director shall establish a reasonable and appropriate time frame for the completion of the Program Level Review when the process is initiated by the resident/fellow.

Graduate Medical Education-Level Review

Upon the conclusion of the Program Level Review, the resident/fellow may request the initiation of the applicable GME Level Review, as set forth below. The resident/fellow must make this request to the GME Office in writing within seven (7) days of the conclusion of the Program Level Review. Failure to do so shall constitute waiver of resident's or fellow's opportunity for the applicable GME Level Review. If initiated, the decision resulting from the GME Level Review shall be final and binding on the resident/fellow and Program, and shall conclude the Grievance Review Process.

Non-renewal of Contract or Non-promotion in the Training Program: The resident/fellow will meet with the Vice Dean for Educational Affairs or the Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education, as determined by the GME office, to review the grievance. Prior to this meeting, the Vice Dean or Associate Dean will have the opportunity to review all relevant documents, including formative and summative evaluations and other assessments of the trainee, and consult with representatives of the Program to ensure consideration of information needed for an appropriate and informed decision. In the event a mutually agreeable resolution of the grievance is not possible, within seven (7) days following this meeting, the Vice Dean or Associate Dean will issue, in writing, his/her decision, concluding the GME Level Review and Grievance Review Process. In the event that both the Vice Dean and the Associate Dean have been involved in the direct evaluation of the resident/fellow in his/her training experience, an appropriate administrative designee will be determined.

Dismissal for Cause or Suspension from the Training Program: The resident/fellow will meet with a Graduate Medical Education Appeals Board comprised of a senior resident/fellow, two senior faculty members, a program director, and a representative of the Dean's office (Vice Dean for Educational Affairs, Associate Dean for GME/DIO, Associate DIO) to hear the appeal. The members of the Appeals Board will not hold an appointment in the same Department or Program as the resident/fellow in question and will be chosen by the GME office. The resident/fellow will be afforded the opportunity to present any relevant information in reference to the dismissal or suspension during this time frame, including oral and written statements in support of the appeal. The members of the Appeals Board will have access to all relevant documents, including formative and summative evaluations and other assessments of the trainee in question during their discussions and deliberations. The Department Chair or designee shall be responsible for presenting evidence in support of the dismissal or suspension. Specific procedures applicable to the appeal may be adopted by the Appeal Board and furnished to the resident/fellow and Department Chair. The decision of this GME Appeals Board will be presented, in writing, to the resident/fellow within seven (7) days of the meeting, concluding the GME Level Review and Grievance Review Process If the resident/fellow's Appeal is upheld, the GME Appeals Board will provide direction to the Program on reinstatement, and make recommendations pertaining to focused education, re-mediation and continuing trainee assessment, as appropriate.

Complaints Related to the Work Environment, Program or Faculty

In the event a resident/fellow in an ACGME accredited training program at PSHMC has concerns or complaints about their program or educational learning environment, it is recommended they first address these issues with the Program Director and/or Department Chair of their respective program. If the resident/fellow believes real or perceived conflicts of interest would preclude or render unproductive such a discussion, it is recommended they engage the designated Graduate Medical Education Ombudsperson(s) for advice and counsel on the most appropriate course of action to address their concerns (e.g., reporting mechanisms through the Culture of Respect in Education, Human Resources, Title IX requirements, Graduate Medical Education Office).

If at any time the resident/fellow is uncomfortable with these discussions or unsatisfied with previous counseling or recommendations, the Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education will be available to meet with the resident/fellow, directly, to resolve the concern.

Approved by GME Committee: January 11, 2023

Leave of Absence Policy

Request for Leave

Residents and fellows must request a written and timely Leave of Absence to the Residency or Fellowship Program Director and the Residency or Fellowship Program Coordinator. For non-emergent leave, the request should be submitted at least 30 days prior to the anticipated leave date, or at the earliest date available.

A Leave of Absence request for emergent leave should be provided to the Residency or Fellowship Program Director and Residency or Fellowship Program Coordinator as soon as possible following the emergency.

Resident and fellows who are requesting Medical, Parental and Caregiver Leave must submit the appropriate request for the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to AbsenceOne. Residents/fellows who are employed for less than one year will be denied FMLA via AbsenceOne. However, all trainees must apply for FMLA. If denied by AbsenceOne, per the ACGME, trainees are entitled to Medical, Parental, and Caregiver leave per this policy. The GME Leave of Absence Policy supersedes the employee FMLA policy.

Personal Time Off (PTO)*

Each resident is granted 15 to 20 working days of Personal Time Off (PTO) each contract year in keeping with program, departmental, specialty board and ACGME Review Committee requirements. Interviewing, relocation and educational trips are to be included in this time.

Medical, Parental and Caregiver Leave*

The ABMS establishes requirements for candidates to become eligible for Initial Certification, including standards for training. ABMS policies accommodate reasonable leaves of absence from residency and fellowship training for personal or familial needs, including the birth and care of a newborn, adopted or foster child ("parental leave"); care of an immediate family member (child, spouse or parent) with a serious health condition, as defined by FMLA, ("caregiver leave"); or the trainee's own serious health condition ("medical leave") to support trainee well-being while maintaining ABMS responsibility to establish high standards for training and the shared responsibility of ABMS and training programs for assessing a candidate's suitability for Initial Certification.

ABMS member boards have established policy requirements for time away from training for purposes of parental, caregiver, and medical leave in addition to allowed time away for vacation. All ABMS policies must be followed. The ABMS policy details time away from training; it does not detail salary payment or benefits.

All requirements of the ACGME trainee's respective ABMS Member Board and ACGME Review Committee requirements must be satisfied to complete training. A Leave of Absence in excess of ABMS Member Board may cause the training period to be extended in order to satisfactorily complete eligibility requirements to participate in examinations by the relevant certifying board. Extension of training is at the discretion of the Program leadership. Residents and Fellows are encouraged to refer to the specialty board for specific details.

Salary Payment/Benefits

Residents/fellows will be provided with a minimum of six weeks of approved medical, parental and caregiver leave(s) of absence for qualifying reasons that are consistent with applicable laws at least once and at any time during an ACGME-accredited program, starting with the first day resident/fellow is required to report;

Residents/fellows will receive full salary and benefits for the first six weeks of the first approved medical, parental or caregiver leave(s) of absence taken;

Residents/fellows will be permitted to preserve one week of paid time off reserved for use outside of the first six weeks of the first approved medical, parental or caregiver leave(s) of absence taken; any additional time off, including vacation time during the contract year, beyond the six weeks of approved leave and preserved one week of paid time off, will be unpaid;

Residents/Fellows and eligible dependents will continue to receive health and disability insurance benefits during any approved medical, parental, or caregiver leave(s) of absence; these benefits will be paid during the paid leave. If additional unpaid leave is taken, the trainee will be billed for the costs of the benefits.

Residents/Fellows may request a maximum of twelve weeks of medical, parental, and caregiver leave. The first six weeks of the twelve weeks of leave will be with full pay and benefits;

Residents/Fellows who are provided with six weeks of approved medical, parental and caregiver leave and preserve one week of paid time off for use outside of the six weeks of first approved leave will receive no additional paid vacation time during the contract period.

If the period of leave bridges two consecutive contract periods, the amount of paid and unpaid leave will be allocated proportionately, including available and preserved vacation time.

Personal Leave*

A personal leave may be granted to a resident upon review of the circumstances by the Program Director. All eligible PTO time for that contract year must be used during this period. The period of personal leave time that is not covered by PTO time will be unpaid.

Professional Leave*

A professional leave of absence may be granted to a resident upon review of the circumstances by the Program Director. All eligible vacation time for the contract year must be used during this period. The period of professional leave that is not covered by vacation time will be unpaid.

Effect of Leave

All requirements of the residency training program must be fulfilled prior to the completion of training. The Program Director, with the CCC, is responsible to notify the Resident or Fellow as to the effect of leave on their training timeline. Residents and Fellows may be required to extend their length of training to meet all residency program requirements. The Residency Review Committee for the training program and the Residency/Fellowship Program Director determine the length of training to be completed following a leave of absence.

*All requirements of the residents' respective ABMS member Board and ACGME Review Committee requirements must be satisfied.

Approved by GME Committee: Nov. 22, 2010
Revised: Feb. 24, 2014
Revised: April 11, 2017
Revised: Feb. 18, 2021
Effective: July 1, 2021
Revised: April 13, 2022
Effective: July 1, 2022

Master of Education or Graduate Certificate in Adult Education Policy

This policy outlines the details of the Woodward Scholars program, which allows postgraduate trainees at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center to pursue a graduate certificate or master of education degree in adult education for health professions from Penn State Harrisburg.

The Woodward Scholars program allows trainees who wish to pursue a clinical educator pathway to receive additional training and mentorship in adult education during their GME training. Eligibility criteria for trainees, as well as descriptions of the responsibilities of the Office of Graduate Medical Education, the Woodward Center for Excellence in Health Sciences Education and individual departments in support of the program are listed below.

Enrollees must be at the PGY-2 level or above at the time of entry. Enrollees should be in good academic standing and have assurance from their program director that they will receive schedule adjustments to allow them to attend courses.

Up to 25 participants will be selected annually.

Participants must be actively employed at the beginning and end of the semester. Trainees who are not selected may still enroll in courses via Penn State Harrisburg and will qualify for a tuition discount if they cover the tuition costs themselves. In these cases, if the department covers costs, it will be charged 100 percent of the tuition costs.

Enrollees will need to apply to appropriate Penn State Harrisburg program. The Woodward Center will provide instructions to interested trainees on how to do this.

All enrollees will begin the program with the certificate program, which is 12 credits.

The trainee will receive a 75 percent tuition discount. The department will be asked to support the remainder of the certificate costs. The trainee will receive the individual bill at the beginning of the semester via LionPath. The trainee is responsible for paying income tax on the full tuition amount.

Upon completion of the certificate, trainees can continue in the program for a master's degree. Small scholarships ($1,000 to $3,000) may be available on a competitive basis for trainees in the master's degree program; the department is expected to provide the remainder of funding.

Enrollees who complete their training prior to degree completion but stay on faculty or in the area can continue with coursework, or credits can be transferred to allow them to complete the degree elsewhere.

Approved by GME Committee: July 18, 2020

Moonlighting Policy

Intent

Each Graduate Medical Education program may permit moonlighting provided that such moonlighting complies with this policy and ACGME (Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education) requirements. Because residency and fellow education is a full-time endeavor, each program director must ensure that moonlighting, whether internal, external or additional work, does not interfere with the ability of the residents/fellows to achieve the goals and objectives of the educational program and does not adversely affect patient safety or trainee well-being. Moonlighting shall not be approved if the program director believes such activities may interfere with the residents' ability to perform their obligations and duties in the residency program. Resident will be monitored by the sponsoring institution and the program director for effect of these activities upon performance. Authorization to moonlight will be withdrawn if the program director determines such adverse effects exist.

Definitions

Moonlighting: Clinical services provided outside of the required assignments of the training program.

External moonlighting: Voluntary, compensated, medically-related work performed outside the institution where the resident is in training or at any of the program's related participating sites. These services may be billable or non-billable.

Inside a Penn State Health facility: i.e., Hershey Medical Center maternal and fetal medicine fellow who works in labor and deliver at Holy Spirit Hospital. See "External moonlighting at Penn State Health facility" below.

Outside a Penn State Health facility: i.e., Hershey Medical Center cardiology fellow who works as a hospitalist at UPMC Pinnacle. Trainee must follow steps in the "All moonlighting activities" section below.

Internal moonlighting: Voluntary, compensated, medically-related work (not related with training requirements) performed within the institution where the resident is in training or at any of the program's related participating sites. (i.e. Hershey Medical Center hematology/oncology fellow who provides services on the internal medicine inpatient ward). These services are not billable.

Additional work: Compensation for additional work within the same program as the trainee covering for an uncovered service. Additional work must be on a temporary basis and cannot exceed 90 days.

Requirements and procedures
All moonlighting activities

Residents are not required to engage in moonlighting activities for the institution. Under no circumstances can a resident or fellow be required or obligated to take on additional work under this policy.

The sponsoring institution or the program may prohibit moonlighting.

PGY-1 residents are not permitted to moonlight.

A resident must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident to moonlight. (Residents on J1 or H1B Visa are not eligible to moonlight.)

Trainees must have prior written consent from the program director to moonlight.

Trainee must complete request on New Innovations.

Program Director will approve or deny request electronically.

Request will be sent to GME office for final review.

Note: For all moonlighting, the program director's determination in this regard shall be final and does not fall within the scope of the Grievance and Due Process Policy.

Trainees who are authorized to moonlight must submit the number of duty hours for each institution in New Innovations on a weekly basis. All hours, both the hours worked as part of the training program and moonlighting hours, must be logged.

Moonlighting will be covered by malpractice insurance only if it meets the following conditions:

The moonlighting is performed at an institution or physician practice within the Penn State Health system.

The resident/fellow is practicing at the moonlighting location within the scope of their training and in their specialty or qualified underlying specialty.

The moonlighting is within the scope of the ACGME's duty hours rules.

The Graduate Medical Education Committee reserves the right, after review, to terminate any moonlighting activities felt not to comply with this policy or to otherwise not serve the best interests of the trainees or the institution.

External moonlighting at Penn State Health facility

The fellow must have an unrestricted license to practice medicine in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The trainee will receive compensation through the institution where the services are provided.

The trainee must be credentialed by the Penn State Health Medical Staff Office if performing billable services.

Additional work

Trainees cannot work outside their scope of practice, i.e., they must be appropriately supervised by qualified faculty. Trainees can work independently in the area of their qualified underlying specialty, consistent with hospital policy concerning licensure and privileging.

Trainees cannot be paid for doing additional work that would, under other circumstances, be part of their training. This would include such things as taking call or covering a shift for another resident who has become sick, injured, or is on vacation/leave.

All requests for additional work must be provided to the Office of Graduate Medical Education. The request must include a justification for the additional work, a description of the duties and compensation and the plan for solving the service-need issue.

All requests will be forwarded to GMEC for review. A decision for acceptance or rejection of the request will be determined by a simple majority of the voting GMEC members.

Any additional work requests that are accepted will not be subject to extension beyond the 90-day period.

Approved by GME Committee: Jan. 14, 2021

Non-Competition (Restrictive Covenant) Policy

Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, nor any of its ACGME-accredited programs will require a resident/fellow to sign a non-competition guarantee or restrictive covenant.

Approved By GME Committee: January 11, 2023

Physician Impairment and Substance Abuse Policy

For the purposes of this policy, "impairment" is the inability of a resident to physically or mentally meet their responsibilities because of physical illness or injury, psychiatric or behavioral illness, fatigue, dependency on alcohol and/or controlled substances or overuse of same or other condition.

Program directors, faculty and other medical center professionals are encouraged to be observant for signs of impairment from alcohol, drugs, psychiatric or medical disorders among residents.

When impairment is suspected, the appropriate program director or department chair should be informed and should utilize available resources to investigate the situation and take appropriate actions, including intervention, when warranted.

It is the institution's goal to provide intervention and rehabilitation for impaired residents and to support them during the process. However, dismissal is possible if the resident refuses such.

Resources available to program directors, department chairs, faculty or residents with respect to impairment include ComPsych, the Office for Professional Mental Health, the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, professional counseling services and the Pennsylvania Medical Society's Physicians Health Programs.

If a resident requires a Leave of Absence (LOA), refer to the Graduate Medical Education Leave of Absence Policy.

Approved by GME Committee: Nov. 25, 1997
Revised: Sept. 18, 2000; May 3, 2004; June 16, 2008; Aug. 11, 2021
Reviewed: Aug. 11, 2021

Preparing Residents as Educators (RaE) Policy

It is required that all residents attend Resident as Educator (RaE) sessions in order to appropriately participate in the education of learners and develop skills as effective educators.

Definitions

The goal of the Residents as Educators (RaE) sessions is to instruct all Penn State Health residents in evidence-based basic teaching skills to prepare them for working with all learners.

Principles

The content for the RaE sessions will include but not be limited to the following:

Recognize ways to promote a positive learning climate

Discuss competencies and ways to locate rotation specific learning objectives

Examine the teaching evaluation tool components.

Commit to reviewing and collaborating learning goals with their learners.

Procedures

All residents will complete/attend the scheduled GME orientation. Participation will be recorded and tracked by the Office of Graduate Medical Education.

Residents are expected to complete/attend scheduled CORE GME development sessions. Participation will be recorded and tracked by the Office of GME.

Residents will be encouraged to complete an evaluation after each GME RaE development session. These evaluations will be used to improve future offerings.

Program Directors who choose to embed parts of RaE into their existing curriculum are required to submit materials for review and approval by the Woodward Center for Excellence in Health Sciences Education each academic year. This will be tracked by the Office of GME in collaboration with the Woodward Center.

Approved by GME Committee: April 17, 2017

Reduction or Closure

Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center recognizes the need and benefits of Graduate Medical Education and sponsors programs, which emphasize personal, clinical and professional development. The Graduate Medical Education Committee ensures that its training programs are in substantial compliance with the institutional and special requirements of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and its individual Residency Review Committees. These circumstances and procedures also apply in the event of institutional closure.

Circumstances that may lead to reduction in size or closing of a training program:

Failure of the training program to correct concerns and/or comply with recommendations of the GME Committee

Failure of the training program to correct citations of the ACGME

Decreased financial or educational resources to support the training program

Procedure:

Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center will inform the GME Committee, the Designated Institution Official (DIO), and residents as soon as possible when it intends to reduce the size of a program, close a program or close the institution. (IV.O.1.)

The residents currently training in the program will be notified immediately.

Every attempt will be made to reduce the number of positions over a period of time so residents already in the program can complete their education at Penn State Hershey Medical Center.

If this is not possible, the program director and the DIO will assist the residents in enrolling in an ACGME-accredited program in which they can continue their education. (IV.O.2.)

Approved by GME Committee: January 11, 2023
Revised: March 12, 2007; Nov. 16, 2009; Feb. 24, 2014

Resident/Fellow Recruitment Policy

Eligibility and Selection of Residents

It is the policy of Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and its sponsored residency programs to adhere to the guidelines published by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).

Resident eligibility: Each applicant must meet one of the following qualifications to be eligible for appointment to ACGME-accredited programs, subject to additional qualifications as may be specified in specialty/subspecialty-specific program requirements:

Graduation from a medical school in the United States and Canada accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).

