There is a small Pennsylvania town that most people associate with chocolate bars and roller coasters, but tucked behind that sugary reputation is something genuinely surprising. Hershey, Pennsylvania, is home to one of the most respected academic medical centers in the entire country, drawing patients and researchers from across the nation.
The same community that built an amusement park and a chocolate empire also quietly became a hub for cutting-edge medicine, pioneering surgery, and world-class specialty care. If you think you already know everything about the Sweetest Place on Earth, keep reading, because what this town has built in the world of healthcare will genuinely change how you see it.
A Sanctuary of Healing: Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
Most people do not expect a world-class medical institution when they picture Hershey, Pennsylvania, but Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center at 500 University Drive, Hershey, PA 17033, changes that expectation immediately.
This is central Pennsylvania’s only locally based academic medical center, and its scale is remarkable. The campus stretches across 550 acres, housing everything from specialized clinics to advanced research laboratories, all working together under one mission.
Healthgrades has recognized this facility as one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for three consecutive years, placing it firmly in the top one percent for overall clinical excellence nationwide.
Newsweek’s “World’s Best Hospitals 2026” ranking positioned the medical center 48th nationally and third in Pennsylvania, a standing that reflects years of disciplined innovation and patient-centered care.
Few communities of Hershey’s size can claim this level of medical prestige, and that contrast between small-town charm and big-league healthcare is exactly what makes this destination so genuinely fascinating.
The $50 Million Phone Call That Started It All
Few medical institutions can trace their origin to a single phone call, but the story of Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center begins with exactly that.
In 1963, Samuel L. Hinkle, then president and chairman of the Hershey Chocolate Corporation, reached out to Penn State president Dr. Eric E.
Walker to discuss establishing a medical school and teaching hospital in Hershey.
That conversation led to the M. S.
Hershey Foundation donating a remarkable $50 million to The Pennsylvania State University, supplemented by an additional $21.3 million from the U.S. Public Health Service.
Ground was broken in 1966, and by 1967 the Penn State College of Medicine welcomed its very first class of students.
The medical center officially opened its doors and accepted its first patients on October 14, 1970, marking the beginning of a healthcare legacy that continues to grow stronger with every passing decade.
The First Medical School to Teach Humanity Alongside Medicine
There is something quietly remarkable about a medical school that understood from day one that great doctors need more than clinical training.
Penn State College of Medicine, located on the Hershey campus, became the very first medical school in the nation to establish dedicated Departments of Humanities and Family and Community Medicine as original founding departments, not additions made years later.
That decision sent a clear signal: this institution believed that empathy, ethical reasoning, and community health were just as critical as anatomy or pharmacology.
The humanities department pushed students to think about medicine through the lens of culture, ethics, and the full human experience, producing physicians who treat the whole person rather than just a diagnosis.
Decades later, that philosophy still shapes how students are trained here, and the ripple effect is visible in the quality of patient care delivered throughout the medical center every single day.
Pennsylvania’s Only Level I Trauma Center for Children and Adults
Pennsylvania has many hospitals, but only one holds the distinction of being the state’s sole nationally verified Level I Trauma Center for both children and adults, and that facility is right here in Hershey.
A Level I designation is the highest possible classification for trauma care, requiring round-the-clock availability of specialists, surgical teams, and advanced equipment capable of handling the most severe and complex injuries imaginable.
For communities across central Pennsylvania, this designation is not just a badge of honor; it is a genuine lifeline.
Patients who might otherwise face lengthy transfers to distant facilities can receive immediate, expert care right here, which makes a measurable difference in outcomes during critical moments.
Penn State Health Golisano Children’s Hospital, located on the same campus, extends this commitment to younger patients specifically, serving as the most comprehensive children’s hospital between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia and ensuring that families across the region have access to specialized pediatric care close to home.
National Rankings That Place Hershey Among the Country’s Medical Elite
National rankings in healthcare are hard-earned, and the numbers attached to Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center tell a story of consistent, measurable excellence across multiple specialties.
U.S. News and World Report’s 2025-26 rankings placed the medical center 46th nationally in gastroenterology and GI surgery, 49th in orthopedics, and 40th in ear, nose, and throat care, three highly competitive fields where the margins between good and exceptional are razor-thin.
Beyond those ranked specialties, the facility is also rated “high-performing” in cancer, geriatrics, neurology and neurosurgery, pulmonology and lung surgery, and urology.
That is eight specialty areas receiving national recognition simultaneously, a feat that speaks to the depth of talent and resources concentrated on this single campus.
For patients navigating complex diagnoses, these rankings carry real weight, offering a clear, data-backed reason to trust that the care available here meets some of the highest standards in the country.
A Campus That Keeps Growing to Meet the Future
When the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center first opened in 1970, it occupied 318 acres, which at the time felt generous for a single medical institution.
Today, the campus has expanded to 550 acres, a physical reflection of the growing demand for advanced patient care, expanded research programs, and comprehensive medical education that has developed over more than five decades.
New buildings and specialized institutes have been added thoughtfully over the years, including the Penn State Cancer Institute, which centralizes oncology expertise and fosters collaborative research across disciplines.
Walking the campus today reveals a blend of foundational structures from the early years alongside sleek, modern facilities equipped with the latest technology, each addition built to serve an evolving understanding of what excellent healthcare requires.
