Primary Care Doctors — State College & Lock Haven, PA

34 providers compared. Ranked for proactive care, accumulated experience, and older-adult fit.

★ Start with these three calls

Dr. Paul Guillard, MD — #1, fit 9.5

The only board-certified geriatrician in the corridor taking community patients. 45 yrs. Two offices in State College.

Dr. Franklin Berkey, DO — #2, fit 9.4

Penn State Health. 4.9 ⭐ across 242 reviews — highest review volume of any doctor on this list. Dual board: family + palliative.

(814) 235-2480

Dr. Mary Piergallini, MD — #3, fit 9.4

Independent solo practice, Lock Haven. 35+ yrs. Owns her schedule. Confirmed accepting new patients.

(570) 748-7400

Ranked snapshot all 34 providers, by fit score

#	Doctor / Practice	Town	Phone	New pts	Fit
1	Paul Guillard, MDNEWGuillard Internal Medicine / Mount Nittany — geriatrician	State College	(814) 237-3122	Verify	9.5
2	Franklin Berkey, DONEWPenn State Health — family + palliative · 4.9/242	State College	(814) 235-2480	Yes	9.4
3	Mary Piergallini, MDPleasant Valley Family Medicine (independent)	Lock Haven	(570) 748-7400	Yes	9.4
4	Stephen Pandolph, MDMount Nittany — Blue Course Dr. (internal medicine)	State College	(814) 237-3122	Verify	9.4
5	Karissa Thal, MDMount Nittany Bellefonte	Bellefonte	(814) 355-7322	Yes	9.2
6	Allison Holmes, DONEWPenn State Health Colonnade · 5.0/224	State College	(814) 272-4445	Verify	9.0
7	Marcus Powers, MDUPMC Family Medicine Lock Haven	Lock Haven	(570) 748-1260	Yes	8.9
8	Karen Brown, MDMount Nittany — Park Ave (family + palliative care)	State College	(814) 278-4680	Yes	8.8
9	Sarah McElroy, DOUPMC Family Medicine Lock Haven (does OMT)	Lock Haven	(570) 748-1260	Yes	8.7
10	Madhavi Singh, MDPenn State Health Family Medicine — Park Ave	State College	(814) 235-2480	Yes	8.5
11	Frank Guillard, MDNEWGeriatrician · UPenn-trained · Mount Nittany affiliated	State College	(814) 237-3122	Verify	8.3
12	Hussein Aboul-Hosn, MDNEWBellefonte Medical Clinic (independent) · 45+ yrs · 4.7/19	Bellefonte	(814) 353-3337	Yes	8.2
13	Mallory Schaffer, MDMount Nittany Penns Valley (family + sports med)	Spring Mills	(814) 422-8873	Not now	8.2
14	John Hanna, PA-CUPMC Family Medicine Lock Haven (PA, not MD)	Lock Haven	(570) 748-1260	Yes	8.1
15	Carrie Timko, MDUPMC Family Medicine Lock Haven	Lock Haven	(570) 748-1260	Yes	8.0
16	Internal Medicine Associates of State CollegeNEWIndependent IM · Dixon, Trusky, Pepe	State College	(814) 234-8800	Verify	7.8
17	Cara Ricotta, DOMount Nittany Philipsburg	Philipsburg	(814) 231-7000	Yes	7.8
18	Cynthia Alexander, MDNEWCentre Medical & Surgical Bellefonte · 5.0/5	Bellefonte	(814) 355-7322	Yes	7.7
19	Karthika Arulsothynathan, MDMount Nittany — Park Ave	State College	(814) 234-8800	Yes	7.6
20	Haven Health & WellnessIndependent NP/PA-led (no MD on site)	Lock Haven	(570) 337-3440	Yes	7.5
21	Wasiq Ahmad, MDMount Nittany / Penn Highlands	State College	(814) 235-2480	Verify	7.4
22	Drs. Short & FowlerMount Nittany Mifflin County	Reedsville	(717) 667-7720	Yes	7.3
23	Mitch Kovacs, MDPenn Highlands Family Medicine (new in 2024)	State College	(582) 220-2305	Yes	7.2
24	Penns Valley Family Medicine teamMount Nittany Penns Valley · Baitel confirmed accepting	Spring Mills	(814) 422-8873	Mixed	7.2
25	Jared Maurer, DONEWMount Nittany Philipsburg (joined Nov 2024)	Philipsburg	(814) 376-6200	Yes	7.1
26	Peter Thomas, DONEWInternal medicine · Pleasant Gap	Pleasant Gap	(814) 359-3421	Yes	7.0
27	Mount Nittany — Park Ave Internal Medicine teamMount Nittany Physician Group (multi-MD)	State College	(814) 278-4600	Yes	7.0
28	Penn State Health team — Park Ave & Benner PikePenn State Health Medical Group	State College	(814) 235-2480	Verify	7.0
29	Andrea Knab, MDMount Nittany — Park Ave (internal + hospital)	State College	(814) 231-7000	Verify	7.0
30	David Luo, DONEWUPMC Lock Haven · Johns Hopkins MPH · 0 reviews	Lock Haven	(570) 769-1300	Yes	6.9
31	Colby Welshans, PA-CHaven Family Practice / UPMC Lock Haven	Lock Haven	(570) 769-1300	Yes	6.8
32	Lock Haven Medical Center — Dr. Bharat AdrojaSmall independent · internal + family medicine	Lock Haven	(570) 748-1550	Yes	6.6
33	Mount Nittany Boalsburg teamNow Singh DO + Witkowski DO (joined Nov 2025)	Boalsburg	(814) 234-6701	Yes	6.5