Graduation from a college of osteopathic medicine in the United States; accredited by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA); or

Graduation from a medical school outside of the United States and Canada, and meet one of the following conditions: Holds a currently valid certificate from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates prior to appointment, or,

Holds a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in a U.S. licensing jurisdiction in which he or she is training; or,

Has graduated from a medical school outside the United States and completed a Fifth Pathway* program provided by an LCME-accredited medical school.

Candidates of Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center residency programs (applicants who are invited for an interview) are informed, in writing or by electronic means, the terms, conditions, and benefits of appointment to the ACGME-accredited program, either in effect at the time of the interview or that will be in effect at the time of their eventual appointment. The information provided includes: eligibility requirements, financial support; personal time off; parental, sick, and caregiver leaves of absence; professional liability, hospitalization, health, disability and other insurance accessible to residents/fellows and their dependents.

Nepotism and Relationships among applicants: Persons are considered to be in positions of inherent unequal authority when one individual has the indirect or direct ability to influence the selection of applicant, rank order list, evaluations, and/or career progress of the family member, or related person; or whose relationship to the family member or related person creates an actual or perceived conflict of interest. In an effort to eliminate any actual or perceived conflicts of interest from arising in the training program, a current employee, faculty member, or senior leader of the program may not be in a position of unequal authority over a family member or related person. As a result, the program shall not consider the application or interview any applicant if doing so will result in a current employee in a position of unequal authority to another.

Transfer of Residents:

Residents who transfer from another ACGME training program must meet the Resident eligibility requirements noted above.

Residents who transfer into Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center must have the formal summative letter from their previous program(s) for the file. This includes residents who have completed previous training or are transferring without completing previous residency training.

Resident Salary and Benefits: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in collaboration with each ACGME-accredited program and its participating sites, will provide all appointed residents/fellows with financial support and benefits to ensure each resident is able to fulfill the responsibilities of their educational program(s).

Agreement of Appointment: Penn State Hershey Medical Center provides each resident with a written Resident Agreement outlining the terms and conditions of appointment. The Graduate Medical Education Committee monitors the implementation of these terms and conditions by the program directors. Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and the program directors ensure that residents adhere to established practices, policies, and procedures in all institutions to which residents are assigned. The Resident Agreement includes or provides a reference to the following IV.C.2:

Residents' responsibilities;

Duration of appointment;

Financial support;

Conditions for reappointment;

Grievance procedures and due process;

Professional liability insurance;

Health and disability insurance;

Leaves of absence;

Clinical and Educational Work Hours;

Moonlighting;

*Footnote for 1.b.iii:

A Fifth Pathway program is an academic year of supervised clinical education provided by an LCME-accredited medical school to students who meet the following conditions:

have completed, in an accredited college or university in the United States, undergraduate premedical education of the quality acceptable for matriculation in an accredited United States medical school;

have studied at a medical school outside the United States and Canada but listed in the World Health Organization Directory of Medical Schools;

have completed all of the formal requirements of the foreign medical school except internship and/or social service;

have attained a score satisfactory to the sponsoring medical school on a screening examination; and

have passed either the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination in the Medical Sciences, Parts I and II of the examination of the National Board of Medical Examiners, or Steps 1 and 2 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).

Approved by GME Committee: January 11, 2023

Resident Supervision Policy

All residents and their patient care activities at training programs sponsored by Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center must be supervised by an attending physician who has clinical privileges in the area they are supervising. The description of the role, responsibilities, and patient care activities of each resident are program-specific but must be documented for each residency-training program and must be available for faculty to review.

Each program must have a mechanism in place that includes the Clinical Competence Committee, to make decisions about the promotion of residents in that particular program. All residents at training programs sponsored by Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center must have training licenses and must be permitted to write patient care orders. Hershey Medical Center assures regular communication between the Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC) and the Medical Staff Executive Committee through the appointment of the Designated Institution Official (DIO) to the Medical Staff Executive Committee. In addition, the Chief Medical Officer and the Executive Director also serve on the GMEC. These dual appointments result in effective communication about patient safety and quality of patient care, as well as the related educational and supervisory needs of residents.

The program director must ensure oversight of resident supervision and graded authority and
responsibility using the following classification of supervision:

Direct Supervision: VI.A.2.c).(1).(a)* the supervising physician is physically present with the resident during the key portions of the patient interaction; or, VI.A.2.c).(1).(a).(i)* PGY-1 residents must initially be supervised directly, only as described in VI.A.2.c).(1).(a).* VI.A.2.c).(1).(b) the supervising physician and/or patient is not physically present with the resident and the supervising physician is concurrently monitoring the patient care through appropriate telecommunication technology.*

Indirect Supervision: VI.A.2.c).(2) the supervising physician is not providing physical or concurrent visual or audio supervision but is immediately available to the resident for guidance and is available to provide appropriate direct supervision.

Oversight: VI.A.2.c).(3) the supervising physician is available to provide review of procedures/encounters with feedback provided after care is delivered.

The GMEC's responsibilities include monitoring residency programs' supervision of residents and ensuring that supervision is consistent with ACGME requirements and the following:

The provision of safe and effective patient care.

The educational needs of the residents.

Progressive responsibility appropriate to the resident's level of education, competence, and experience.

Approved by GME Committee: January 11, 2023

Statement of Commitment to Graduate Medical Education

Penn State Health 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 Health and Penn State College of Medicine will continue to provide the educational environment and opportunities to meet the needs of all students and trainees.

Graduate Medical Education Programs will ensure the progression of responsibilities through demonstrated clinical experience, knowledge and skill. Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine are committed to and responsible for promoting patient safety and resident well-being and to providing a supportive educational environment.

Graduate Medical Education Committee

The Graduate Medical Education (GME) 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.

The GME Committee oversees the education, research and patient care practices of residents and fellows throughout Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. The Committee ensures that each residency and fellowship program provides quality educational experiences and meets the requirements set forth in the ACGME Special Requirements for each accredited program. Further, the Committee monitors and coordinates issues applicable or common to all programs, such as those raised by external accreditation agencies (AMA, AAMA, ACGME, NRMP).

Transportation Reimbursement for Fatigued Residents and Fellows

The GME office offers reimbursement for round trip transportation costs to help ensure you, the hardworking Residents and Fellows, get home safely after work!* This reimbursement is available to any Resident (or Fellow) that elects to use a transportation service to get home instead of driving their vehicle while fatigued. (III.B.7.d).(3))

The process is simple. Choose an app-based service (Uber, Lyft, Mytaxi, etc.) for the trip home, rest up and then use the service again to pick up your car at a later point in time. Email both receipts to the GME office within 10 business days of the travel date. The receipt must show the trip address from a valid training site to the resident's verifiable home address (listed in New Innovations).

ACGME Common Program Requirements (Residency)

VI.D.3. The program, in partnership with its Sponsoring Institution, must ensure adequate sleep facilities and safe transportation options for residents who may be too fatigued to safely return home.

Reimbursement Instructions

Double-check that your receipt contains the following information - starting location, ending location, time/date, your name, total fare amount.

Forward both receipts (trip home and return trip) to the GME office (gme@pennstatehealth.psu.edu) within 10 business days of travel.
The receipt must show the trip address from a valid training site to the resident's verifiable home address (listed in New Innovations).

The GME office will review and approve/deny the request. If approved, the reviewer will sign & date the receipt and return to the program coordinator for processing.

The resident/fellow (or proxy) will add the receipt to XM and submit for approval to Accounts Payable under the GME cost center 111.1000.4970.

Approved by GME Committee: January 11, 2023

USMLE Step III Policy

The Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine licensing regulations require all resident physicians participating in an ACGME accredited training program to pass the USMLE Step III exam prior to beginning the Post Graduate Year (PGY) three (3) level of training. The resident is responsible for giving their program a copy of the official USMLE Step III score report.

Resident physicians in their intern year of residency training are required to take the USMLE Step III exam during the PGY-1 year. If the exam is not taken during the PGY-1 year, the resident will not be permitted to advance to a PGY-2 position and may be dismissed for cause from the program.

Resident physicians who take but fail the USMLE Step III exam during their PGY 1 year will be permitted to advance to a PGY-2 position and will have the opportunity to retake the exam during the first 6 months of their PGY 2 year of training. Resident physicians, who have not passed the USMLE Step III exam a minimum of four months prior to the end of their PGY-2 year of training, will not be permitted to continue in the residency program after the conclusion of the PGY-2 year of training. In keeping with the USMLE/NBME policy, the total number of attempts allowed per Step is four (4). Any resident who has attempted a USMLE Step exam four (4) or more times and have not passed are ineligible to apply for further USMLE Step exams.

A PGY-2 resident (or higher) who desires to transfer to Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center must provide evidence of passing the USMLE Step III exam prior to being accepted into the program.

Approved by GME Committee: Jan. 11, 2023
Revised: Sept. 15, 2003; Sept. 18, 2006; Sept. 10, 2007; July 19, 2010; Sept. 13, 2010; Feb. 24, 2014

Visa Policy

Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center requires any non-US citizen wishing to participate in a United States graduate medical education program to possess a visa that permits direct patient care. Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center accepts the J-1 Training Visa for the non-US citizens who are entering ACGME training programs.

The visa application should be submitted well in advance of the anticipated date of enrollment. To obtain further information, contact American embassies, consulates, or United States district offices of the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

Non-US citizen resident physicians must secure a visa allowing direct patient care and be permitted to enter the United States in compliance with the Department of Homeland Security regulations. In accordance with Section 4.4 of the Resident Agreement, the resident physician will forfeit their position in the Residency Program of Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center if they are ineligible or unable to be physically present and perform the duties associated with their position as of the first day of the Resident Agreement period, for any reason. Any signed contracts or previous agreements are null and void at that time.

Approved by GME Committee: Sept. 20, 2004; Jan. 11, 2023

Other Policies

The following policies are available for view on the policy portal. Penn State Health/Penn State College of Medicine login is required.

HR74 Americans with Disabilities Act Policy

HR07 Conflict Resolution and Employee Complaints

HR11 Sexual Harassment

HR38 Personal Behavior and Communication Standards

HR44 Pre-employment Drug Testing

HR68 Background Checks

HR86 Complaints of Unlawful Discrimination or Harassment

HR87 Personal Use of Social Media

A-89 HAM Industry Relations Policy

A-24 HAM Resident Meal Program

A-42 HAM Uniform and Scrub Suit Policy

PSCOM-100 Culture of Respect in Education (C.O.R.E. Document)

PSH-SC-12 Vendor Representative Visitation

Visit the Policy Portal (login required) to read these policies.

Human Resources policies can be requested from the GME office at gme@pennstatehealth.psu.edu.

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Policies - Penn State College of Medicine Residencies and Fellowships

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A number of policies guide the work of residents and fellows in the ACGME-accredited programs offered at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

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At Penn State Health Children's Hospital, we are dedicated to improving the understanding of disease mechanisms and to enhancing treatment and prevention of childhood illnesses through our research.

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Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellowship Website

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Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellowship Website

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Penn State College of Medicine Residencies and Fellowships

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The Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellowship at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center is a three-year, ACGME-accredited program that admits one fellow every three years.

Program Details

The Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellowship at Penn State Health Children's Hospital is structured to provide pediatric physicians with exceptional preparation for careers in child abuse pediatrics. Upon graduation, fellows are prepared to succeed in any setting, whether they have chosen advanced training, academic medicine or community-based practices such as Children's Advocacy Centers.

The Center for the Protection of Children (CPC) is one of the foundational centers in Penn State's Network on Child Maltreatment Solutions.

CPC includes the clinical work of child abuse pediatricians through the child protection team based at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Penn State Health Children's Hospital is a Level 1 pediatric trauma center for the region of central Pennsylvania. Its inpatient consultations provide a wide variety of clinical experiences. Additionally, the Transforming the Lives of Children (TLC) Research and Treatment Center provides evidence-based mental health services and has been the core of the program's research mission.

The fellowship's academic program allows for the combination of a close-knit, personalized experience within all that an academic medical center has to offer. Program faculty members are board-certified child abuse pediatricians, including one board-certified in both child abuse pediatrics and pediatric emergency medicine, and a highly experienced general pediatrician. There is also a robust clinical and administrative support staff.

The group's physicians staff the National Children's Alliance-accredited Children's Advocacy Centers in Harrisburg and Lebanon, Pa., UPMC Pinnacle Children's Resource Center. At those sites, there are additional experienced nurse practitioners who also support the clinical mission.

During the Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellowship at Penn State, trainees develop a solid foundation of medical knowledge, including injury biomechanics, neurology, neurosurgery, radiology, neuroradiology, ophthalmology, trauma surgery, physical and sexual abuse. The team works closely with Child Protective Services, law enforcement and multidisciplinary teams in all surrounding counties.

Fellows will encounter and treat a wide spectrum of child abuse conditions, accidental mechanism and mimickers of abuse. Fellows will learn to provide evidence-based evaluation and treatment strategies within a family-centered care model. Child abuse pediatrics attending staff will support the fellow throughout this journey with one-on-one mentoring and supervision, allowing for increased independence as the trainee's skills progress. By graduation, the program's goal is for the fellow to have built upon a foundation of knowledge such that they can thoroughly and thoughtfully approach each individual patient they will encounter, skilled and eager to provide world-class and compassionate pediatric care.

Learn More about the Fellowship

Program Director's Welcome

Dear aspiring fellow,

The Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellowship is based at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State Health Children's Hospital, serving a population of 3 million with the only Level 1 pediatric trauma center in central Pennsylvania.

The Children's Hospital has a full range of pediatric specialties and eight additional subspecialty fellowships, with a robust pediatric inpatient consultation service that includes the entire range of child abuse evaluation cases.

Penn State's Transforming the Lives of Children Clinic offers a medical home for children in out-of-home placement and a clinic dedicated to evidence-based treatment of children traumatized by abuse or neglect, who have sexual behavior problems or whose parents need parenting skills.

Penn State Health provides medical oversight for the region's NCA-accredited Child Advocacy Center, UPMC Pinnacle Health Children's Resource Center (CRC) in Harrisburg, with a satellite in Lebanon, Pa. The CRC provides forensic assessment for sexual abuse and some physical abuse for a seven-county region and has an annual volume of 1,200 referrals per year and 800 medical assessments.

Many opportunities exist for community education and involvement, participation on multidisciplinary, child fatality and medical/legal teams. Close collaboration with the Dauphin County coroner's office provides an opportunity to participate in death scene, autopsy and fatality review. The Division of Child Abuse Pediatrics is recognized as both the clinical and research hub for child maltreatment for Penn State, and the Center for the Protection Children at Penn State Health is one of the four foundational centers for Penn State's Network on Child Protection and Wellbeing, which includes Penn State Dickinson School of Law in Carlisle, Pa., the Pierce Prevention Center and the Child Study Center (both in State College, Pa.).

A robust cross-campus research initiative supports a range of clinical and basic science research opportunities. The fellow will have an opportunity to obtain the Master of Public Health degree through the Department of Public Health Sciences, located on campus.

I invite you to explore this website to find out more about the Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellowship at Penn State Health Children's Hospital. I am exceptionally proud of our program and of the skilled, insightful, compassionate child abuse pediatricians who provide teaching and preparing a candidate to become well-prepared for their successful careers. Our program is one of two CAP fellowships in PA and one of five CAP fellowships in the Northeast. Our fellows are able to experience a broad array of clinical presentations in an academic children's hospital. We get to know our fellows well and work with them closely, tailoring their educational experience based on their interests, skills and career aspirations.

As a fellow in our program, we will challenge you to be clinically outstanding, community-engaged, intellectually curious and, of course, to begin teaching what you learn to the next generation.

Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions, and we look forward to working with you.

Lori D. Frasier, MD
Program Director, Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellowship

To Apply

General Application Information

The Penn State Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellowship participates in the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) Pediatric Subspecialties Match, with one fellowship spot per year.

All application materials must be submitted through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) for fellowship applicants. Applicants are encouraged to complete their applications as soon as possible once ERAS opens for the season.

Eligibility

Applicants must have completed an ACGME-accredited residency in pediatrics or medicine/pediatrics prior to the fellowship start date.

Applicants must be board-eligible or board-certified in general pediatrics by the American Board of Pediatrics.

Applicants must be eligible for or hold a Pennsylvania medical training license or medical license.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens, permanent residents or J-1 visa holders (no additional visa types are institutionally sponsored). The J-1 visa application process and fees are the applicant's responsibility.

International medical graduates must hold a currently valid certificate from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG).

Application Requirements

A complete ERAS fellowship application must contain:

Personal statement

Curriculum vitae

Letters of recommendation: At least three letters of recommendation must be included from faculty members with whom the applicant has worked; it is recommended that at least one letter be included from the applicant's residency program director

Dean's letter

Medical school transcripts

USMLE/COMLEX transcripts

For international medical graduates, ECFMG certification is required as part of the application.

Application Review Process

All applications are reviewed in their entirety. There is no official limit for the number of USMLE or COMLEX examination attempts or official board score "cutoffs;" however, the number of times the exam has been taken and board scores may impact the strength of an application.

All applications are considered without regard to race, religion, national origin, sex, gender, orientation, disability or family status.

Applications will be reviewed by the internal Fellowship Application Review Committee on a rolling basis once the ERAS application is complete. Qualified applicants will be invited for an interview. It is advisable to respond to an interview application as soon as possible, as interview dates are limited and may fill quickly.

Interviews

Interview days are conducted on Tuesdays when possible, which allows applicants the opportunity to attend the weekly, multidisciplinary Child Protection Team case conference. The more formal part of the interview day follows, consisting of individual interviews with the program director, program faculty (including the division chief and a subspecialty partner such as trauma surgery, neurosurgery or emergency medicine, schedule permitting).

Applicants with specific interests within child abuse pediatrics should describe those when scheduling an interview date such that the day can be structured accordingly.

Faculty

A commitment to teaching

The Center for the Protection of Children at Penn State Health has attracted and cultivated an outstanding faculty team, many with special interests that serve as a focus for their teaching and research endeavors. Faculty members hold positions on various national committees and boards of national societies.

Meet the faculty

About Penn State Health

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 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 Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

500 University Dr., Hershey, Pa., 17033 (Derry Township, Dauphin County)

The health system's 628-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 28,500 admissions, 75,000 emergency department visits, 1.1 million outpatient visits and 32,000 surgical procedures annually

Designated as a Magnet hospital four consecutive times, one of 116 hospitals to do so

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
Center for the Protection of Children

Penn State Health's Center for the Protection of Children is a regional center of excellence in the care of children who have concerns of child maltreatment. The program provides care to patients in central Pennsylvania covering a population of 3.5 million.

