Welcome to the Department of Medicine
From the Chair
Dr. Robert Aber, M.D., M.A.C.P.
Since its founding in 1969, The Department of Medicine has been committed to the excellence in each of our missions –Education, Patient Care, Research, and Service. The Department is the largest and, arguably, the most complex in the College of Medicine and Medical Center, and comprises 10 Divisions and several programs, approximately 200 faculty, 90 residents, 60 fellows, and 96 staff members.
Faculty engage learners at all levels, including students enrolled in our medical and graduate schools, residents, fellows, and physician colleagues. We have 10 ACGME accredited fellowship programs. Ten faculty have been selected to join the College’s Academy of Distinguished Educators since its founding in 2002, and many more have received a Department teaching or mentoring award over the years.
Patient care includes busy inpatient services in Cardiology, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, General Internal Medicine (hospitalists), and Critical Care Medicine. Our outpatient visits have grown substantially over the years now approaching 100,000 per year. Many of our physicians are recognized each year as being among the top 10% nationally in patient satisfaction scores, and are included among the top doctors in America. Our focus on providing highest quality of care and patient safety has intensified over the past several years.
Our research programs are quite broad, and have reached over $50 million in total sponsored research at the end of the 2011 fiscal year. Faculty in the department have lead our recent successful application for an NIH Clinical and Translational Science Award. Penn State University is a top tier public research university in America, and many of our faculty engage in collaborative research with faculty in other Colleges at Penn State. Residents, fellows, and medical/graduate students participate in clinical, basic, or translational research with our faculty.
Service includes activities within the College of Medicine and Medical Center; participation in local, regional, national, and international organizations and societies; and activities in the community. One example is participation of our faculty and residents in Lion Care, a student-run organization which provides free health care to homeless persons in nearby Harrisburg.
I invite you to explore our website to learn more about us, and to contact me directly with any questions or comments. Thank you for visiting!
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The Medical Minute: Genetic testing for breast cancer risk
Dr. Rena Kass, director of Penn State Hershey Breast Center, said actress Angelina Jolie’s announcement regarding her double mastectomy is great publicity that will raise awareness about the genetic component of many cancers.More...
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CLIMB program puts families dealing with cancer first
Penn State Hershey is hosting another session of CLIMB: Children’s Lives Include Moments of Bravery. Developed by the Children’s Treehouse Foundation, this five-week program sponsored by Penn State Hershey Breast Center addresses the psychosocial aspects of cancer as they relate to the family unit.More...
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Farmers Market in Hershey launches fourth season
On Thursday, May 23, the Farmers Market in Hershey will return for its fourth season with plenty of new offerings.More...
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Penn State Hershey experts to present on IBD
In an effort to help patients living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis in central Pennsylvania, Penn State Hershey Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center experts, led by Dr. Walter Koltun, will host a patient symposium.More...