New pts column: Yes confirmed accepting · Verify / Mixed conflicting signals across platforms · Not now not currently accepting · Verify no current data · NEW = added in the May 2026 research refresh.

Geriatrician spotlight if either parent is on Medicare with multiple specialists

Geriatricians have additional training specifically for older-adult care: polypharmacy, fall risk, cognitive screening, Medicare Annual Wellness Visits, advance care planning. The State College / Lock Haven corridor has two practicing geriatricians taking community patients — both Guillards, brothers from a Jefferson medical family. If either parent has 5+ medications or a complex specialty picture, these are the first calls.

#1Paul Guillard, MD NEW

9.5 / 10

Practice: Guillard Internal Medicine · also at Mount Nittany Park Ave · also Penn Highlands State College
Addresses: 905 University Dr. Suite 1, State College PA 16801 · 1850 E. Park Ave. Suite 302, State College · 239 Colonnade Blvd. (Penn Highlands)
Phone: (814) 237-3122
Training: Sidney Kimmel / Jefferson M.D. 1981 · residency Healtheast
Years: 45 · double-boarded Internal Medicine + Geriatric Medicine
Reviews: 5.0 ⭐ / 12 reviews (WebMD)

Why pick him

Only board-certified geriatrician in the corridor taking community patients. No one else offers this credential combination geographically.
45 years of practice — the deepest accumulated experience with polypharmacy + complex multi-specialist coordination of anyone on this list.
Patient reviews mention typical visit ~60 minutes — unhurried.
Multiple office locations across State College — geographic flexibility.
Specializes in: sleep apnea, arthritis, joint injections, complex older-adult cases.

Watch out for

Accepting-new-patients status is conflicting across platforms (WebMD says yes, Vitals says no). Call to confirm.
Long visits mean a fuller schedule — early call advised.

#11Frank Guillard, MD NEW

8.3 / 10

Practice: Independent · Mount Nittany Medical Center affiliated
Address: 1700 Old Gatesburg Rd. Suite 310, State College PA 16803
Phone: (814) 237-3122
Training: Hahnemann University M.D. · residency University of Pennsylvania Health System
Years: 20+ · double-boarded Internal Medicine + Geriatric Medicine
Reviews: 4.5 ⭐ / 4 reviews (WebMD)

Why pick him

Second board-certified geriatrician in the corridor — backup if Paul Guillard's panel is full.
UPenn internal medicine residency — top-tier academic training.
Treats older adults for sleep apnea, diabetes; performs cryotherapy.