The team has extensive experience and expertise in:

Physical abuse

Abusive head trauma

Sexual abuse

Foster care

Caregiver-fabricated illness

Neglect/medical neglect

Multidisciplinary team interaction

Testimony in civil, juvenile and criminal proceedings

Ophthalmology

Death investigation and review

Political advocacy

Peer review

About Hershey: Benefits, Stipends and More

Welcome to Hershey

A new guide to the Hershey, Pa., area showcases the highlights of life in central Pennsylvania.

Learn more about the Hershey area

More About Hershey

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

Wellness Initiatives

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

Diversity

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

An allyship support group

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

Curriculum Details

Rotation Overview

The Penn State Health Child Protection Team developed an integrated curriculum that reflects the daily practice of a child abuse pediatrician.

For example, in the first year, during the week, the fellow has a protected research day to begin to jump-start research ideas. Fellows also spend a continuity day at the Children's Center with multidisciplinary team meetings as well as observation of forensic interviews, followed by a medical assessment. The remainder of the time is spent in inpatient consultation, as well as outpatient clinical appointments as required for hospital follow-up appointments and more urgent outpatient appointments.

A single consultation can entail the interaction of trauma surgery, neurosurgery, ophthalmology, radiology, neuroradiology and other specialists, resulting in a real-life integrated curriculum. Specific, separate elective weeks are provided to increase the depth of knowledge in radiology, neuroradiology, ophthalmology, forensic pathology and other interest areas of the fellow. Elective clinical time is counted the overall clinical allocation.

The fellow takes call from home one in four weekdays and one weekend per month, with appropriate holiday call.

In the second and third years, research time increases to allow the fellow to have more time to pursue research ideas and projects.

Four weeks of vacation are allocated per year. Generous CME support from the program, as well as from the institution, is available so the fellow can quickly become acquainted with national organizations and scientific meeting opportunities. Program-supported CME is dependent upon the fellow's progress through their research program and opportunities to present at scientific meetings.

Year 1

Inpatient service consultation/electives - 60%

Children's Resource Center continuing care experience - 20%

Research - 20%

Year 2

Inpatient service consultation/electives - 40%

Children's Resource Center continuing care experience - 20%

Research - 40%

Year 3

Inpatient service consultation/electives - 30%

Children's Resource Center continuing care experience - 20%

Research - 50%

Didactic Series and Conferences

Fellow Core Curriculum Series

The Fellow Core Curriculum Series is a set of structured two-hour didactic sessions occurring on the second Monday of each month.

This innovative learning program provides instruction ranging from a core knowledge of research methodology - including research study design, research ethics, grantsmanship, manuscript writing and basic statistical analysis - to topics such as maintaining physician wellness, CV editing and negotiating employment agreements.

This is treated as protected time during which fellows are free of clinical duties.

Conferences

Pediatric grand rounds (every Tuesday, 60 minutes)

Child Protection Team case review (every Tuesday, one hour)

Journal Club (bimonthly on Tuesdays, one hour)

Division meeting (monthly on Tuesdays, one hour)

Multidisciplinary team meeting (bimonthly on Wednesdays, one hour)

Trauma program quality review (second Friday of each month, one hour)

CPT interdisciplinary review (second Friday of each month, one hour)

Fatality/near-fatality review by county (monthly on Fridays, one hour)

ECHO-CAP didactics (every Friday, one hour)

Electives

Elective time is typically available during all years of fellowship. The inpatient consulting service provides a wide range of opportunities to interact with specialties.

International and community engagement opportunities, including a global health elective, are possible depending on availability and opportunity.

Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellow Research Week

All fellows participate in a one-week research introduction course through the Kempe Center at the University of Colorado. The course provides five days of introduction to research methods development of scholarly activities by the fellow.

Registration, travel and meal costs are covered by scholarships from the Kempe Center.

Latest News from Penn State Health Children's Hospital

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Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellowship - Penn State College of Medicine Residencies and Fellowships

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The Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellowship at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center is a three-year, ACGME-accredited program that admits one fellow every three years.

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Penn State College of Medicine Residencies and Fellowships

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The Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship at Penn State Health Children's Hospital is a three-year, ACGME-accredited program that admits two fellows per year.

Program Details

The Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship at Penn State Health Children's Hospital provides physicians with unrivaled training in neonatology with a comprehensive, innovative educational curriculum, as well as an in-depth research experience individually tailored to each trainee's area of interest.

The fellowship, ACGME-accredited since 1984, has a proud history of graduating successful neonatologists in both academic and private-practice settings. The academic curriculum provides training in clinical and basic science research methodology, quality improvement, educational methodology and multidisciplinary team leadership. Fellows receive protected learning time for didactic lectures, simulation and research.

As the only Level IV neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and referral center in central Pennsylvania, Penn State Health Children's Hospital has a full complement of pediatric medical and surgical subspecialists. Specific therapies offered in the NICU include, but are not limited to:

High-frequency ventilation

Invasive and non-invasive neurally adjusted ventilatory assist (NAVA)

Total-body cooling for hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)

With nearly 800 admissions annually, including an active transport team and an obstetrical service with more than 2,200 deliveries per year, the patient population has a strong combination of patient acuity, diversity and complexity. The Complex Fetal Care Center attracts a diverse mix of complicated pregnancies, and the new, state-of-the-art 56-bed NICU opened in November 2020.

The medium-sized academic program offers fellows a combination of a personalized fellowship experience with all that an academic medical center has to offer. The group includes approximately 30 neonatologists and advanced practice providers and a sizable clinical and support staff. Program faculty are nationally and internationally recognized in many areas of clinical, basic, translational and quality improvement research in many areas, including autonomic regulation, neonatal hypoglycemia, neonatal neurology, neonatal abstinence syndrome and pulmonary immunology.

Fellows in the training program develop a strong foundation of medical knowledge in neonatal physiology and pathophysiology and learn to provide evidence-based treatment strategies within a family-centered care model. Faculty and co-fellows support each fellow through their training with one-on-one mentoring and supervision, allowing for increased independence as skills progress. At the end of three years, the program's goal is for fellows to have the knowledge and skills to provide top-notch and compassionate neonatal care.

Learn More about the Fellowship

Program Director's Welcome

Dear aspiring fellow,

Welcome! I invite you to explore this website to find out more about the Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship at Penn State Health Children's Hospital. Please be sure to follow the links to our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), faculty and fellow pages, and the Hershey area.

Why choose Penn State? As a medium-sized program with access to a nationally-recognized quaternary care medical center and medical school, our fellows obtain experience managing a wide range of neonatal pathologies while receiving individual attention from faculty. Our size also allows us to tailor fellow training based on their interests, skills and career goals. Our Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship has a proud history of training successful academic and clinical neonatologists since 1984.

Our recruitment and interview process continues to be virtual, but we are excited to show you all that our program has to offer!

Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions. I look forward to meeting you.

Kristen M. Glass, MD
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Program Director, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship
kglass1@pennstatehealth.psu.edu
717-531-8413

To Apply

Update for the 2024 Interview Season

In accordance with national recommendations and in fairness to all fellowship candidates, all interviews will be held virtually.

General Application Information

The Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship participates in the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) Pediatric Subspecialties Match, with typically two fellowship spots per year.

All application materials must be submitted through the Electronic Residency Application Service ( ERAS) for fellowship applicants. Applicants are encouraged to complete their applications as soon as possible once ERAS opens for the season.

All applicants must have completed a residency from an ACGME-certified training program.

Eligibility

Qualified candidates will be:

U.S. citizens, permanent residents or J-1 visa holders (no additional visa types are sponsored)

Board-eligible or board-certified in pediatrics

Eligible for a Pennsylvania medical training license

Required Supporting Documents

The following documents should be uploaded to ERAS for review:

International students

International medical graduates must hold a currently valid certificate from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) to be considered for the match. The program accepts J-1 visas only.

Fellow Spotlight: Brandon Costello, DO

About the fellow

Name: Brandon Costello, DO

Hometown: Hamburg, NY

Clinical interests: Transport Medicine and ECMO

Research interests: As a General Pediatrician who's spent the past several years in a resource-limited area, I'm interested in ways to improve community hospital-level capabilities to support unexpected premature deliveries or newborn complications to optimize outcomes prior to transfer to a higher level of care.

Why did you choose Neonatology?

I always pictured myself as a "small-town" doc who got to know his patients and their families on a personal level, but I struggled with the fact that I also loved ICU medicine and the complex pathophysiology associated with it. Neonatology ironically combines the best of both worlds. The transitional physiology from fetus to newborn and ongoing development found in the NICU is unlike any other type of medicine, and the prolonged hospitalizations associated with this type of medicine allow you to get to know your patient and build a foundation of trust with their families, like a general practitioner, during this stressful time.

Why did you choose Penn State for your fellowship training?

As a Penn State undergraduate alumni, I was eager to come back to this community. Penn State offers some unique opportunities not available in other training programs including an active transport medicine program with robust fellow involvement, a diverse patient population with an increased prevalence of rarer genetic disorders, and ECMO in the unit with active management by the neonatology team. The fact that the unit is not fellow-dependent also means that more focus can be placed on learning and honing skills rather than just completing the day-to-day tasks. As someone who's recently become a dad, I appreciate the support the staff and fellows have offered during my transition and feel that the program is very family oriented.

What am I most excited about starting fellowship

After practicing as a General Pediatrician for the past 4 years, I'm excited to be able to focus on the subpopulation of patients that I truly have a passion for.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work? How is life in Hershey, Pa.?

My wife and I recently welcomed our first child into the world, so currently naps and diaper changes are high on the priority list, but I love to cook/bake when I get the chance as well as explore the outdoors. I am a huge fan of water sports and hiking. I grew up just down the road from a dairy farm, so Hershey PA feels like home. It's a small rural town with a very welcoming and quiet feel. It's a great place to start/raise a family, and if you are looking for some bigger city living, Harrisburg and Philadelphia are easy driving distances away.

Fellow Spotlight: Danielle Smith, MD

About the fellow

Name: Danielle Smith, MD

Hometown: Toledo, Ohio

Clinical interests: Neonatal abstinence syndrome, congenital cardiac defects, medical student and resident education, family communication

Research interests: NAS/NOWS, neonatal pain management

Why did you choose Neonatology?

"I enjoy the mixture of high and low acuity that neonatology offers; it makes each day different. It is incredibly rewarding to care for a patient from start to finish, and watch them progress and improve."

Why did you choose Penn State for your fellowship training?

The short answer is that I like it here - the providers, nurses, and respiratory therapists make this a great place to work and learn. I completed my residency training at Penn State, and so knew firsthand how wonderful the team is. This institution offered me the opportunities I was looking for to grow in my professional and personal life. I knew I would be challenged in important areas and supported to pursue my interests."

What are your thoughts on fellowship so far?

"It has been a whirlwind jumping back in from maternity leave! The senior fellows and mentorship program have been a huge support in getting me settled and set up for success."

What do you enjoy doing outside of work? How is life in Hershey, Pa.?

"Snuggling with my baby! I also dabble in sourdough and baking cookies. My husband and I enjoy all of the hiking and walking trails around here. It is a scenic, beautiful place to live."

Past Fellows

Testimonials from Graduates of Penn State Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship Program

Lynnlee Depicolzuane, DO
Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Baltimore, MD
Penn State NPM Fellow 2019-2022

Penn State has always been special to me, having completed undergraduate training at main campus. When I matched there for fellowship, I could not have been happier, knowing the commitment to education of the institution. I was well prepared for my transition to attending life after my training, having experienced continued advancement in autonomy along with full support from the attendings and advanced practitioners. I was able to see a wide variety of cases with a truly multi-disciplinary team and participate in critical care transports, preparing me for any clinical position in the future. My research experience was also valuable, with strong support from the division for attendance at academic meetings and two resulting publications. I would recommend training at Penn State Hershey for anyone looking for a well-rounded program.

Tracey Harris, DO
Einstein Hospital, Philadelphia, PA
Penn State NPM Fellow 2016-2019

As my June 2019 graduation approached, I was frequently asked if I was nervous to embark upon my new role as an attending neonatologist. The simple answer was no, because I was extremely well-prepared by my fellowship training at Penn State. Not only is there an abundance of pathology in the NICU at Penn State, ranging from extreme prematurity to complex congenital conditions, but the faculty and staff are extremely invested in education. After practicing in a busy Level 3 NICU since leaving Hershey, I am even more thankful for my fellowship experience and would highly recommend the program at Penn State to anyone beginning their training in Neonatology.

Payal Trivedi, DO
Temple University Hospital/St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, Philadelphia, PA
Penn State NPM Fellow 2015-2018

I have had the opportunity to work in both private practice and academic settings. The training I received at Penn State helped me to develop adaptability, which was critical in transitioning between these two work environments. As a fellow, I gained confidence leading a team in the delivery room and while on transports of critically ill infants. I am particularly grateful for the experience as an acting attending during my third year fellowship, which made the transition to being a new attending much less daunting. I have received positive feedback on multiple occasions from colleagues, mid-level staff, and nurses about my approach to providing updates or having difficult conversations with families. I would choose Penn State again over other programs because the fellowship training provided me with a very broad experience in neonatology, from extremely low birth weight infants to full term babies with rare anomalies. Everyone has a stake in education, from the faculty to the respiratory therapists and clinical pharmacists, making multidisciplinary family-centered rounds insightful and educational. During my training at Penn State I developed long-lasting relationships with people whom I can reach out to for advice even after fellowship.

Richard Jack, MD
Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children, Honolulu, HI
Penn State NPM Fellow 2014-2017

The Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center is a strong program with an excellent environment for learning. The attendings, NNPs and PAs are all a pleasure to work with. There is a nice balance of clinical and research exposure. As a referral center, the NICU sees a vast range of pathology and acuity which is excellent for training. The fellows are well respected and given appropriate autonomy for patient care. The nurses and respiratory therapists are knowledgeable and I learned a lot from them as well. I especially enjoyed my experiences with neonatal transport and ECMO. I would strongly recommend this program as I feel that it has prepared me well for attending life.

Jeffrey Meyers, MD
Golisano Children's Hospital, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
Penn State NPM Fellow 2009-2012

I loved my experience at Penn State. There is a diverse exposure to complex pathophysiology from a large catchment area in PA. I benefitted from exposure to ECMO, complex congenital heart disease, and rare genetic disorders. The faculty provided excellent bedside teaching, and supported the development of independence and autonomy among the fellows. There was also a structured approach to supporting fellowship scholarly activities. Hershey, PA is a beautiful place to live and raise a family! I wouldn't change a thing about my experience or where I trained.

About Penn State Health

Virtual Tour

A new-for-2020 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 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 Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

500 University Dr., Hershey, Pa., 17033 (Derry Township, Dauphin County)
Learn more about Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
Penn State Health Children's Hospital

600 University Dr., Hershey, Pa. 17033 (Derry Township, Dauphin County)
Learn more about Penn State Health Children's Hospital

About Hershey: Benefits, Stipends and More

Welcome to Hershey

A new guide to the Hershey, Pa., area showcases the highlights of life in central Pennsylvania.

Learn more about the Hershey area

More About Hershey

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

Wellness Initiatives

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

Department and Division Resources

The division recognizes the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Throughout the year, the division hosts celebrational gatherings, including an annual new fellow welcome picnic as well as a holiday party and fellow graduation picnic.

Diversity

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

An allyship support group

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

Curriculum Details

Training Overview

The Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship is a three-year, ACGME-accredited training program. Fourteen months are dedicated to subspecialty clinical training, designed for the trainee to develop the necessary knowledge and skills for the practice of neonatology. These months include two required rotations in pediatric cardiology and maternal-fetal medicine. The curriculum is structured to give fellows more responsibility and independence as they gain experience and skill. During their third year, fellows on clinical service are placed in the role of acting attending with appropriate supervision from attending physicians.

Also, 19 months of the fellowship program are dedicated to clinical or basic science research training. The goal of research training is to provide fellows with a skill set to support career-long investigation and scholarly contribution to the field of neonatal-perinatal medicine.

Fellows in the program are trained in providing prenatal consultation during clinical rotations under faculty supervision. They also see patients in neurodevelopmental clinic throughout all three years of their training, where they learn to evaluate for developmental delays in the most at-risk patients.

Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine fellows supervise and teach medical students, residents and learners from allied health professions on clinical rotations. Throughout all three years of training, fellows are expected to prepare and present formal lecture topics and clinical cases at divisional conferences.

Rotation Overview

The rotation schedule for each of the three years of fellowship is listed here. Schedules are customizable based on trainee interests, skills and goals. Fellows receive one month (four weeks) of vacation per year.

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Summary over all three years of fellowship

Typical day in the life of an on-service fellow

The program's size allows for flexibility for fellows to customize their training with additional experiences in the second and third years, including, but not limited to, an elective in palliative care medicine and medical education courses. Through partnership with Penn State College of Medicine, the program offers graduate certificates and advanced degree programs.

Electives

Cardiology and maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) are two required rotations in the educational curriculum.

MFM is a one-month rotation completed in the second year of fellowship. During this rotation, fellows spend two weeks on the MFM inpatient service and outpatient clinic, where they are exposed to fetal testing and monitoring modalities. For the remainder of the month, fellows participate in outpatient prenatal consultations referred by the Perinatal Center and the obstetric service.

The cardiology rotation is a one-month experience during the third year of fellowship on the inpatient cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery service in the cardiac intensive care unit. During this rotation, fellows also follow patients with congenital heart disease in the NICU, observe cardiac surgeries and see patients in fetal cardiology clinic.

First-Year Fellow Boot Camp

Incoming first-year fellows in our program participate in the Regional First-Year Fellow Boot Camp at Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital. Penn State has participated in this regional bootcamp since 2010.

The course provides two days of didactics, simulation training, and networking with other new first-year fellows in neonatal-perinatal medicine from all over the Mid-Atlantic region. Registration, travel and meal costs are covered by the program and the sponsoring institution.

