“My best days as a doctor are when I’m able to form connections with people and support them through their challenges and triumphs, big and small,” Dr. Hackenberger says. “My goal as a physician is to provide the best possible care to keep people healthy and well. This includes staying up to date with the evidence that guides safe and effective medical decision making, listening to individuals’ wishes and concerns and using these to tailor care, and connecting patients with additional resources to support their health.”

Dr. Hackenberger chose to join Mount Nittany Physician Group because of its dedication to providing high-quality care for the community. “After meeting the caregivers and leadership, it was apparent that they prioritize patients’ needs while also supporting their providers’ wellbeing so that we can remain passionate about and committed to our individual roles with the common goal of delivering the best care for our patients.”

Dr. Hackenberger earned her medical degree at the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, and she completed her internal medicine residency at the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH.

She participated in the Sepsis Quality Improvement Project, an interdisciplinary SolVE (Solutions for Value Enhancement) project focused on designing interventions to improve the time to antibiotic administration for patients who become septic during hospital admission and require transfer to the medical intensive care unit. During her residency, Dr. Hackenberger also participated in a Quality & Patient Safety elective course to enhance knowledge of how to conduct and analyze quality improvement research.

Having grown up in central Pennsylvania, Dr. Hackenberger entered the field of medicine with the intention of returning to care for the people of this community. “Throughout my medical education, I strove to obtain the best possible training so that I could bring exceptional skills and knowledge back home and apply them for the betterment of our patients,” she says. “I am excited for the opportunity to finally put this dream into action as a part of the Mount Nittany Health team. I’m passionate about combining my medical expertise with patients’ unique values and perspectives so that together we can prevent or manage illness, empower patients to reach their health and wellness goals, and keep them feeling their best.”