Watch out for

WebMD currently shows "not accepting new patients" — status fluctuates; call.
Thin review base — only 4 patient ratings to work with.

Tier 1 · Standouts (fit ≥ 8.5)

#2Franklin Berkey, DO NEW

9.4 / 10

Practice: Penn State Health Medical Group — Park Avenue · Family Medicine + Hospice/Palliative Care
Address: 143 Hospital Dr. Suite 207, State College PA 16803
Phone: (814) 235-2480
Training: Dual board: Family Medicine + Hospice & Palliative Care · Associate Director, Family & Community Medicine Residency at Mount Nittany
Years: 19+ post-residency
Reviews: 4.9 ⭐ / 242 patient satisfaction ratings — highest review volume of any provider on this entire list

Why pick him

The single largest body of consistently positive reviews of anyone in this report. 242 ratings at 4.9 is a real signal, not a small-sample artifact.
Same dual board as Karen Brown (Family + Palliative) — exceptional for chronic-pain and older-adult care.
Published clinical reviews on end-of-life care and "breaking bad news" — directly relevant to advance care planning conversations.
Trains the next generation of doctors — keeps him current with evidence.

Watch out for

Popular — expect a wait for new-patient slot. Worth the wait.
Penn State Health uses a centralized scheduling line — may take some persistence to book him specifically.

#3Mary Piergallini, MD

9.4 / 10

Practice: Pleasant Valley Family Medicine · independent solo-owner
Address: 401 High St., Flemington (also 208 E. Church St.), Lock Haven PA 17745
Phone: (570) 748-7400 · pvmed.com
Training: Penn State College of Medicine, M.D. 1991 · residency Fairfax Family Practice, VA
Years: 35+ (independent owner since 2003)
Hospitals: UPMC Lock Haven (Geisinger Jersey Shore admitting only)

Why pick her

Confirmed accepting new patients (Healthgrades, WebMD, practice site all agree). Telehealth available.
Owns her practice — sets her own schedule. No corporate 15-min template.
35 years means deep pattern recognition for complex / chronic presentations.
Reviews say: doesn't miss things; doesn't rush; patients fear her retiring.
PA on staff (Sondra Perry) for same-week acute visits without losing continuity.

Watch out for

~50 min commute from State College.
Yelp lists her at the secondary 208 E. Church St. address — confirm current location at booking.

#4Stephen Pandolph, MD

9.4 / 10

Practice: Mount Nittany Physician Group — Blue Course Drive · internal medicine
Address: 1700 Old Gatesburg Rd., State College PA 16803
Phone: (814) 237-3122
Training: Hahnemann (Drexel) M.D. 1978 · U.S. Army residency Walter Reed / Fort Belvoir · dual-boarded Family + Internal Medicine
Years: 48 (settled in Centre County 1986; no retirement announced as of May 2026)
Languages: English, Spanish

Why pick him

Medicare billing data shows 40–54 min visits — 2× the family-medicine norm.
Reviews repeatedly: "reads my chart before I arrive." Genuinely prepared.
48 yrs of practice + dual board cert = unusually deep clinical experience.
Same Mount Nittany specialist network as #5, #8.

Watch out for

Healthgrades says accepting, Vitals doesn't specify. He's 70+ — verify active full schedule before committing.
Plan for transition to a successor doctor within 5–10 yrs.

#5Karissa Thal, MD

9.2 / 10

Practice: Mount Nittany Physician Group Bellefonte
Address: 141 Medical Park Ln., Bellefonte PA 16823
Phone: (814) 355-7322
Hours: Mon–Thu 7a–6p, Fri 8a–5p (long hours — unusual)
Training: Penn State College of Medicine M.D. 2019 · residency at Mount Nittany (chief resident)
Years: 4 (post-residency)

Why pick her

Confirmed accepting new patients across all directories. Telehealth available.
Reviews: spent 1 hr 20 min on a new-patient headache visit. "I am going to find an answer" attitude.
Born & raised local. Trained by the doctor who delivered her. In it for the long haul.
Bellefonte is geographically central — ~25 min from both State College & Lock Haven.