Didactic Series and Conferences

Weekly or Every Other Week
Pediatric Grand Rounds (Tuesdays)
Starting Tuesday mornings, Pediatric Grand Rounds covers core topics in pediatrics and pediatric subspecialties. Speakers include local and nationally-recognized faculty and researchers. Pediatric fellows also have the opportunity to speak at Grand Rounds during their third year of fellowship.
Journal Club (Wednesdays)
Twice monthly, the division meets to discuss recent literature in order to inform best practice. Fellow and faculty discussants lead the critical appraisal of one to two recent articles per session.
Fellows' Physiology Lecture Series (Wednesdays)
Every other Wednesday, fellows and faculty facilitators meet to discuss physiology topics relevant to the Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Board Examination. Each session concludes with a review of board-style questions. The curriculum is currently undergoing a transition from a traditional didactic model to a flipped-classroom model using content from the Organization of Neonatal-Training Program Directors (ONTPD) NeoFlip curriculum. Faculty from other specialties, including surgery, cardiology, pulmonology and maternal-fetal medicine, also present on relevant topics.
Morbidity and Mortality (Wednesdays)
Morbidity and Mortality is a multidisciplinary team discussion aimed at improving patient care, held every other Wednesday. Fellows are responsible for preparation and presentation of the case(s), including literature review, and discussion of systems improvements.
Perinatal Conference (Fridays)
Perinatal Conference is the multidisciplinary meeting between maternal-fetal medicine and neonatal-perinatal medicine groups to discuss recent and upcoming deliveries. Faculty and fellows from both specialties discuss cases as well as physiology and management of high-risk pregnancies. Topics relevant to both sides of the mother-fetus dyad are discussed with the goal of improving understanding and communication between members of this special care team.
Division Meeting (every other Thursdays)
On alternate Thursdays, the faculty, advanced practice providers and fellows gather to discuss relevant topics in neonatology in order to inform best practice in the NICU.

Monthly
Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Scholarly Curriculum (second Wednesday)
The Scholarly Curriculum Series is held every second Wednesday of the month and is a fellow conference facilitated by a core group of faculty on topics including: biostatistics and epidemiology with hands-on experience using statistical software, research methodology, quality improvement, medical and research ethics and education methodology.
Fellows' Core Curriculum Series (second Monday)
Fellows' Core Curriculum is a set of structured didactic sessions held the second Monday of the month addressing aspects of the ACGME's core curriculum required for all pediatric subspecialty training, as well as some life-after-fellowship topics. This innovative learning program brings together fellows from across the Department of Pediatrics and provides instruction on topics such as research methodology and study design, grantsmanship, manuscript writing, financial advisement, work-life balance and physician wellness, CV preparation and negotiating employment contracts.
Complex Fetal Care Center Meeting (first Tuesday)
The multidisciplinary Complex Fetal Care Center meeting is held on the first Tuesday of the month to discuss upcoming deliveries of patients in the Complex Fetal Care Center. These patients include mothers carrying fetuses with congenital heart disease and other congenital malformations, as well as twin-twin transfusion. Facilitated by the maternal-fetal medicine perinatal coordinators, the meeting includes a brief review of each maternal/fetal case currently cared for within the Perinatal Program, with in-depth multidisciplinary commentary and discussion as appropriate. Postnatal case correlation is also included.
Fellow Simulations (last Wednesday)
On the last Wednesday of the month, fellows participate in simulations focusing on the practice of clinical skills, as well as the development of communication and leadership skills. Scenarios range from management of congenital anomalies in the delivery room, to emergency situations in the NICU and delivery of difficult news to families.
Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Research Conference (last Friday)
This conference is a divisional meeting typically held on the last Friday of the month at 2 p.m. to showcase both fellow and faculty research. The purpose of the conference is to provide updates on research projects going on within the division, to give feedback to the investigators to strengthen their projects as well as to provide inspiration and foster collaboration between researchers.

Simulation

Fellows have opportunities throughout their training to participate in simulation-based education both in the NICU and in the nationally recognized and accredited Clinical Simulation Center.

Simulation is used regularly throughout the curriculum and is taught by faculty and staff trained in simulation education. Recurring simulations include procedural simulations such as exchange transfusion, thoracentesis and chest tube placement, quarterly ECMO simulations and monthly in-situ mock codes.

Fellows are encouraged to serve as facilitators for simulations held as part of medical student and pediatric resident education. These programs provide fellows with experience running simulation scenarios and facilitating educational debriefing sessions. Fellows are encouraged to obtain their certification as NRP instructors and to participate in NRP education for the NICU and obstetrical teams.

Additional training is available through the Teaching with Simulation instructor certificate course.

Mentoring

Mentoring is an essential part of professional development during fellowship and beyond. The training program starts fellows off on the right path with an onboarding mentorship program.

This program pairs incoming fellows with a faculty member who meets regularly throughout the first four months of fellowship to provide advice on adjusting to the fellow role, the medical center and life in Hershey. The onboarding mentor also helps fellows explore interests and goals and orients them to opportunities for involvement in committees, quality improvement teams and research.

At the end of the onboarding mentorship commitment (October of the first year of fellowship), fellows select an academic mentor from among the faculty. Academic mentors meet with fellows at least semi-annually to provide feedback on fellow evaluations and aid in the development of fellowship and career goals. Research mentors are also an important part of the fellow mentoring team. These mentors, selected based on fellow research interests and career goals, guide the fellow through a longitudinal research project along with the Scholarly Oversight Committee.

Research Directors

Meet the directors of our clinical research and basic science research programs:
Kim Kopenhaver Doheny, PhD
Dr. Doheny is the director of clinical research for the Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine. Her research interests include clinical and translational approaches for integrating biomarkers and clinical data on stress regulatory systems. Her Newborn Biobehavioral Laboratory employs a staff of research technologists trained in techniques of biological and behavioral stress measures, including salivary hormone and buccal DNA sampling, heart rate variability (HRV), skin conductance, stress/pain behaviors, the modified Trier Social Stress Test, narrative interviews and health/psychological inventories. Dr. Doheny's research is funded by an NIH R01 grant investigating vagal dysregulation in neonatal gastrointestinal pathology. She has successfully mentored many fellows in projects ranging from the role of zinc transporters breast milk nutrition to skin conductance and HRV in babies with neonatal abstinence syndrome.
Zissis Chroneos, PhD
Dr. Chroneos is the director of basic science research for the Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine. His research focuses on understanding how surfactant proteins modulate host defense and inflammation in the lung, with a major current focus on influenza pathogenesis, host pathogen interactions and innate and adaptive immune responses to bacterial and viral infections. In addition to this work, Dr. Chroneos also studies the role of SP (surfactant protein)-A and SP-R210 in iron sequestration by alveolar macrophages and its impact in pulmonary host defense, the role of endophilin B2 in epithelial cell regeneration in response to lung injury and the mechanisms of alveolar simplification in response to hyperoxic injury. Dr. Chroneos has mentored and directed the research training of undergraduate and graduate students, medical students, postdoctoral and clinical fellows and junior faculty and has served on multiple doctoral committees for graduate students and mentoring committees for junior faculty.

Research

Fellows are encouraged to write IRB applications and apply for internal and external grants as applicable to their research project. Fellows then participate in data collection and statistical analysis with the goal of developing at least one peer-reviewed manuscript for publication.

Fellows are also strongly encouraged to participate in Quality Improvement (QI) Projects as the lead of a multidisciplinary team. Many of these QI projects have led to publications and regional/national presentations.

The program highly encourages fellows to attend national, regional and local conferences to present their work and to interact with researchers and fellows from other institutions for inspiration, continuing education and initiating professional collaborations.

Below is a list of recent research and QI projects by our fellows:

Fellow Honors and Recognitions

Exceptional Teachers

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 Neonatal/Perinatal Medicine Fellowship are listed here. Click the + next to a nominee name to read their nominator's comments.

Pediatric Research Day Presentations

Pediatric Research Day is an every-other-year event that highlights the research of junior faculty and trainees at Penn State Health Children's Hospital. Unfortunately, due to COVID 19, the conference was not held in 2021. This event is an opportunity for researchers and caregivers at Penn State College of Medicine, other Penn State campuses and in the community to discover new applications for their work or to talk about potential areas for collaboration.

Finalists for the Clinical Young Investigator Award are selected from abstracts submitted by medical students, residents, fellows and junior faculty.

Previous presentations from the Neonatal/Perinatal Medicine Fellowship are listed here, along with any honors or awards received.

Resident/Fellow Research Day Presentations

The annual Resident/Fellow Research Day is held each summer on and around the Penn State Health Milton S. Medical Center campus in Hershey, Pa. (although had been temporarily been suspended during to the COVID-19 pandemic).

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 Neonatal/Perinatal Medicine Fellowship are listed here.

Latest News from Penn State Health Children's Hospital

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.

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Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship - Penn State College of Medicine Residencies and Fellowships

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The Neonatal/Perinatal Medicine Fellowship at Penn State Health Children's Hospital is a three-year, ACGME-accredited program that admits two fellows per year.

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Penn State College of Medicine Residencies and Fellowships

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The Pediatric Rheumatology Fellowship at Penn State Health Children's Hospital is a three-year, ACGME-accredited program that admits one fellow per year.

Program Details

The Penn State Health Children's Hospital Pediatric Rheumatology Fellowship provides trainees with the experience base and academic training needed to become successful academic rheumatologists.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
"My training at Penn State prepared me for diagnosing and treating a good variety of Rheumatologic conditions. It also gave me the confidence to treat new conditions such as multisystem inflammatory syndrome due to COVID-19 infection. I had a very positive experience in my fellowship, and I will always look back fondly on my time at Penn State."

- Sarah Sertial Paul, DO
Pediatric Rheumatologist
Goryeb Children's Hospital at Morristown Medical Center

Fellows in the program benefit from a collegial core curriculum shared between all pediatric fellowships, in addition to program-specific curriculum that prepares them well for the practice of evidence-based medicine and board exams.

The program's location in Hershey, adjacent to larger urban areas, provides an interesting mix of ethnicities and disease processes, from immunodeficiency-associated autoimmunity in the Amish to more conventional systemic lupus erythematosus in Hispanic and African-American patients. Fellows benefit from a variety of practice styles from a number of faculty members, all of whom trained at different academic centers. They also benefit from a close collaboration with the adult rheumatology division of the adjoining Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center for both their first-year clinical rotation and combined academic conferences.

The program is well-supported by excellent musculoskeletal radiology, pediatric intensive care and pediatric hematology/oncology infusion services. The ready availability of anesthesia services in pediatric procedure rooms and divisional ultrasound resources facilitate management of refractory juvenile idiopathic arthritis patients. Faculty member Timothy Hahn, MD, is a USSONAR-certified ultrasonographer who aims to ensure that all incoming fellows develop a similar competence.

Learn More about the Fellowship

Program Director's Welcome

Dear prospective fellow,

Thank you for your interest in our program. We serve a large geographic region with a catchment of approximately 1 million children of diverse ethnic and sociodemographic backgrounds. Our practice model has always involved several outreach clinics that you will be free to experience. We have developed a core of excellent nurse educators who will make your life as a fellow here much less hectic. Community engagement activities such as camp participation and volunteer work at Arthritis Foundation events are encouraged. We will be as interested in your quality of life as your quality of education.

Look us over, and feel free to contact me with any questions. We look forward to working with you.
Timothy Hahn, MD
Program Director

Wellness Initiatives

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

Departmental and divisional resources

Dr. Natalya Gaffney has taken on a departmental role in promoting wellness activities. As a division, pediatric rheumatology strongly encourages getting out to enjoy the natural beauty of central Pennsylvania by participating in outdoor activities. Division faculty have recreational interests ranging from competitive cycling to dance instruction, hiking and kayaking.

To Apply

General Application Information

The Pediatric Rheumatology Fellowship participates in the National Residency Matching Program Pediatric Subspecialties Match, with one fellowship spot per year.

All application materials must be submitted through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) for fellowship applicants. Applicants are encouraged to complete their applications as soon as possible once ERAS opens for the season.

Eligibility

Applicants must have completed an ACGME-accredited residency in pediatrics or internal medicine/pediatrics before the fellowship starting date.

Applicants must be board-eligible or board-certified in general pediatrics by the American Board of Pediatrics.

Applicants must be eligible for or hold a Pennsylvania medical training license or medical license.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens, permanent residents or J-1 visa holders (no additional visa types are institutionally sponsored). The J-1 visa application process and fees are the applicant's responsibility.

International medical graduates must hold a currently valid certificate from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates.

All applications are reviewed in their entirety. There is no official limit for the number of USMLE step examination attempts or official board score "cutoffs." However, the number of times the exam has been taken and board scores may impact the strength of an application.

All applications are considered without regard to race, religion, national origin, sex, gender, orientation, disability or family status.

Application Requirements

A complete ERAS fellowship application must contain:

Personal statement

Curriculum vitae

Letters of recommendation: At least three letters of recommendation must be included from faculty members with whom the applicant has worked. It is recommended that at least one letter be included from a pediatric rheumatologist and one from the residency program director.

Dean's letter

Medical school transcripts

USMLE/COMLEX transcripts

For international medical graduates, ECFMG certification

Application Review

Applications will be reviewed by the internal Fellowship Application Review Committee on a rolling basis once the ERAS application is complete. Qualified applicants will be invited for an interview. It is advisable to respond to an interview application as soon as possible, as interview dates are limited and may fill quickly.

COVID-19 Update for the 2023 Interview Season

In accordance with national recommendations and in fairness to all fellowship candidates, many of whom are under travel restrictions, in-person visits and interviews will be suspended again for the 2023 interview season.

Faculty

Pediatric rheumatology division faculty have received a number of departmental teaching awards and are dedicated to fellow education. Faculty members serve as reviewers for specialty-specific journals and contribute to both online and textbook educational offerings.

About Penn State Health

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 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 Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

500 University Dr., Hershey, Pa., 17033 (Derry Township, Dauphin County)

The health system's 628-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 28,500 admissions, 75,000 emergency department visits, 1.1 million outpatient visits and 32,000 surgical procedures annually

Designated as a Magnet hospital four consecutive times, one of 116 hospitals to do so

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

About Hershey: Benefits, Stipends and More

Welcome to Hershey

A new guide to the Hershey, Pa., area showcases the highlights of life in central Pennsylvania.

Learn more about the Hershey area

More About Hershey

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

Wellness Initiatives

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

Diversity

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

An allyship support group

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

Curriculum Details

Program/Rotation Overview and Electives

New Fellow Boot Camp

All fellows participate in the American College of Rheumatology-sponsored Virtual Rheumatology Practicum in July and August of their first year.

Rotation Overview
Year 1

Inpatient consultations - 11 months

Staff outpatient clinics (five half-days per week) - 11 months

Fellow continuity clinic (one half-day per week) - 11 months

Adult rheumatology - four weeks

Pediatric orthopaedics - two weeks

Musculoskeletal radiology - one week

Pediatric ophthalmology - one week

Physical and occupational therapies - one week

Year 2

Scholarly and quality improvement projects - 11 months

Fellow continuity clinic - 11 months

Year 3

Scholarly and quality improvement projects - 11 months

Fellow continuity clinic - 11 months

Electives

AMPS program (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia)

Sports medicine for additional injection training

Didactic Series and Conferences

Cassidy Lecture Series

Frequency: Weekly (Mondays or Fridays)

To ensure a solid rheumatologic knowledge base and help prepare fellows for both in-service and eventual board exams, this series works through Cassidy's Textbook of Pediatric Rheumatology chapter by chapter, with faculty and fellows sharing the task of lecture-style presentations.

Fellow Core Curriculum Series

Frequency: Monthly (second Monday of each month)

The Fellow Core Curriculum Series is a set of two-hour structured didactic sessions occurring monthly. This innovative learning program provides instruction ranging from a core knowledge of research methodology (including research study design, research ethics, grantsmanship, manuscript writing and basic statistical analysis) to topics such as physician wellness, CV editing and negotiating employment agreements. This is treated as protected time during which fellows are free of clinical duties.

Pediatric Grand Rounds

Frequency: Weekly (Tuesdays)

A number of pediatric grand rounds presentations are relevant to care of pediatric rheumatology patients. In addition, additional review of general pediatric topics in the first year of fellowship will prepare trainees for the General Pediatrics board exam.

Combined Medicine/Pediatrics Rheumatology Grand Rounds

Frequency: Weekly (Fridays)

This conference is a composite of topic reviews by fellows, divisional staff and outside speakers; journal article reviews by fellows and divisional staff; and musculoskeletal radiology review of recent studies.

Fellow Evidence-Based Medicine Question Review/Journal Club

Frequency: Weekly (Tuesdays)

This forum is used during the first year of fellowship to present evidence-based medicine reviews generated by clinical questions that arise in the course of clinical care. During the second and third years of fellowship, this time may also be used to review seminal and journal articles in preparation for the subspecialty board exam.

Pediatric Rheumatology Division Meetings

Frequency: Monthly (second Friday of each month)

Fellow attendance and participation in divisional meetings is encouraged. These meetings facilitate interactions with all division staff members and keep trainees abreast of divisional issues, announcements, recent practice data and fellowship program updates.

Renal Pathology Conference

Frequency: Monthly (as needed)

This conference is used for review of interim renal biopsies from systemic lupus erythematosus and necrotizing vasculitis patients.

Divisional Quality Improvement Meeting

Frequency: Monthly (fourth Friday of each month)

Dr. Catherine Bingham leads divisional quality improvement (QI) efforts that align with her leadership role in the PR-COIN network. Fellows are directly involved in division QI projects in addition to developing and completing a QI project of their own.

Virtual Learning Opportunities

The American College of Rheumatology sponsors a number of webinars highlighting both basic science and clinical research topics.

Simulation Center

Fellows will have the opportunities to participate in OSCE-style practicums in the nationally acclaimed Penn State College of Medicine Clinical Simulation Center.
Learn more about the Simulation Center

Research

All trainees in the Pediatric Rheumatology Fellowship participate in a learning program that provides them with a core knowledge of research methodology, including study design, grantsmanship, manuscript writing and basic statistical analysis.

After identifying a research mentor in the first year, fellows design a scholarly project that may involve laboratory and/or clinical research. The second and third years are spent conducting and reporting on this project under the supervision of a Scholarship Oversight Committee. Fellows are expected to participate in data collection and statistical analysis with the goal of developing at least one manuscript for eventual publication.

Research infrastructure at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center includes the Pediatric Research Group, Department of Public Health Sciences, Clinical and Translational Science Institute and laboratory facilities in the adult rheumatology division.

Fellow projects in the division thus far have included:

A translational genetic study of a patient family with combined immunodeficiency and rheumatologic disease

A prospective social media-based study examining the themes and impact of journaling in lupus patients

A translational study combining lab- and ultrasound-derived data in remitted juvenile idiopathic arthritis patients

A retrospective juvenile idiopathic arthritis database study facilitated by the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA)

The program encourages fellows to attend the Pennsylvania Rheumatology Society meeting annually as well as national American College of Rheumatology meetings. These venues provide additional forums for fellows to present their own work, to engage with researchers from other institutions across the country for inspiration, to further their education and to initiate long-term professional relationships.