This ongoing expansion signals something important: the medical center is not resting on its reputation but actively investing in its capacity to deliver better care, train sharper clinicians, and push medical research further than the generation before it did.
Research and Breakthroughs That Changed Lives
The clinical care at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center is impressive on its own, but the research happening behind the scenes is what truly elevates this institution into a different category.
Faculty and staff actively pursue medical advances through clinical trials and laboratory research, with a clear goal of translating discoveries into better treatments for real patients.
One early and striking example came in the 1970s, when researchers led by Dr. William Pierce developed the Penn State heart-assist pump, a device used as a bridge for patients awaiting cardiac transplantation.
That kind of invention, born from academic curiosity and clinical need, represents exactly what an academic medical center is designed to produce.
Today, research spans artificial organ development, advanced diagnostics, cancer treatment innovation, and investigations into the root causes of complex diseases, each project carrying the potential to reshape how medicine is practiced, not just in Hershey, but across the broader world of healthcare.
Milton Hershey’s Vision: A Town Built for People, Not Just Profit
Long before the medical center ever existed, Hershey, Pennsylvania, was already an experiment in generosity.
Milton S. Hershey did not just build a chocolate factory; he deliberately constructed an entire planned community around it, designed to give his workers access to modern housing, recreational facilities, schools, and public spaces that most industrial towns of the era simply did not offer.
Streets lined with trees, a trolley system, a public park, a community center, and even a school for orphaned boys all emerged from his vision of what a company town could and should be.
During the Great Depression, when most businesses contracted, Hershey launched a “Great Building Campaign,” constructing major landmarks specifically to provide employment and keep the community stable.
That spirit of putting people first became the cultural DNA of the entire town, and it is not hard to see how the same community that embraced such broad-minded generosity eventually became home to one of the country’s most patient-focused academic medical centers.
Chocolate, Coasters, and Community: Life Beyond the Hospital
A town that houses a nationally ranked medical center could easily feel serious and clinical, but Hershey, Pennsylvania, has a playful side that keeps the whole experience balanced.
Hersheypark, one of the region’s premier amusement parks, offers roller coasters, water rides, and family attractions that have been drawing visitors since 1907, when the park began as a modest green space for factory workers before growing into a full-scale destination.
Adjacent to the park, Hershey’s Chocolate World provides a free chocolate-making tour ride, a massive retail experience, and interactive chocolate-tasting options that lean fully into the town’s sweet identity.
Hershey Gardens, a beautifully maintained botanical park overlooking the town, offers a calmer alternative, with themed gardens, a butterfly house, and seasonal floral displays worth strolling through at any pace.
ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park rounds out the family options with native animal exhibits, making Hershey a genuinely complete destination that serves visitors of every age and interest level.
Trails, Fresh Air, and Outdoor Life on the Medical Campus
One of the more unexpected features of the Hershey Medical Center campus is that it doubles as a legitimate outdoor recreation destination.
In partnership with Penn State University and SAMBA, ten miles of biking trails have been developed directly on the medical campus, offering routes for every skill level from casual cyclists looking for a scenic ride to more technical riders seeking a genuine challenge.
The East side of the trail system tends to be more accessible, with rolling terrain and natural scenery that makes it popular for early morning rides before the day gets busy.
The West side offers rockier, more technical terrain that rewards experienced riders with a proper workout and some genuinely engaging trail features.
Beyond the campus itself, nearby Wildwood Park and trails along the Susquehanna River in adjacent Harrisburg offer even more options for anyone who wants to pair a visit to Hershey’s medical facilities with a proper outdoor adventure.
Culture, History, and Architecture Woven Into Every Street
Hershey rewards curious visitors who look past the chocolate wrappers and find the layers of cultural history embedded in the town’s architecture and museums.
The Hershey Story, The Museum on Chocolate Avenue, offers a detailed and engaging portrait of Milton Hershey’s life, from his early business failures to his eventual chocolate empire and the philanthropic legacy that shaped an entire community.
The Hershey Theatre, built during the Great Depression-era “Great Building Campaign,” is a stunning architectural landmark featuring ornate interior design that makes it one of the most visually striking performance venues in central Pennsylvania.
The Hershey-Derry Township Historical Society and Museum fills in the local details, preserving stories and artifacts that bring the town’s unique origin to life in ways the bigger attractions cannot.
Together, these cultural touchpoints transform a visit to Hershey from a simple day trip into something closer to an education, revealing a community whose depth far exceeds what its sugary reputation might initially suggest.
Planning Your Visit: Practical Tips for Getting the Most Out of Hershey
Getting to Hershey is straightforward from most points along the East Coast, with approximate drive times of about one hour and thirty minutes from Baltimore and roughly two hours from Philadelphia, making it a practical destination for a day trip or a longer stay.
For those visiting the medical center specifically, valet parking is available at 30 Hope Drive and the University Physician Center on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the Centerview Parking Garage provides an additional self-parking option.
Capital Region Fixed Route Bus Route 322 runs regular weekday service from Harrisburg directly to the Hershey Medical Center stop, a useful option for those who prefer not to drive.
Accommodations range from the iconic Hotel Hershey, which offers a full spa and shuttle services to local attractions, to more affordable hotels and inns scattered throughout the surrounding area.
Checking current hours and reservation requirements directly with each attraction or medical department before arrival is always a smart move, since schedules do shift seasonally and details can change without much notice.
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