Elizabethtown College announced the opening of the Penn Medicine Elizabethtown College Medical Center just before the fall semester began.
The center is located at 530 East Cedar St., directly across from Ober Residence Hall.
Aug. 20 marked the official opening of the facility, and students now have access to on-campus medical care. The change came after years of students needing to go to locations off campus like Urgent Care and Penn State Health Medical for medical attention.
The staff currently consists of Dr. Megan Solyak, Carrie Shoop, a physician assistant and Lori Hoffer, a registered nurse. Another physician assistant, Kim Bourke, will be joining the team this upcoming January.
Junior Gwyneth Young has a history with Penn Medicine that makes her optimistic about the partnership. After suffering multiple leg injuries from running, Young turned to Penn Medicine, who she describes as her “life saver.”
“They helped perform the two surgeries on my leg to implant a metal rod into my tibia, they helped diagnose my hydration issues, iron issues, the list goes on,” Young said. “I have the utmost respect for the company, so it brings a sense of comfort and makes me at ease if I ever have to go there that the company is a company I hold so near and dear to my heart.”
She was not the only Elizabethtown student excited about the news.
A student who wishes to remain anonymous due to privacy concerns was very pleased with the news, after having a negative experience two years ago.
“In my freshman year, I got very sick.. I did not know the procedure for health emergencies, so after calling around to different services, I learned that I would have to go to urgent care. But since I did not have a car, I had to get an Uber, all while hoping I did not get sick in the car,,” the student explained.
“I ended up being fine, but if it had been something else, it could have gone bad,” they said. “I would never want any other student to have to go through that, so the addition of this medical center is great for Etown.”
The facility hosted an open house on Aug. 29, giving students the chance to view the space and get acquainted with the new service. Attendees had the opportunity to learn about the medical care provided.
These include same-day and next-day sick appointments, prescriptions for certain medications, virtual care, labs, bloodwork with rapid results, annual physical exams and other wellness services. Students can also get flu and allergy shots along with other vaccines.
The amenities are currently available for students only, but beginning in 2025, it will be open to employees of the college who have designated this as their medical insurance coverage.
The center is hosting a ribbon cutting ceremony at 1 p.m. Oct. 18.All are encouraged to attend the event, as members of the campus community and partners from Penn Medicine will be present to celebrate.
To schedule an appointment, students can call the office at 717-588-1059 and speak to an employee. The facility is open Monday through Friday and the varying hours for each day can be found on their website.
“Whether you choose our location as your primary practice or use it as needed while enrolled at Elizabethtown College, we’re here to support your health and wellness throughout your time at Etown,” the College said in the statement.