More information on the research and educational interests of each faculty member is available in Pure, the University's researcher directory. See all division faculty here; click each faculty member's name for details on their specific interests.

Camp JRA

Camp JRA is a weeklong summer camp for children 8 to 18 years old with rheumatologic disease. At camp, children have the opportunity to participate in traditional summer camp activities and learn about their disease, all while getting to know other children with similar challenges. The camp is staffed by camp counselors as well as medical personnel.

Pediatric rheumatology fellows have the opportunity to attend camp, lead various educational sessions and get to know the campers during activities such as fishing, archery, rock climbing, synchronized swimming and a variety of crafts.

This is an experience that fellows look forward to each summer.

Arthritis Foundation Events

A Penn State Health pediatric rheumatology team participates annually in events that support the Arthritis Foundation, such as the annual Arthritis Walk and/or Jingle Bell Run, which are held locally at various locations.

Fellow Honors and Recognitions

Resident/Fellow Research Day Presentations

The annual Resident/Fellow Research Day is held each summer on and around the Penn State Health Milton S. Medical Center campus in Hershey, Pa. (although had been temporarily been suspended during to the COVID-19 pandemic).

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 Pediatric Rheumatology Fellowship are listed here.

Trainee Awards

Honors received by trainees in the Pediatric Rheumatology Fellowship are listed here.

Latest News from Penn State Health Children's Hospital

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.

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Pediatric Rheumatology Fellowship - Penn State College of Medicine Residencies and Fellowships

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The Pediatric Rheumatology Fellowship at Penn State Health Children's Hospital is a three-year, ACGME-accredited program that admits one fellow per year.

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Penn State College of Medicine Residencies and Fellowships

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The Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship at Penn State Health Children's Hospital is a three-year, ACGME-accredited program that admits two fellows per year.

Program Details

The principal goal of the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship at Penn State Health Children's Hospital is to train fellows to become outstanding, independent physicians or physician-scientists and prepare them for an academic career incorporating clinical care, research and education.

The first year of the program consists of 13 four-week clinically-focused blocks. The second and third years focus on research training and scholarly activities. Fellows pursue a basic laboratory, translational laboratory or clinical research track to accomplish their scholarly activities. All fellows complete a core scholarly curriculum regardless of their research track.

In addition, fellows maintain a weekly, half-day continuity clinic, which is supervised by a longitudinal clinical mentor. Fellows are also expected to participate in quality improvement projects throughout their entire training.

Fellows who anticipate having a research-focused career are highly encouraged to participate in the institution-wide Physician-Scientist Training Program. Fellows also have multiple opportunities to learn, teach and present clinical and research topics throughout their entire fellowship in order to round out their training.

The Division of Hematology/Oncology in the Department of Pediatrics at Penn State Health Children's Hospital provides family-centered, comprehensive care for infants, children, adolescents and young adults with all types of cancer and blood disorders. It has been recognized by U.S. News and World Report as one of the leading pediatric oncology programs in the country since 2012. This division is one of the largest in the department with approximately 30 faculty members split evenly between clinical and basic science or translational research faculty. The division is thoroughly committed to the advancement of pediatric hematology/oncology with a thriving research enterprise making significant contributions that range from basic science to clinical research including investigator-initiated trials.

Pediatric oncology is supported by one of the largest student-run U.S. philanthropies, THON, as well as Mini-THON and Four Diamonds. In addition, basic science and translational researchers hold independent NIH funding.

Learn More About the Fellowship

To Apply

General Application Information

The Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship participates in the National Residency Matching Program Pediatric Subspecialties Match, with two fellowship spots per year.

All application materials must be submitted through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) for fellowship applicants. Applicants are encouraged to complete their applications as soon as possible once ERAS opens for the season.

Applicants should contact the program with any questions and for the most up-to-date information.

Eligibility

Application Requirements

A complete ERAS fellowship application must contain:

Application Review

All applications are reviewed in their entirety and considered without regard to race, religion, national origin, sex, gender, orientation, disability or family status.

Applications are reviewed by the internal Fellowship Application Review Committee on a rolling basis once the ERAS application is complete. Qualified applicants will be invited for an interview. It is advisable to respond to an interview application as soon as possible, as interview dates are limited and may fill quickly.

COVID-19 Update for the 2023 Interview Season

In accordance with national recommendations and in fairness to all fellowship candidates, many of whom are under travel restrictions, in-person visits and interviews will be suspended again for the 2023 interview season.

About Penn State Health

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 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 Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

500 University Dr., Hershey, Pa., 17033 (Derry Township, Dauphin County)
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
Penn State Cancer Institute

400 University Dr., Hershey, Pa., 17033 (Derry Township, Dauphin County)
Learn more about Penn State Cancer Institute
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Facilities

There are more than 690 admissions per year to the pediatric hematology/oncology inpatient service. Outpatient facilities for pediatric hematology/oncology are located on the first floor of the Children's Hospital, where patients are seen for chemotherapy, transfusions, infusions and other procedures. There are more than 7,000 outpatient visits per year.

Pediatric cardiology provides echocardiogram examinations within the clinic so that patients do not need to travel to other clinics. Radiology services are available in the ground floor of the Children's Hospital. A dedicated pharmacist delivers prescription medications directly to the patients in the inpatient unit prior to discharge as well as to the ambulatory clinic to ensure patients have the appropriate home medications and to ensure appropriate teaching is done regarding the medications.

About Hershey: Benefits, Stipends and More

Welcome to Hershey

A new guide to the Hershey, Pa., area showcases the highlights of life in central Pennsylvania.

Learn more about the Hershey area

More About Hershey

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

Wellness Initiatives

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

Department and Division Resources

As a division, pediatric hematology/oncology team members support each other and encourage everyone to pursue wellness in all aspects of their life.

The monthly Art of Oncology Conference is a special conference coordinated by Dr. George Blackall that provides a safe forum for fellows to gather and process difficult situations and to debrief and process their experiences during fellowship.

Diversity

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

An allyship support group

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

Curriculum Details

Orientation

There is a one- week orientation at the beginning of fellowship training. This orientation consists of:

Core lectures in hematology and oncology emergencies, chemotherapy fundamentals, pain control and terminal care, anti-emetic therapy, and basics of sickle cell and hemophilia care

Opportunities to meet faculty and staff of the division as well as multiple other people across Penn State Health

Introduction to inpatient and outpatient operations

Training in foundations of clinical research and informed consent

Training in conscious sedation and procedures

Introduction to Children's Oncology Group studies

Required training in the use of PowerChart (the electronic medical record)

Billing procedures

First Year (Clinical Focus)

The first year of the fellowship is primarily a clinical year.

This year is divided into 13 four-week block rotations:

Four one-week vacations are taken during non-inpatient blocks.

The outpatient subspecialty clinic rotation is designed such that the fellow will have multiple exposures to specialty clinics in hemophilia, hemostasis and thrombosis, sickle cell anemia, hematology consults, childhood cancer survivorship and neuro-oncology, as well as opportunities to master hematology/oncology-related procedures, including lumbar punctures with intrathecal chemotherapy administration, bone marrow aspirates, bone marrow biopsies and bone marrow harvests.

In addition to their time spent on the outpatient and other relevant subspecialty rotations, there is a two-week block exclusively dedicated to the exploration of research options so that a scholarly research project can be formulated and a Scholarly Oversight Committee identified prior to the start of the second year.

The first-year fellow is responsible for the daily management of inpatient hematology and oncology patients, as well as hematology consultations from the inpatient pediatric population. The inpatient team is composed of an attending physician, fellow, a pediatric nurse practitioner, two senior pediatric or medicine/pediatrics residents, a dietitian, a clinical nurse specialist and a clinical pharmacy specialist.

The fellow will have one block dedicated to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), which will include inpatient and outpatient areas. However, the fellow is expected to participate in pediatric HSCT rounds when on the inpatient service.

The continuity clinic for each fellow is established within the first month of the first year, and fellows are expected to attend their clinic even while on the inpatient rotations. The continuity clinic consists of one half-day morning session each week. The fellow is assigned a clinical mentor/attending physician with whom they staff their patients for the entirety of their fellowship.

Second and Third Years (Research Focus)

The second and third years of fellowship are designed to focus on each fellow's scholarly activities.

Fellows choose a basic/translational laboratory-based or a clinical research track for their scholarly activities:

Basic/translational laboratory-based research track: Fellows have a large number of institution-wide laboratory-based research opportunities, including those in the pediatric hematology/oncology division, Penn State Cancer Institute and Penn State College of Medicine, all located on the same campus in Hershey, Pa.

Clinical research track: In addition to their research project, fellows are expected to complete a formal clinical research training program (MS in clinical research or graduate certificate in clinical research) available through the Department of Public Health Sciences located on campus.

Regardless of research track, all fellows participate in a core scholarly curriculum and participate as scholars in the institution-wide Physician-Scientist Training Program to round out their fellowship education.

While the second- and third-year fellows are not responsible for inpatient clinical management during the weekdays, third-year fellows are expected to be "acting attendings" for the inpatient pediatric hematology/oncology and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation services during two one-week blocks in order to gain autonomy.

Second and third-year fellows may elect to participate in subspecialty clinics.

Call Schedule

All call is from home. Fellows take calls from outside physicians, answer calls from outpatients/patients' family members and provide emergency department consults, as well as addressing any inpatient questions and issues that may arise overnight. It is expected that fellows will work with the inpatient team and patient logistics to arrange for admissions. In addition, fellows are required to return to the hospital to see any new oncology patient, to perform an urgent consult or evaluate an inpatient whose medical status has worsened. Fellows are also expected to return to the hospital for the death of any pediatric hematology/oncology patient unless directed otherwise by the attending on call.

General call structure:

Occasionally, fellows will need to remain in the hospital overnight to manage a patient. There is a place assigned to the pediatric hematology/oncology fellow (and attending) to use to rest while in-house or to take a nap prior to leaving the hospital if they are too fatigued to drive.

Clinical Experiences

Outpatient clinic sessions are held daily with an average of 20 to 30 patients seen per day on Monday through Thursdays. Fridays are reserved for specialty and multidisciplinary clinics. There are specialty/comprehensive clinics held in sickle cell disease, childhood cancer survivorship, neuro-oncology, hemophilia and for general hematology and hematology consults.

Over the course of their fellowship, fellows are expected to become proficient in procedures, including:

Bone marrow aspirations

Bone marrow biopsies

Lumbar punctures

Administration of intrathecal chemotherapy

All procedures are done with either moderate or deep sedation to ensure patient comfort. Deep sedation is performed with an attending anesthesiologist on the second-floor level of the Children's Hospital in a designated procedure room. Moderate sedation is performed in a clinic procedure room.

Throughout the training period, the attending staff is always available for supervision and guidance. Each fellow will be assigned to work with the same attending staff for their continuity clinic experience throughout their entire fellowship. The fellow will also be on a team with a pediatric oncology nurse practitioner and pediatric oncology nurse specialist, who provide invaluable guidance.

Support staff includes:
Learn more about clinical programs

Conferences and Education

Fellows have the opportunity to attend a variety of conferences and educational opportunities.

Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Academic Conference

This is a weekly conference that consists of many formats. Conferences cover journal clubs, research updates, protocol reviews and board review talks.

Pediatric Tumor Board

This is a twice-monthly multidisciplinary meeting that includes participants from pediatric hematology/oncology, radiology, pathology, surgery and radiation oncology. Cases are presented by fellows or attendings and diagnostic and therapeutic issues are discussed.

Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Attending Rounds

This is a weekly conference to review the current inpatients and consults with all of the faculty and team. The purpose is for the fellow to give an overview of the inpatients and seek input for difficult patient problems.

Art of Oncology Conference

This is a monthly conference coordinated by Dr. George Blackall and all fellows. The purpose of this conference is for fellows to understand the psychosocial effects of illness and treatment on the child and family in ways that will enhance their ability to assist the child and family. This will in turn enhance the fellows' general ability to reflect on and analyze complex situations, formulate working hypotheses about the situations and take strategic action.

This conference affords fellows an opportunity to debrief and process their experiences during fellowship.

Hematology Conference

This is a twice-monthly conference run by the adult hematologists and pathologists.

Board Review Series

This twice-monthly conference is fellow-run with the assistance of Dr. Elizabeth Finch and is designed to focus on fellows' gaps in knowledge of selected pediatric hematology/oncology and stem cell transplantation topics. Prior to the conference, fellows are given board review questions relevant to the conference's topic. They are expected to have reviewed the questions prior to the conference and participate in the discussion. An attending physician with expertise in the given topic attends the session to help facilitate the session.

Schwartz Rounds

This is a monthly conference conducted by Penn State Cancer Institute. Schwartz Rounds is a multidisciplinary forum where caregivers discuss difficult emotional and social issues that arise in caring for patients.

Pediatric Stem Cell Transplant Conference

This weekly multidisciplinary conference consists of a comprehensive review of all inpatient transplant patients, patients awaiting transplant, referrals, recently transplanted patients and all transplant patients recently seen in the outpatient clinic. Program quality review and clinical research opportunities discussion occur during this conference.

Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Tumor Board

This conference is held twice monthly and reviews all new pediatric brain tumor patients as well as patients undergoing active treatment. This conference is attended by pediatric oncology, pediatric neurosurgery, radiation oncology, neuropathology and neuroradiology.

Hematology/Oncology Grand Rounds

This is a weekly conference coordinated by the adult medical oncology division, focusing on current topics in hematology/oncology. Topics range from basic science to current clinical care.

Pediatric Fellowship Core Curriculum

The goal of this curriculum is to unify and standardize core topics across all pediatric fellowships at the institution. It is held monthly. Past topics have included biostatistics, palliative care-related topics, wellness, financial management and mentorship.

Physician-Scientist Training Program

This is an institution-wide program that recruits, engages and nurtures residents, fellows and junior faculty who desire a research-intensive career. The two-hour monthly meeting provides a forum for training program participants (called scholars) and junior faculty to engage physician-scientist mentors as well as provide a core curriculum focusing on career development and best practices in research and mentorship.

Other opportunities

Fellows are welcome to attend additional conferences offered by the institution, including Pediatric Grand Rounds.

Program Evaluation

A Program Evaluation Committee, composed of the program director, selected faculty and fellows, reviews the overall program on a yearly basis. Before the annual spring meeting, a program evaluation is completed and reviewed by the committee. The curriculum, rotations and call recommendations are then made by the committee and modified from year to year based upon these recommendations.

This allows the program to ensure that fellows are getting the best education possible.

Clinical Program Details

Overview: Pediatric Clinical Oncology Program

The clinical oncology program sees approximately 100 new oncology patients and has more than 4,000 visits annually. The program also performs more than 20 hematopoietic stem cell transplants each year.

In addition to the clinical faculty, care is provided by nurse practitioners, nurse specialists and a research nurse, as well as data managers and regulatory specialists who are part of the infrastructure for Phase I to Phase III clinical trials.

The program offers state-of-the-art clinical care in:

Adolescent and young adult cancer

Cancer predisposition syndromes

Central nervous system tumors

Childhood cancer survivorship

Experimental therapeutics

Hematologic malignancies

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and cellular therapy

Integrative medicine

Neurofibromatosis

Neuro-oncology

Sarcoma

Solid tumors

The program is part of the following consortia and collaborative groups:

Due to the generous philanthropic support from Four Diamonds, patients are offered extensive supportive care services, including psychosocial programs with dedicated child life specialists, social workers, chaplain services, bereavement services and access to neuropsychological testing.

Overview: Pediatric Clinical Hematology Program

The pediatric clinical hematology program has four main components with more than 400 hematology visits combined per year:

General hematology program

Government-funded hemophilia program

State-funded comprehensive sickle cell anemia program

Thrombosis and hemostasis program

The comprehensive sickle cell anemia program follows approximately 140 to 150 patients. The hemostasis and thrombosis program sees approximately 25 patients per month. The hemophilia program, which is provided in combination with the adult program, cares for approximately 500 families with bleeding disorders from central Pennsylvania and operates with its dedicated clinical and research staff. Approximately 160 children and adolescents are followed by this program.

A pediatric stroke program involving a multidisciplinary team within the Children's Hospital is under development. An adolescent women's bleeding disorders program was started in fall 2019.

Four Diamonds

Four Diamonds covers the cost of pediatric cancer treatment for all eligible patients at Penn State Health Children's Hospital and supports a multitude of specialty care providers who exclusively serve the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs of patients and families.

Four Diamonds also funds groundbreaking research at all levels, seeking improved treatments and cures to benefit children and adolescents around the world.
Learn more about Four Diamonds

Specialty Program: Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology

Program Overview

The adolescent and young adult oncology program was established in 2016 in order to optimize the unique medical and psychosocial needs of adolescents and young adults with cancer.

The program team is in the process of building an adolescent and young adult oncology clinic in collaboration with the adult oncology group and developing clinical research projects that target this patient population.

Personnel

Specialty Program: Childhood Cancer Survivorship

Program Overview

The survivorship rates for most pediatric cancers are improving significantly due to high-quality research, newer diagnostic modalities and novel therapies. The childhood cancer survivorship program at Penn State Health Children's Hospital was established in 2009 to provide a program dedicated to address the unique needs of survivors of childhood cancer.

Each Thursday afternoon, there is a comprehensive multi-disciplinary clinic comprising a physician with expertise in the area of survivorship, a nurse practitioner, a survivorship nurse coordinator, a survivorship-dedicated social worker and a cancer genetics counselor. In this clinic, patients receive risk-based and exposure-related surveillance testing based on evidence linking their therapeutic exposures with specific late effects in accordance with the late effects screening guidelines from the Children's Oncology Group.

The goals of the program are to:

Identify and treat late effects pediatric cancer survivors face as a result of their disease or therapy

Facilitate the best physical and psychological outcomes possible

Educate patients about the therapy they received

There is a transition program in place to transition the care of these patients to local primary care providers when appropriate.

Personnel
Learn more about the survivorship team

Specialty Program: Pediatric Cancer Predisposition

Program Overview

The Pediatric Cancer Predisposition Program was created in 2019 to serve those children who are found to have a cancer predisposition syndrome.

Examples of cancer predispositions include Li-Fraumeni, familial adenomatous polyposis, DICER1, PTEN (Cowden), Beckwith-Wiedemann, multiple endocrine neoplasia and ataxia-telangiectasia.

