In 2006, Penn State College of Medicine, began offering the first master's in homeland security degree with a public health preparedness focus through Penn State's World Campus, the University's online education program.

Research by cancer geneticist with the Jake Gittlen Cancer Research Foundation in the Penn State Cancer Institute and an anthropologist at Penn State University found that a just one amino acid in a single gene plays a major role in determining skin color. The discovery was the cover story for the December 16, 2005 issue of Science.

The editors of Health Imaging and IT magazine have honored Penn State Hershey Medical Center as one of the nation’s top ten health care facilities for connecting digital imaging and information technology systems (2005).

Penn State Hershey Medical Center earned national Research Corporation Consumer Choice Award for the sixth consecutive year (2000-05).

More than 125 Penn State Hershey Medical Center physicians were selected for inclusion in The Best Doctors in America.

Full Trauma Accreditation from Pennsylvania Trauma Systems.

In 2005, Solucient named Penn State Hershey Medical Center one of the top 100 heart hospitals for the second time and also was included in Solucient’s list of 100 Top Performance Improvement Leaders for having fast and consistent organization wide improvement over a five-year period.

Previously Solucient named the Medical Center one of the top 100 intensive care hospitals in the nation (2002).

Arrow Lionheart^TM recipient at Penn State Hershey Medical Center become the first U.S. patient to go home after receiving the heart-assist device; received heart transplant one year later.

More than 150 pediatric medical and surgical specialists renowned in specialties such as oncology, cardiology, and critical care.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Level III—the highest level NICU—serves as a referral center for nurseries and other NICUs throughout central Pennsylvania.

Region’s most advanced Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)—received the highest rating for its care to medical, surgical, and trauma patients.

Penn State’s Children’s Hospital provides state of the art care to more than 250,000 children annually, and that number continues to grow.

Penn State’s College of Medicine is one of the nation’s youngest medical schools. Since the first class was admitted in 1967, more than 3,500 physicians have graduated from the college.

A College of Medicine scientist discovered the first molecular therapy to target cancer-causing components and destroy the human papillomavirus.

A Medical Center researcher was awarded a patent for his invention, the nasal oral respiratory interface (NORI), a device that offers a safer, better way of stabilizing tubes that enter the mouths and throats of newborn babies. (March 2005)