Personnel

Specialty Program: Pediatric Experimental Therapeutics

Program Overview

The Pediatric Experimental Therapeutics Program was established in 2010. The mission of the Experimental Therapeutics Program and its Experimental Therapeutics Research and Clinical Team (ExTRaCT) is to offer novel, biologically relevant treatment regimens that incorporate cutting-edge science to pediatric and adolescent/young adult patients with cancer through clinical trials.

ExTRaCT is a dedicated and experienced team of attending physicians spanning diverse areas of expertise, a nurse practitioner, a pediatric oncology clinical pharmacy specialist as well as a dedicated clinical research nurse coordinator, a compliance specialist, a database manager and specimen coordinator who also assists in data entry.

The current director, Dr. Valerie I. Brown, joined the division in October 2013. Dr. Brown acts as the conduit between cutting-edge bench research in oncogenesis/drug discovery development and patient clinical trials.

The goals of the program are:

To establish Penn State as a participating site in relevant consortia and become a national leader in early-phase clinical studies

To develop a comprehensive repository of patient data and specimens

In partnership with Penn Institute for Personalized Medicine, to establish a repository of patient tumor samples for future use by investigators

To educate faculty, trainees, advanced practitioners, patients and their families at Penn State regarding the importance of early-phase clinical trials and of conducting strong clinical research

Personnel

Specialty Program: Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy

Program Overview

The pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplantation program at Penn State Health Children's Hospital was established in 1998 and expanded in 2003. This program provides high-quality comprehensive services to infants, children, adolescents and young adults whose treatment requires a stem cell transplant or other cellular therapy.

The team offers a full array of stem cell transplantation services, including autologous transplants, related and unrelated donor allogeneic transplants and unrelated donor umbilical cord blood transplants for treatment of solid tumors, hematologic malignancies, primary immunodeficiencies, metabolic disorders, bone marrow failure and hemoglobinopathies such as sickle cell anemia and thalassemia.

Approximately 15 to 20 patients receive a variety of cellular therapies annually. The team is also developing a pediatric CAR-T cell therapy program. The experienced team directly provides care for the stem cell transplantation patients both in the inpatient and outpatient settings.

Autologous stem cell transplants are done for infants with malignant brain tumors, high-risk neuroblastoma and select recurrent solid tumors. Allogeneic stem cell transplants using matched sibling donors, matched unrelated donors and unrelated umbilical cord blood donors are also completed. With the addition of SCID to the Pennsylvania Newborn Screen, there has been a recent increase in infant transplants.

There is a dedicated stem cell transplantation block for fellows, which includes inpatient and outpatient rotations.

Personnel

Specialty Program: Pediatric Hemophilia

Program Overview

The pediatric hemophilia program is part of Penn State's federal- and state-funded comprehensive hemophilia treatment center. This program provides multidisciplinary and comprehensive care for children with inherited bleeding disorders, including diagnosis and management of hemophilia, home infusion program, physical therapy and family counseling and support. Approximately 160 children and adolescents are followed in this program.

Personnel

Specialty Program: Pediatric Hemostasis and Thrombosis

Program Overview

The pediatric hemostasis and thrombosis program provides comprehensive expert care to infants, children and adolescents with a variety of hemostatic (bleeding) and thrombotic (clotting) disorders. The program offers a full array of coagulation services, including anticoagulation management, diagnosis of bleeding and thrombotic disorders, peri-operative hemostasis management, assessment and management of young adolescents with heavy menstrual bleeding, and patient and family education and counseling for inherited coagulation disorders.

Personnel

Specialty Program: Pediatric Neurofibromatosis

Program Overview

The pediatric neurofibromatosis program, started in 2020, provides care for children of all ages with neurofibromatosis and focuses on education and screening.

Personnel

Specialty Program: Pediatric Neuro-Oncology

Program Overview

The multidisciplinary pediatric neuro-oncology program was developed at Penn State Health Children's Hospital in 2000 to better meet the needs of children with brain and spinal cord tumors. The program is committed to improving the survival rate for these children through state-of-the-art, research-based care.

The medical team provides a high level of expertise and is composed of a variety of subspecialists. The team works in collaboration to provide highly specialized treatment plans. The group sees approximately 30 new cases each year and more than 200 children are followed in this program.

This program oversees its own pediatric neuro-oncology tumor board, which is held twice monthly. This tumor board discusses all new cases as well as reviewing active patients on treatment and all recurrent patients. There is a special long-term follow-up multidisciplinary clinic held monthly for patients with brain tumors.

Personnel

Specialty Program: Pediatric Psychosocial Oncology

Program Overview

The pediatric psychosocial oncology program offers comprehensive psychosocial programs and services focused on the needs of children, adolescents and young adults who have been diagnosed with pediatric cancer. The experienced team provides comprehensive psychosocial care from diagnosis through survivorship.

The following support services are offered:

All patients are assigned a social worker at the time of diagnosis.

Psychosocial assessment is conducted for each new family.

Child life specialists are available to assist with distress related to medical procedures.

Music therapists and an art therapist are available to all children and adolescents during inpatient hospitalizations.

Chaplain services are available to all families.

Neuropsychological assessments are provided to at-risk patients.

Psychological support services are available to all patients and families, both inpatient and outpatient.

Bereavement support services are offered to families.

Personnel

Specialty Program: Pediatric Sickle Cell

Program Overview

Approximately 140 to 150 pediatric patients with sickle cell disease are followed in the pediatric sickle cell program, which provides high-quality, comprehensive services to infants, children, adolescents and young adults with sickle cell disease with the goal of optimizing the well-being of affected patients and their families through preventative care, therapy for acute and chronic complications and education regarding the management of sickle cell disease.

The comprehensive sickle cell clinic coordinates the complex care for this patient population. The program participates in the Pennsylvania Department of Health Division of Newborn Screening and Genetics grant program as well as the Pennsylvania Department of Health Sickle Cell grant program.

Personnel

Fellow Honors and Recognitions

Exceptional Teachers

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 Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship are listed here. Click the + next to a nominee name to read their nominator's comments.

Resident/Fellow Research Day Presentations

The annual Resident/Fellow Research Day is held each summer on and around the Penn State Health Milton S. Medical Center campus in Hershey, Pa. (although had been temporarily been suspended during to the COVID-19 pandemic).

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 Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship are listed here.

Trainee Peer-Reviewed Publications

A selection of recent peer-reviewed publications with Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship trainees as authors appears here.

Latest News from Pediatric Hematology/Oncology

Latest News from Penn State Health Children's Hospital

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.

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Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship - Penn State College of Medicine Residencies and Fellowships

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The Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship at Penn State Health Children's Hospital is a three-year, ACGME-accredited program that admits two fellows per year.

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Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Fellowship

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Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Fellowship

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Penn State College of Medicine Residencies and Fellowships

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The Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship at Penn State Health Children's Hospital is a three-year, ACGME-accredited program that admits one fellow per year.

Program Details

The Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Fellowship Program at Penn State Health Children's Hospital is a leader in providing excellent, high-quality care to the children of central Pennsylvania.

Penn State Health Children's Hospital has active programs in all aspects of pediatric medicine and surgery, including trauma, transplantation and cardiothoracic surgery. In addition to being the region's only pediatric Level I trauma center, the Children's Hospital offers invasive and non-invasive cardiorespiratory monitoring, conventional and non-conventional mechanical ventilation, renal replacement therapies, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Comparisons to pediatric intensive care units nationwide, demonstrate that this pediatric intensive care unit has a severity-of-illness adjusted mortality that ranks among the highest in the nation, allowing for an expansive clinical experience for physicians in training.

The pediatric congenital heart surgery program has been repeatedly nationally recognized for outstanding surgical results, receiving a three-star rating (the highest possible) from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. The hospital also boasts a busy and established adult congenital heart disease program.

The pediatric intensive care unit moved to a new, state-of-the-art physical space in 2013 with 18-bed capacity, and expanded to 22 beds in 2020.

Of note, the pediatric intensive care unit bed capacity can be deceiving, as Penn State Health Children's Hospital also has a separate pediatric intermediate care unit, staffed by non-PICU physicians, which cares for less acute patients that are often cared for in other larger intensive care units, thus the average acuity of the patients admitted to the PICU is higher than would be expected.

The program accepts one fellow each year, so fellows are able to enjoy a patient-to-fellow ratio comparable to larger training programs while fostering the development of a closer working relationships with critical care faculty.

The Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Fellowship is structured to prepare trainees for careers in either academic medicine or private practice.

Learn more about the Fellowship

Program Director's Welcome

Dear potential future fellow,

Thank you for your interest in our program and congratulations on choosing a career in pediatric critical care. While we are a relatively young training program (founded in 2009), our fellowship provides fellows with a combination of diverse clinical opportunities and world-class scholarly mentorship that prepares them for careers as academic pediatric intensivists. Penn State Health Children's Hospital is one of very few hospitals in the country (and per our understanding, the only one in the northeastern United States) with a pediatric intermediate care unit that is not managed by intensivists. Thus, while we are a medium-sized unit, fellows in our PICU are exposed to a highly acute patient population that yields a very rich learning experience.

Being a small fellowship, our fellows are looked to as integral members of the clinical team from the beginning of their fellowships and so our program tends to attract fellows that are comfortable taking ownership of all aspects of patient care. The faculty pride themselves on getting to know each of our fellows very well so that each fellow gets a personalized experience that takes advantage of their individual strengths and helps them shore up any weaknesses they may have. I am proud to say that we maintain a 100% board-pass rate and that our graduates have all progressed to successful academic careers of their own.

I invite you to explore the information we have included below to learn more about our program. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions.

Elizabeth Kerris, MD
Program Director, Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship

To Apply

General Application Information

Penn State College of Medicine participates with ERAS and the NRMP Match. All application material must be submitted through ERAS.

Applicants with suitable qualifications will be invited to interview and visit with the department.

To allow sufficient time for applications to be reviewed and decisions made regarding interview offers, the application deadline is Sept. 15.

Application Details

All applications will be reviewed in their entirety, and an invitation to interview is based on the entire application and not simply exam scores. However, the program has the following preferences and requirements:

USMLE is not required for those who have taken COMLEX; however, osteopathic graduates are encouraged to take USMLE Step 1 as it will add to their qualifications.

Applications must include at least three and no more than four letters of recommendation (including at least one letter from a pediatric intensivist), medical school transcripts, curriculum vitae and personal statement.

The institution accepts residents on J-1 visas only. The visa application process and applicable fees are the applicant's responsibility.

The recruitment team prefers to see completion of pediatric residency within three years of submitting the ERAS application. However, this is dependent upon what clinical/research experience the applicant has had since completing their residency. Please reach out to program director with any specific questions.

Couples Matching

If someone who is invited to interview is couples-matching with an applicant interviewing with another department at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, the Division of Pediatric Critical Care will be happy to help coordinate with the other departments/divisions as much as possible. Applicants in this situation should contact the program office about their partner's interview, as the program may not have the information.

Interview Process

The program's typical interview season begins in late August and continues through October. The interview process is designed to put the applicant at ease and provide each candidate with detailed information about the program.

COVID-19 Update for the 2023 Interview Season

In accordance with national recommendations and in fairness to all fellowship candidates, many of whom are under travel restrictions, in-person visits and interviews will be suspended again for the 2023 interview season.

Faculty

A Commitment to Teaching

Over the years, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine has attracted and cultivated an outstanding faculty team, each with academic and clinical interests that serve as a focus for their teaching and research endeavors. A number hold or are seeking additional graduate degrees, which is evidence of their commitment to advancing the field of pediatric critical care medicine.

Research interests are wide ranging, from basic science to clinical investigation, as well as in the areas of education, simulation, pharmacology, ultrasound, medical informatics and safety/quality improvement. The department has achieved a nationwide reputation for academic excellence. The program is privileged to have Neal Thomas, MD, MSc, in the division. Dr. Thomas is not only the associate dean for clinical research at Penn State College of Medicine, but also an internationally known pediatric critical care clinical researcher who serves as a primary research mentor for all of fellows.

Meet the Faculty

About Penn State Health

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 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 Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

500 University Dr., Hershey, Pa., 17033 (Derry Township, Dauphin County)

The health system's 628-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 28,500 admissions, 75,000 emergency department visits, 1.1 million outpatient visits and 32,000 surgical procedures annually

Designated as a Magnet hospital four consecutive times, one of 116 hospitals to do so

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

About Hershey: Benefits, Stipends and More

Welcome to Hershey

A new guide to the Hershey, Pa., area showcases the highlights of life in central Pennsylvania.

Learn more about the Hershey area

More About Hershey

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

Wellness Initiatives

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

Program-specific offerings

The pediatric critical care team, including the pediatric intensive care unit nursing staff, plans regular group outings and celebrations throughout the year that include fellows. Fellows are also eligible to compete against other specialty teams as part of the PICU kickball team.

Some of the social venues over the years have included Troegs Brewing Company, Spring Gate Winery and social gatherings at faculty member homes.

Diversity

Department Resources
Department of Pediatrics Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council
The Department of Pediatrics Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Council is led by Adrian Zurca, the Vice Chair of DEI for the Department of Pediatrics. The council is composed of physicians and nurses from across the Department of Pediatrics. The council's mission is to continually improve the inclusivity and equity with which the Penn State College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics provides healthcare, medical training, and advances medical science by:

Providing pediatric patients and their families with excellent, compassionate, culturally responsive and equitable care.

Supporting the department in recruiting, hiring and retaining a group of diverse faculty, trainees and staff, while equipping Department members to provide culturally responsive and equitable care.

Ensuring that scholarly pursuits account for, evaluate and address potential social determinants of health beyond race and ethnicity, and that our research reflects a diverse and representative population.

Striving to ensure our educational experiences foster and value equity, inclusivity, cultural competency and the needs of a diverse population.

Please contact Dr. Zurca at azurca@pennstatehealth.psu.edu should you have further questions or wish to learn more about the various initiatives currently underway.

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

An allyship support group

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

Curriculum Details

Curriculum Overview

The 36-month fellowship training program is divided into four-week blocks (13 blocks per year), as follows:

One four-week block of pediatric anesthesia during the first year

18 blocks of clinical service in the pediatric intensive care unit

20 blocks of research

Training in a mixed unit means fellows in the program are consistently exposed to CT surgery/CICU patients. Additional exposure to the management of patients with congenital heart disease is obtained from experiences in the operating room with congenital heart surgeons, cardiac anesthesiologists and perfusionists. Fellows also spend time in the cardiac catheterization lab and the echocardiogram reading room to further their understanding of cardiac anatomy and physiology.

There is some flexibility that can be applied to accommodate special interests during clinical months (such as outside clinical rotations or participating in the cardiothoracic surgery trip to Ecuador), which will be considered and arranged on a case-by-case basis.

Four weeks per year of vacation may be divided during the research rotations.

Didactic Opportunities

Dedicated Education Time

The clinical schedule is designed so that fellows are always able to attend fellow education sessions, with Mondays designated as protected fellow educational days. On Mondays, fellows are exposed to a number of different fellow-specific learning topics. The Department of Pediatrics also hosts monthly fellow core curriculum sessions for all pediatric fellows across the institution to cover aspects of academic medicine that are shared across the subspecialties (scholarship, biostatistics, medical education, ethics, job searches, etc.) Divisional conferences, including morbidity and mortality conferences, research conference, ethics conferences, case conference and journal club, occur on Thursday afternoons. Fellows are key participants and presenters in these sessions as well. Finally, simulation sessions are regularly conducted both in situ and in the Clinical Simulation Center to further augment fellows' educational experiences.

Additionally, first-year fellows attend the regional pediatric critical care first-year fellow boot camp at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia every July. Second and third-year fellows attend the senior pediatric critical care fellow boot camp at Johns Hopkins University every other year. The program also regularly integrates web-based educational material into the curriculum.

Pediatric Grand Rounds

Grand Rounds are held every Tuesday morning from 7:30-8:30 a.m. Presenters include faculty (both within and outside the department and institution), fellows and residents. These programs are designed to be of interest to the entire department, as well as pediatricians from regional hospitals.

PCCM Case Conference

PCCM Case Conference is held approximately 10 times per year. Fellows take turns leading a case discussion for the entire Pediatric Critical Care team, with topics covering clinical decision-making, novel or rare case presentations and ethical dilemmas.

PCCM Journal Club

Journal Club is typically held once or twice a month. Members of Pediatric Critical Care, including fellows, take turns choosing and moderating discussions of recent articles from one of the major critical care publications.

PCCM Division Meeting

Division meeting are held approximately once a month. This is an opportunity for the division leadership to update the division on clinical, educational, and academic changes, and elicit discussion of proposed patient care protocols, equipment changes, staffing models, etc.

PCCM Research Conference

Research conference is typically held four times per year. Updates are made regarding division participation in larger multi-center trials. Members of the division take turns briefly and informally discussing active and potential clinical research projects. The purpose of these discussions is to elicit broad comment on research proposals in the early stage of planning and facilitate submission of proposals for approval/funding.

PCCM Morbidity and Mortality Conference

M&M is typically held once a month. Members of the division take turns reviewing cases and presenting them to the division, with the goal of identifying opportunities for practice improvement.

In Situ PICU Simulation

Fellows participate in monthly simulation sessions conducted in a patient room in the PICU, along with residents, APPs, PICU nurses and respiratory therapists.

Pediatric CT Surgery Case Conference

Pediatric Critical Care participates in case discussions with the Children's Heart Group.

Children's Hospital Mock Code

Mock codes are typically held once a month. Sessions are designed to:

Evaluate for system issues within the Children's Hospital

Provide educational experiences for responding fellows, residents, nurses, and respiratory therapists. On service pediatric critical care fellows are expected to respond to these as part of the pediatric code team and lead the resuscitation.

PCCM Unit Hand-off Educational Rounds

Attending physicians transition service on Tuesday afternoons. The entire division attends to hear the patient hand-off, with the goal of fostering discussion regarding patient management decisions. Beginning their second year of fellowship on service, fellows are responsible for leading these discussions.

Trauma Case Review and Child Protection Team Case Review

Pediatric Trauma and Child Protection teams review specific cases, many of which were patients admitted to the PICU.

Scholarly Achievement and Research

Training in scholarly and research skills is provided by combination of didactic lectures by the Department of Pediatrics fellow core curriculum and oversight by each fellow's Scholarly Oversight Committee and research mentor. Fellows are free to choose their own scholarly projects based on their own academic interests, with guidance given as needed to ensure fellows each find interested and relevant research mentor(s).

Fellows have had tremendous success at achieving our program's stated goal, which is the completion of a project that results in a manuscript submitted for publication by the end of their fellowships. Third-year fellows are expected to present their research at the Society of Critical Care Medicine Annual Congress. Fellows have also presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies conferences, as well as other national conferences.

Interested fellows have also attended the Pediatric Acute Lung Injury and Sepsis Investigators conferences, which offer fellow-specific workshops in clinical research.

Finally, fellows can choose to take advantage of other opportunities via Penn State, including (but not limited to) graduate coursework, additional training in medical education and/or certification as a simulation instructor via the Clinical Simulation Center.

Sample Block Schedule

Fellow Year One

Orientation: One block

PICU: Seven blocks

Research: Four blocks

Anesthesia: One block

Fellow Year Two

Research: Seven blocks

PICU: Six blocks

Fellow Year Three

Research: Nine blocks

PICU: Four blocks

Fellow Honors and Recognitions

Resident/Fellow Research Day Presentations

The annual Resident/Fellow Research Day is held each summer on and around the Penn State Health Milton S. Medical Center campus in Hershey, Pa. (although had been temporarily been suspended during to the COVID-19 pandemic).

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.

Latest News from Penn State Health Children's Hospital

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.

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Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship - Penn State College of Medicine Residencies and Fellowships

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The Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship at Penn State Health Children's Hospital is a three-year, ACGME-accredited program that admits one fellow per year.

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Program Overview

The Children's Heart Group is a regional center of excellence in the care of children with heart disease. The medium-sized academic program allows for the combination of a close-knit, personalized fellowship experience within all that an academic medical center has to offer. The group includes a team of pediatric cardiologists, pediatric cardiovascular thoracic surgeons, pediatric cardiology physician assistants, cardiovascular surgery physician assistants, and a robust clinical and administrative support staff. The pediatric congenital heart surgery program has been repeatedly nationally recognized for outstanding surgical results, receiving a three-star rating (the highest possible) from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

"I absolutely think that the fellowship prepared me very well for practice. The program provided me with a phenomenal knowledge base and I'm very proud to have been a part of it."

Alumni Spotlight

Learn more about the Fellowship

Fellow Honors and Recognitions

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Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship | Penn State College of Medicine

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The Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Program at Penn State Health Children's Hospital is a three-year, ACGME-accredited program that admits one fellow per year.

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Penn State College of Medicine Residencies and Fellowships

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The Interdisciplinary Addiction Medicine Fellowship at Penn State College of Medicine is a one-year, ACGME-accredited program that admits four fellows per year, with the option of a second year in research.

Program Details

The mission of the Interdisciplinary Addiction Medicine Fellowship is to train the next generation of leaders who can provide the highest quality of medical care for the prevention and treatment of substance-use disorders.

The program also strives to increase the medical work force capable of providing interprofessional, integrated primary care and specialty care for substance-use disorders to medically underserved and vulnerable populations.

The Interdisciplinary Addiction Medicine Fellowship at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center is designed to be a one-year program, with an option to continue for a second year for those candidates who wish to pursue an academic career and are interested in doing addiction-related research.

The program's vision is to reduce overdose deaths, improve capacity and access to treatment and promote a substance-free population of children, adolescents and adults in central Pennsylvania.

The fellowship is open to all candidates who are board-certified or board-eligible in a primary medical specialty of:

Emergency medicine

Family and community medicine

Internal medicine

Obstetrics and gynecology

Pediatrics

Learn More about the Fellowship

Program Directors' Welcome

Greetings prospective applicants,

We are delighted you are interested to learn more about the Interdisciplinary Addiction Medicine Fellowship at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Our goal is to train the next generation of addiction medicine specialists to:

Provide excellent, independent care for people living with addiction

Function as health-systems-aware advocates for improvement in care delivery and public health

Advance the status of addiction science

Teach the broader community the value of compassionate addiction care

Develop skills practicing in interprofessional teams

To realize this goal, we have brought together an outstanding faculty with expertise in addiction medicine, pediatrics, internal medicine, family and community medicine, emergency medicine, pain medicine, obstetrics and gynecology and pharmacology, practicing in a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings. Not only will you have the opportunity to work with and learn from a dynamic group of clinicians and scholars, but you will also benefit from a didactic curriculum that provides a foundation in the biology of substance-use disorders, the medical and psychosocial complications of these disorders, their treatment, research methodology, clinical ethics and clinician wellness.

We recognize that most substance-use disorder care is provided in the community, not the university setting, so you will also train and learn at community sites that offer a wide range of outpatient and residential medical and behavioral care. Your work in the fellowship will equip you to care and advocate for children, adolescents and adults living with substance-use disorders across urban, suburban and rural settings.

By applying to a fellowship in addiction medicine, you are acknowledging your desire to care for an often-marginalized population deserving of high-quality, ethical and compassionate care. Beyond that, you are acknowledging your own humanity, kindness and adaptability, the essential qualities of an addiction medicine provider.

We look forward to meeting you.

Sheryl A. Ryan, MD
Program Director

Bhavna Bali, MD
Associate Program Director

To Apply

General Application Information

All applications must be submitted through ERAS.

ERAS opens for applications in July and the application review process begins mid-July, so applicants are encouraged to apply early.

The Addiction Medicine Fellowship participates in the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) Medicine and Pediatric Subspecialties Match, with typically two-four fellowship spots per year. All applicants must have completed a residency from an ACGME-certified training program.

COVID-19 Update for the 2023 Interview Season

In accordance with national recommendations and in fairness to all fellowship candidates, many of whom are under travel restrictions, in-person visits and interviews will be suspended for the 2023 interview season. All fellowship interviews will be conducted virtually via conferencing software. Fellowship candidates are encouraged to pay close attention to ERAS and NRMP calendars for this season, which may be different than prior years, and adhere to all deadlines to ensure a successful match.

Eligibility

Qualified candidates will be:

U.S. citizens, permanent residents or J-1 visa holders (no additional visa types are sponsored)

Board-eligible or board-certified in family and community medicine, emergency medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology or pediatrics

Eligible for a Pennsylvania medical training license

Required Supporting Documents

The following documents should be uploaded to ERAS for review:

ERAS application, including current photograph

Personal statement

Curriculum vitae

USMLE or COMLEX transcript

ECFMG certificate (if applicable)

Four letters of recommendation, including one from current program director

International Students

International medical graduates must hold a currently valid certificate from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) to be considered for the match. The program accepts J-1 visas only.

Interview Process

Applications will be reviewed once the ERAS application is complete. Qualified applicants will be invited for an interview. All applications are considered without regard to race, religion, gender or national origin.

About Penn State Health

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 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 Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

500 University Dr., Hershey, Pa., 17033 (Derry Township, Dauphin County)

The health system's 628-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 28,500 admissions, 75,000 emergency department visits, 1.1 million outpatient visits and 32,000 surgical procedures annually

Designated as a Magnet hospital four consecutive times, one of 116 hospitals to do so

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

About Hershey: Benefits, Stipends and More

Welcome to Hershey

A new guide to the Hershey, Pa., area showcases the highlights of life in central Pennsylvania.

Learn more about the Hershey area

More About Hershey

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

Wellness Initiatives

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

Diversity

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

An allyship support group

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

Curriculum Details

Overview

Clinical rotations will include inpatient experiences at:

Electives will be available depending upon each fellow's interest and are designed to provide clinical experience in the areas of:

Emergency medicine

Obstetrics and gynecology

Pain medicine

Pediatrics

A rigorous core didactic curriculum is part of the weekly schedule. In addition, a one-month elective in research is available to all fellows.

Sample Schedule

Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute

Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute - Opioid Treatment Clinic - 36 weeks (120 hours)

Continuity Clinic - 48 weeks (208 hours)

Lebanon VA Medical Center
Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program - 12 weeks (288 hours)

Mazzitti and Sullivan
Adult IOP Program - Adolescent IOP/PHP Program - 4 weeks (32 hours)

Caron Treatment Center

Adolescent Residential - 4 weeks (64 hours)

Adult Residential - 4 weeks (64 hours)

Gaudenzia Concept 90
Adult Residential - 4 weeks (80 hours)

Adult & Teen Challenge Pennsylvania - 8 weeks (96 hours)

Sadler - 12 weeks (96 hours)

Blue Prints - 4 weeks (64 hours)

Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

Consult-liaison service (required) - 16 weeks (256 hours)

Inpatient pain service (required) - 16 weeks (128 hours)

Women's health service (elective) - 18 weeks (80 hours)

Adolescent medicine clinic (elective) - 16 weeks (48 hours)

Outpatient pain service (elective) - 18 weeks (80 hours)

Emergency medicine (elective) - 16 weeks (160 hours)

Scholarly activity - 4 weeks (128 hours)

Core lecture series - 48 weeks (192 hours)

OBAT (Internal Medicine Primary Care Clinic) - 4 weeks (48 hours)

Vacation/continuing medical education - four weeks (must total at least 160 hours)

Latest News from Addiction Medicine

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.

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Interdisciplinary Addiction Medicine Fellowship - Penn State College of Medicine Residencies and Fellowships

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The Interdisciplinary Addiction Medicine Fellowship at Penn State College of Medicine is a one-year, ACGME-accredited program that admits two fellows per year, with the option of a second year in research.

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PIM is dedicated to introducing our members and their spouses to one another while offering an outlet for networking, coordinating social activities and facilitating friendships. We support each other and our greater community through acts of service.

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Partners in Medicine is a support and social group for spouses of medical students, residents, and fellows.

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Penn State College of Medicine Residencies and Fellowships

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The Office of Graduate Medical Education will reimburse residents who are unable to safely drive home due to sleep deprivation for Uber, Lyft, etc., with a valid receipt.

Both rides will be reimbursed - home and back to the hospital or practice site. See reimbursement instructions 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.

Mental health support for residents and fellows

For additional mental health resources, call the Office of Graduate Medical Education Office at 717-531-0003, ext. 285868.

Current residents and fellows can also access resources on the home page of New Innovations when logged in.

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.

The office promotes personal health, connectivity and peer support, emphasizes work-life integration and more. The director also provides retreats and wellness sessions to the Office of Graduate Medical Education as a whole, as well as to individual programs and departments. Throughout the first few months of training, the Office of Professional Mental Health will provide an introduction during each residency or fellowship program's orientation and/or didactics.

Online: Office for Professional Mental Health

SupportLinc Employee Assistance

Employee Assistance Program is available with emotional wellbeing and work-life balance resources to keep you at your best.

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

Schwartz Center Rounds

Schwartz Center Rounds are an open forum for folks (providers, residents/fellows, staff and students) to discuss things they're struggling with related to patient care.

First Tuesday of the month from noon to 1 p.m. in the Krapf Chapel inside the Main Entrance to the Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Contact Kathlene Garrett ( kgarrett2@pennstatehealth.psu.edu) with any questions.

BeWell Employee Wellness

PRO Wellness facilitates the BeWell initiative to compliment wellness efforts specifically for Penn State Health employees.
Learn more about BeWell

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.

Call 1-833-PSH-TEAM ( 833-774-8326), Option 2, to reach a patient access coordinator or send an email.

MySolutions

mySolutions provides Penn State Health employees with benefits information; upcoming wellness events; employee wellness programs such as Weight Watchers at Work and the Fit, Trim and Slim program; Bright Horizons family backup care; past wellness event recordings; and more.

Log in to mySolutions
(Search: Wellness)

Campus wellness events

Learn more about other on-campus wellness opportunities and see a full calendar of events on the campus wellness page.
See upcoming wellness events

COVID-19

Find Penn State Health resources related to COVID-19 on the Infonet (Penn State Health ePass login required). COVID-19 Resources

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The Graduate Medical Education Office at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center is committed to the well-building of all residents, fellows, program directors and GME coordinators. These activities and initiatives in GME wellness are based on common themes at program director, program coordinator and GME program retreats, as well as from the ACGME Clinical Learning Environment Review (CLER) Well-being Pathway to Excellence goals of:

Promoting the well-being of the clinical care team

Workload and work/life balance

Fatigue

Burnout

Support of those at risk of or demonstrating self-harm

The GME office meets with residents and fellows routinely to gather their input on what they will benefit from. Those interested in contributing and serving as a GME Wellness Champion should email Lauren Talhelm in the GME office at ltalhelm@pennstatehealth.psu.edu.

GME-wide wellness initiatives

Office for Professional Mental Health "Love Yourself" Event

Mental Health Band-Aid, QPR Gatekeeper training and more offered by the Office of Professional Mental Health

Email updates from the Office for Professional Mental Health, including information on Zoom office hours, various wellness webinars and free resources such as virtual exercise, yoga, meditation and mindfulness classes

Snack delivery by the DIO (Designated Institutional Official) to GME programs

Doughnuts with the DIO

Network of Underrepresented Residents and Fellows

Quarterly GME personal finance lectures

GME sponsored competitions: Pumpkin Decorating, Gingerbread Houses and Laughter Contest

GME WE ARE Thankful and other drop-in events

30 Days of Activity wellness challenge

GME water bottles provided to new trainees

Awareness of hydration stations throughout the campus

Inter-residency/fellowship program gatherings

Involvement of residents and fellows on hospital-wide leadership committees

Participating in Penn State Health wellness initiatives for all employees, including:

Heart Rhythm Meditation

Mindfulness Practice Community

Weekly WeCARE Support Sessions sponsored by the Doctors Kienle Center for Humanistic Medicine and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health

Center Stage Musical Performances

BeWell Lunch & Learns

BeWell Hospital-wide Wellness Challenges

Annual Nurses and Hospitals Week Celebration

Part of overall health includes regular physical activity, a healthy diet and sufficient sleep.

With the time pressures of work and home life, it is easy for these areas to be neglected, often with the thought that the time spent sleeping, cooking something healthy or going for a walk could be better spent elsewhere.

However, without these physical elements of wellness, it becomes harder to perform at a high level in the long run.

It is important to recognize that physical activity and maintaining a healthy diet do improve general well-being, which affects overall mental health.

Band Together is a fun and free strength-training program using resistance bands. This class is open to all ages and all different fitness levels.

Please join the Band Together peer-led class on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. via Zoom. Zoom information can be found on the internal Infonet.

To receive additional information, email Brenda Thomas at bthomas2@pennstatehealth.psu.edu.

Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State College of Medicine are sponsors of a bike share program that allows participants to borrow from a pool of 40 Movatic bikes spread across nine stations on and around the Hershey campus.

Use is free for those who register with a Penn State Health email address.

Details: Learn more in this Penn State Health News story

The Susquehanna Area Mountain Bike Association (SAMBA) partnered with Penn State to develop 10 miles of new trails around Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center with options for bike-riders of all skill levels.

Trails can be accessed traffic-free from the surrounding communities using the Eshenour Memorial bike path.

The trail system is divided into two distinct areas, the east side and the west side. The terrain is generally rocky and rugged, and while the east side offers more open, flowing trails, the west side is more technical and challenging.

Details: See the trail map on the SAMBA website

Active & Fit Direct is an offering of Blue Cross' Blue365 Deals available to Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center employees, including residents and fellows.

Fitness Your Way helps clients meet physical and emotional goals within their budget and on their own time by offering access to nearly 10,000 different fitness locations for $29 a month.

Details: Visit Blue365 Deals

The University Fitness Center is located on the Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center campus.

Residents and fellows are offered a discount but must show their badges at the front desk and notify staff of their status.

Several specialty classes at the Fitness Center are available to non-members.

Details: See the University Fitness Center website

Part of overall health includes regular physical activity, a healthy diet and sufficient sleep.

With the time pressures of work and home life, it is easy for these areas to be neglected, often with the thought that the time spent sleeping, cooking something healthy or going for a walk could be better spent elsewhere.

However, without these physical elements of wellness, it becomes harder to perform at a high level in the long run.

It is important to recognize that physical activity and maintaining a healthy diet do improve general well-being, which affects overall mental health.

Band Together is a fun and free strength-training program using resistance bands. This class is open to all ages and all different fitness levels.

Please join the Band Together peer-led class on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. via Zoom. Zoom information can be found on the internal Infonet.

To receive additional information, email Brenda Thomas at bthomas2@pennstatehealth.psu.edu.

Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State College of Medicine are sponsors of a bike share program that allows participants to borrow from a pool of 40 Movatic bikes spread across nine stations on and around the Hershey campus.

Use is free for those who register with a Penn State Health email address.

Details: Learn more in this Penn State Health News story

The Susquehanna Area Mountain Bike Association (SAMBA) partnered with Penn State to develop 10 miles of new trails around Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center with options for bike-riders of all skill levels.

Trails can be accessed traffic-free from the surrounding communities using the Eshenour Memorial bike path.

The trail system is divided into two distinct areas, the east side and the west side. The terrain is generally rocky and rugged, and while the east side offers more open, flowing trails, the west side is more technical and challenging.

Details: See the trail map on the SAMBA website

Active & Fit Direct is an offering of Blue Cross' Blue365 Deals available to Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center employees, including residents and fellows.

Fitness Your Way helps clients meet physical and emotional goals within their budget and on their own time by offering access to nearly 10,000 different fitness locations for $29 a month.

Details: Visit Blue365 Deals

The University Fitness Center is located on the Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center campus.

Residents and fellows are offered a discount but must show their badges at the front desk and notify staff of their status.

Several specialty classes at the Fitness Center are available to non-members.

Details: See the University Fitness Center website

To have social happiness, it is vital to develop a sense of connection and belonging and to have a well-developed support system. There are various events and fundraisers held on campus that bring together employees from all departments.

Volunteering

Many volunteer opportunities are available in Hershey and the surrounding communities. One very close opportunity is the Ronald McDonald House, where many patients' families stay.

Affinity groups

Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine have multiple affinity groups faculty and staff can join, including:

Disability Affinity Resource Network Group

Group on Women in Medicine and Science

Interfaith Affinity Resource Network Group

LGBTQ and Allies Affinity Resource Network Group

Military/Veterans Affinity Resource Network Group

Multicultural Affinity Resource Network Group

NextGen

Learn more about these affinity groups.

Commission for Women

Penn State Commission for Women seeks to promote women's initiatives in the areas of equity, maternity and child/elder care concerns, mentoring, professional development and recognition, strengthening networking and social connections and workplace safety.

All employees and students at Hershey Medical Center and the College of Medicine, regardless of gender, are welcome to join and/or attend events.

Learn more about the Commission for Women.

Partners in Medicine

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.

Area resources

Residents and fellows who want to plan their own social events can check out the Visit Hershey & Harrisburg website for info on area restaurants, shopping, outdoor and indoor activities and an extensive calendar of events.

Finding personal satisfaction and enrichment from work is a key to wellness. Similarly, a cornerstone of being a fulfilled person is intellectual growth, recognizing creative abilities and finding ways to expand knowledge and skills.

PAWS UP

PAWS UP! is an employee recognition program that celebrates the strength of the people of Penn State Health. The program includes service awards, employee of the month/year, birthday and other eGreetings and special "Paws Up" nominations and on-the-spot recognition cards from managers.

Points earned can be redeemed for gift cards, merchandise, travel packages, charity donations and event tickets from Hershey Entertainment.

Professional development

The Learning and Leadership Development team offers on-site courses for individuals and departments. Some courses, like the Grow Academy, can be found in Compass through the Infonet (Penn State Access ID login required). For details, call Human Resources at 717-531-8440.

Additional professional development programs offered to both Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine employees can be found on the Faculty and Staff website.

Physician Writers Group

The Physician Writers Group is a workshop for clinicians who are interested in creative writing for publication in professional medical journals. The group meets during the fall and/or spring semesters.

Humanities professor Dr. Kimberly Myers, who holds a doctorate in literature, hosts the group. Email her at kmyers2@pennstatehealth.psu.edu for details.

Harrell Health Sciences Library

Harrell Health Sciences Library offers many services to residents and fellows, including but not limited to literature searching, systematic review, EndNote citation management, 3D printing services, e-learning and digital media development, virtual reality, a Technology Sandbox, the One-Button Studio and group study rooms. Contact information for each departmental liaison can be found on the library's website.

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It is important to be able to cope effectively with life and to create satisfying relationships, in order to achieve the balance necessary to be mentally healthy and well. Emotional wellness involves being aware of and accepting feelings; adjusting to change, both good and bad; coping with stress; and enjoying life despite occasional disappointments and frustrations.

Meanwhile, spiritual wellness involves developing a sense of purpose and meaning in life. It is a personal journey and could involve prayer, meditation, affirmations or specific spiritual practices that are meaningful. Using values, beliefs and principles to help ground decisions and actions can lead to balance and overall wellness.

In addition to the mental health resources listed above, Penn State Health offers:

Al-Anon at Work

The Al-Anon at Work support group helps to bring hope and strength to families and friends of problem drinkers. Participants share the experiences, strength and hope through fellowship to solve their common problems. Those whose lives have been touched by addiction also find Al-Anon helpful. New members are always welcome.

Meetings: Noon to 1 p.m. Tuesdays via Zoom see the Infonet calendar for details (Penn State Health ePass login required)

Details: Call Robin at 717-531-7560 or Paula at 717-531-2908

Pastoral Services

Resources through Pastoral Services are also available to employees. The Interfaith Chapel, near the south entrance of Hershey Medical Center, is open at any time for prayer or meditation. There is a Catholic mass at noon every Tuesday and Jumu'ah prayer at 1:30 p.m. every Friday.

Details: Call Pastoral Services Staff Hotline at 717-531-3600

Staff also have the option to send a text, through Tiger Connect, for non-urgent concerns. Employees can sign in to their Tiger Connect account, find HMC Staff Support Hotline in the directory and type a message.

Resiliency Through Art

The Doctors Kienle Center for Humanistic Medicine hosts Resiliency Through Art workshops throughout the year. All are welcome; no artistic talent is needed.

Explore their website for current offerings, including many virtual performances. If you would like to request an Art for Wellness Workshop or Art Kits for your program, please reach out to Lauren Talhelm at ltalhelm@pennstatehealth.psu.edu in the GME Office.

Website: https://sites.psu.edu/centerstage/

Details: Email Kerry Royer at kroyer@pennstatehealth.psu.edu

Meditation break

Heart Rhythm Meditation is a simple way to help reduce stress and enhance resilience. Everyone can meditate - no prior experience required.

Meetings: Wednesdays noon to 12:30 p.m. via Zoom Audio

Details: Email Lisa Hanlon Wilhelm at lwilhelm@pennstatehealth.psu.edu or see the Infonet calendar for details (Penn State Health ePass login required)

Mindfulness practice community

Details: Email Timothy Riley, MD, at triley1@pennstatehealth.psu.edu or mindfulness@pennstatehealth.psu.edu for the Zoom link and to receive weekly reminders.

University Fitness Center specialty classes

University Fitness Center offers specialty classes throughout the year open to both members and non-members. Many focus on mindfulness disciplines. Sessions include topics such as Kundalini Yoga, Kendo, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Tactical Hapkido and Systema, Tai Chi and QiGong, and Yoga for Complete Health.

Details: See the fitness center website

Environmental Wellness

Good health is promoted by occupying pleasant, stimulating environments that support well-being.

There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to environmental wellness. Each person has to find what works best for themselves.

A number of features of the institution can help promote environmental wellness, including:

Private rooms are available on campus for nursing mothers. Lactation services, human resources or the GME office can provide the most up-to-date information on their locations.

Healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner options are available in the cafeteria. Each resident receives a set amount of money, based on program, to be used at all dining facilities on campus.

The organization has walking meeting capabilities.

There are several hydration stations around campus, with additional ones to come.

Financial Wellness

Satisfaction with current and future financial situations is a part of overall wellness and balance.

Financial stresses can be significant, and having a plan for and managing them is the best way to promote wellness in this area.

A number of financial resources are available, including:

One-on-one counseling with on-site Empower Retirement representatives to discuss future financial planning can be arranged by calling 717-531-1878.

SupportLinc. offers online financial resources to help with budgeting, planning and saving.

The GME office offers quarterly GME personal finance lectures.

A discount program through Abenity is applicable to services such as cell phones, travel, movie tickets, theme parks, automobile services and more.

Other General Wellness Resources

ACGME

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) offers several tools and resources on topics such as identifying and addressing burnout; promoting well-being; assessing and addressing emotional and psychological distress, depression and suicide; improving the learning and working environment; and coping with tragedy.

Details: See the ACGME website

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention offers online resources around health care professional burnout, depression and suicide prevention.

Details: See the AFSP website

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.

Details: See the website

Mental Health America

Mental Health America offers online screening tools for various concerns.

Details: Take online screenings for depression, anxiety, bipolar, PTSD, addiction, psychosis or eating disorders

TED talks

Many inspiring TED talks can be found on the following playlists

Good health is promoted by occupying pleasant, stimulating environments that support well-being.

There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to environmental wellness. Each person has to find what works best for themselves.

A number of features of the institution can help promote environmental wellness, including:

Private rooms are available on campus for nursing mothers. Lactation services, human resources or the GME office can provide the most up-to-date information on their locations.

Healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner options are available in the cafeteria. Each resident receives a set amount of money, based on program, to be used at all dining facilities on campus.

The organization has walking meeting capabilities.

There are several hydration stations around campus, with additional ones to come.

Satisfaction with current and future financial situations is a part of overall wellness and balance.

Financial stresses can be significant, and having a plan for and managing them is the best way to promote wellness in this area.

A number of financial resources are available, including:

One-on-one counseling with on-site Empower Retirement representatives to discuss future financial planning can be arranged by calling 717-531-1878.

SupportLinc. offers online financial resources to help with budgeting, planning and saving.

The GME office offers quarterly GME personal finance lectures.

A discount program through Abenity is applicable to services such as cell phones, travel, movie tickets, theme parks, automobile services and more.

ACGME

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) offers several tools and resources on topics such as identifying and addressing burnout; promoting well-being; assessing and addressing emotional and psychological distress, depression and suicide; improving the learning and working environment; and coping with tragedy.

Details: See the ACGME website

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention offers online resources around health care professional burnout, depression and suicide prevention.

Details: See the AFSP website

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.

Details: See the website

Mental Health America

Mental Health America offers online screening tools for various concerns.

Details: Take online screenings for depression, anxiety, bipolar, PTSD, addiction, psychosis or eating disorders

TED talks

Many inspiring TED talks can be found on the following playlists

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Resident and Fellow Wellness - Penn State College of Medicine Residencies and Fellowships

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Learn about wellness resources available to residents and fellows at Penn State Health/Penn State College of Medicine.

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Our GME Office website dives into everything we offer here at Penn State: benefits, contracts, salaries, policies, eligibility criteria, wellness, and mistreatment.

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Penn State College of Medicine Residencies and Fellowships

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The background image is A Penn State Nittany Lion statue is seen in the courtyard of Penn State College of Medicine in Summer 2016. The statue is in focus toward the right side of the image. Out of focus in the background, green plants and trees are visible in the courtyard.

Are you ready to take your training to the next level? Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine sponsor more than 70 ACGME-accredited residency and fellowship programs.

The background image is An outdoor courtyard at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center shows a statue of the Penn State Nittany Lion mascot, several large trees making an arch and a set of outdoor dining tables.

We are committed to establishing and maintaining high-quality graduate medical education programs. Our dedicated faculty, excellent clinical and basic science departments and nationally recognized research programs, coupled with our diverse patient population, cultivate the optimal environment to help future leaders in the art and science of medicine to learn and flourish.

Our location in Hershey, Pennsylvania, allows us to provide primary through quaternary care for the surrounding community-based practices and their patients as well as referrals from both rural and metropolitan areas, such as the state capital of Harrisburg.

Outside of the medical center, the central Pennsylvania area provides a wide variety of experiences, ranging from outdoor activities to major musical and theatrical productions. The proximity to Philadelphia, Baltimore/Washington, D.C., New York City and the New Jersey shore makes Hershey the perfect location for those wishing additional opportunities to explore and relax.

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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.

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Residencies and Fellowships - Penn State College of Medicine Residencies and Fellowships

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Skip to content The background image is A Penn State Nittany Lion statue is seen in the courtyard of Penn State College of Medicine in Summer 2016. The statue is in focus toward the right side of the image. Out of focus in the background, green plants and trees are visible in the courtyard.

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Benefits and Agreements - Residencies and Fellowships

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See the benefits offered to residents and fellows in ACGME-accredited programs at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

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Office of Diversity, Equity and Belonging

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The Office of Diversity, Equity and Belonging is committed to embracing the individual uniqueness of its students and workforce - that respects and va…

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This is a brief history of our hospital.

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You will be greeted by our registration staff and asked to provide basic information about your injury or illness. A registered nurse will evaluate your symptoms and check your vital signs, medical history and current medications. You may be seen by a provider in triage. This will aid in beginning your workup as quickly as possible.

The triage process allows the more seriously ill or injured patients to be seen first, even if they arrive after other patients. We know that waiting can be frustrating and we want to thank you in advance for your patience.
What's next?
You will either be placed in a patient care area or in the waiting area. Our ED staff may begin tests, including labs and radiology studies, if needed. It is our goal to reevaluate your condition every two hours, but if you feel your condition has changed, let one of our staff members know immediately. Please do not eat or drink anything until first checking with one of our registered nurses.
What happens in the patient care area?
You will be examined by a physician who specializes in emergency medicine. Based on your condition, you will receive additional tests and treatments. It may take two hours or more to get your test results. A registered nurse will keep you informed about what is happening with your treatment.

You may be asked the same questions by multiple members of our team so we have the most accurate information. This is done to verify your identity and provide you with safe, high-quality care.
How long does it take for specialist consultations, lab and radiologist results?
A consultation with a provider who specializes in your illness may take at least one hour, but could take up to several hours. The following times for lab and radiology results may vary depending on patient volume and the severity of your condition.
Can I have visitors?
Get the latest information about how Penn State Health is managing COVID-19.
What happens after I am treated?
Your illness or injury may require admission to Hershey Medical Center. A staff member will transport you to an available bed. If your condition requires treatment that is not available at Hershey Medical Center, you will be transferred to an appropriate health care facility.
What happens when I am discharged?
Patients who are discharged home are given complete after-care instructions and prescriptions, as needed.
What special care do pediatric patients receive?
Our Emergency Department has an area dedicated to patients under age 18 with staff members who have special training in pediatric emergency medicine. At least one parent or legal guardian must remain with their child at all times. Blue bracelets are provided to positively link the caregiver and child.
Patient Portal
My Penn State Health is a secure website where you can schedule appointments, email your health care provider, check test results, refill prescriptions and pay your bill.
Billing
For questions about your copay or the billing process, our registration team can assist you.
We value your feedback
Our goal is to provide each patient with the highest-quality emergency medical care. If you have any questions or concerns about the care you received in the ED, please contact Patient Relations at 717-531-6311, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. You may also take a few moments to answer a brief, three-question survey about your visit.

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Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

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You will be greeted by our registration staff and asked to provide basic information about your injury or illness. A registered nurse will evaluate your symptoms and check your vital signs, medical history and current medications. You may be seen by a provider in triage.

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Please get familiar with our state-of-the-art hospital, and check out the Children's Hospital on the tour.

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The background image is The front of the Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center is shown

A screenshot of the Penn State College of Medicine virtual tour application.

Welcome to the Penn State College of Medicine virtual tour. We invite you to learn more about our college as well as our health care system, Penn State Health, which is where many of our students, residents and fellows train. Penn State College of Medicine is a part of a large academic medical center located in central Pennsylvania. Penn State Health is a multi-hospital health system serving patients and communities across 29 counties of Pennsylvania. This tour is designed as a 360-degree tour to explore our facilities in Hershey, Pa., as well as provide highlights from some of our other facilities.

Careers

Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Health employ thousands of people throughout Central Pennsylvania. View our openings for faculty, clinical and staff.

Working With Us

With operations across over 100 locations, professional development programs, and opportunities to learn alongside the best and brightest in health care and education, the growth opportunities are boundless.

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Virtual Tour - Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Health

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Skip to content The background image is The front of the Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center is shown A screenshot of the Penn State College of Medicine virtual tour application. Welcome to the Penn State College of Medicine virtual tour.

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2024-2025 Pediatric Fellow Photo Roster Final 1-13-25

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PSU Game with our Pediatric Heme/Onc Fellows

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PSU Game with our Pediatric Heme/Onc Fellows

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Pediatric Rheumatology Fun with Dr. Hahn!

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Pediatric Rheumatology Fun with Dr. Hahn!

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Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Black Tie Event 

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Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Black Tie Event 

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Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Graduation 

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Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Graduation 

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Pediatric GME Fellowship Coordinator Team 

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Pediatric GME Fellowship Coordinator Team 

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Dr. Danielle Smith, NICU Fellow, receiving a teaching award from our Pediatric Residency Program. 

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Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Graduation 

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Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Graduation 

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Pediatric Rheumatology Fellowship Graduation 

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Pediatric Rheumatology Fellowship Graduation 

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Shop small and support local at our NEW Farmers Market in Hershey!

We are so excited for you to finally experience both floors of amazing vendors. The Market Level includes more of your quintessential farmers market vendors. Fill your complimentary UPMC market bags with your deli-meats, bakery items, produce, bulk nuts, dairy products, fresh juice, pet treats and other incredible finds. The Market Level vendors are open every Thursday - Saturday from 8:00-4:30.
Our Market operating hours are Thursday, Friday and Saturday 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Our Market Level vendors are open 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Select First Floor vendors may offer additional hours on Wednesday and you will see those hours posted at each kiosk.
All of our vendors are locally owned small-businesses and they have worked tirelessly to prepare their stands and perfect their offerings for you. They have pushed through construction delays, supply-chain challenges, labor shortages, and much more to finally be able to open. We are so proud of each and every vendor and we can't thank you enough for including a stop at the Fresh Market in your local shopping and dining routine! We hope to see you soon as you visit downtown Hershey, Hersheypark, Chocolate World, Zoo America and more!

About Us

Welcome to the new Fresh Market located in charming downtown Hershey, PA. Our farmers market offers a variety of locally-grown produce, meats, baked goods, and unique culinary delights. With over 40 vendors and retailers covering 25,000 square feet in a beautifully renovated Historical Building, the Fresh Market offers an inviting and notable experience for all. Visitors to the Market will discover two spacious floors that showcase the best of what our local Central Pennsylvania farmers, bakers, and food vendors have to offer. Come out for a one-of-a-kind casual dining experience, and discover local vendors who offer flavorful prepared foods offerings for breakfast, lunch and dinner. From soup to sandwiches, and full course meals, we have something special for any appetite.

Our Market operating hours are Thursday, Friday and Saturday 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Our Market Level vendors are open 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Select First Floor vendors may offer additional hours on Wednesday and you will see those hours posted at each kiosk. Individual vendor hours may vary by location. Please visit our vendor directory to learn more.

Follow us on social media for market events and updates!

The Fresh Market is centrally located in the heart of Hershey, Pennsylvania, adjacent to Hersheypark in the new Hershey Towne Square. An adjacent parking garage provides four season weather protection to all market customers. The market resides in the old Hershey Abattoir (Post Office) building that was built in the late 1930's. Keeping the original structure in place protects its heritage and architecture and enriches the market experience for all customers to enjoy.

We are currently accepting vendors, if you are interested and would like to take a tour, please contact us at 717-508-7079, or freshmarkethershey@gmail.com

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The Fresh Market at Hershey Towne Square is centrally located in the heart of Hershey, Pennsylvania, adjacent to Hershey Park in the new Hershey Towne Square.

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Central Pennsylvania is known for its natural beauty, low cost of living and diverse experiences. Just like the surrounding area, Penn State College of Medicine offers an inclusive and welcoming environment toward people from all walks of life.

While you're here, you're part of a community working to impact and improve Central PA, making this region a happy and healthy place to live.

Where's Hershey?

Hershey is next door to the state capital, Harrisburg, historic Lancaster and Gettysburg. And it's easy to get to some of the Mid-Atlantic's largest metros.

Philadelphia (1.5 hours)

Baltimore (1.5 hours)

New York City (2.5 hours)

Washington, D.C. (2.5 hours)

Pittsburgh (3.5 hours)

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Skip to content Central Pennsylvania is known for its natural beauty, low cost of living and diverse experiences. Just like the surrounding area, Penn State College of Medicine offers an inclusive and welcoming environment toward people from all walks of life.

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Visit Hershey & Harrisburg - Things to Do in Pennsylvania - Visit Pennsylvania

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Looking for things to do in Pennsylvania? The Hershey Harrisburg area is a destination for family fun, grown-up getaways, and outdoor adventure. Discover exciting things to do with the kids, drink local at our craft breweries and vineyards, and explore miles of scenic trails and green spaces!