Watch out for

Same office has Dr. William Wagner DO — see Avoid section, specifically the April 2024 allegation. Always ask for Dr. Thal by name, not "next available."
Early-career; less pattern recognition than 30-yr docs (offset by listening style).

#6Allison Holmes, DO NEW

9.0 / 10

Practice: Penn State Health Medical Group — Colonnade · Family Medicine
Address: 32 Colonnade Way, State College PA 16803
Phone: (814) 272-4445
Training: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) D.O. 2010 · Family Medicine residency ARIA Health System
Years: ~13 post-residency
Reviews: 5.0 ⭐ / 224 patient satisfaction ratings — second-highest review volume on this list

Why pick her

Central PA native who came back home — long-term community commitment.
224 reviews at perfect 5.0 is statistically rare. Patient experience signal is exceptionally strong.
Sports medicine interest gives extra musculoskeletal differential skill.
Colonnade location is on State College's west side — easier than the Park Ave campus from the western suburbs.

Watch out for

Penn State Health uses centralized scheduling — be persistent to book her specifically.
Accepting-new-patients status not explicit on her profile; the review volume suggests an established panel.

#7Marcus Powers, MD

8.9 / 10

Practice: UPMC Family Medicine Lock Haven
Address: 610 High St., Lock Haven PA 17745
Phone: (570) 748-1260 (UPMC directory) or (570) 748-1250
Training: American University of the Caribbean M.D. 2017 · residency Aspirus, Wausau WI
Years: 5
Hospitals: UPMC Lock Haven, UPMC Williamsport

Why pick him

Confirmed accepting new patients per UPMC's provider directory.
UPMC's own large-sample post-visit survey: sustained high satisfaction.
Reviews: arrives with records reviewed and a plan ready — proactive habit.
Same UPMC office as #9, #14, #15 — built-in coverage if he's out.

Watch out for

Caribbean med school may matter to some — but he passed all the same U.S. boards.
Only 5 yrs post-residency.

#8Karen Brown, MD

8.8 / 10

Practice: Mount Nittany — Park Avenue · Family + Hospice & Palliative Medicine
Address: 1850 E. Park Ave. Suite 302, State College PA 16803
Phone: (814) 278-4680
Training: Sidney Kimmel / Jefferson M.D. 1996 · residency Bryn Mawr (Main Line Health)
Years: 30 · double-boarded in Family Practice + Hospice/Palliative
Insurance: Aetna, BCBS, AmeriHealth Medicaid, others

Why pick her

Confirmed accepting new patients across all directories.
Palliative training is the rarest credential here for chronic-pain + older-adult care — palliative docs spend careers managing what can't be cured.
Won't be reflexively uncomfortable with neuropathic pain meds, low-dose naltrexone, careful opioid use when indicated.
Same building as Dr. Pandolph (#4) — internal cross-coverage, shared records.

Watch out for

Very thin public review volume (unusual for a 30-yr doctor) — go by training, not patient comments.
"Palliative" reads as "end-of-life" to some — it's not; it's symptom management at any stage.

#9Sarah McElroy, DO

8.7 / 10

Practice: UPMC Family Medicine Lock Haven · does OMT (hands-on manipulation)
Address: 610 High St., Lock Haven PA 17745
Phone: (570) 748-1260
Training: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) · residency Williamsport Family Medicine
Years: 18 · board certified Family Medicine + OMT
Reviews: 4.8–4.9 across hundreds on UPMC's own portal

Why pick her

Confirmed accepting new patients (UPMC directory, Healthgrades, WebMD).
OMT (osteopathic manual treatment) in her own exam room — meaningful evidence in chronic pain. No separate referral needed.
UPMC Williamsport access for downstream specialists (rheum, pain, neuro, sleep).
UPMC MyChart portal is well-built for between-visit messages.

Watch out for

UPMC is a large system — patient experience varies more than at independent practices.
Hospital admissions route to UPMC Williamsport (~30 min away).

#10Madhavi Singh, MD

8.5 / 10

Practice: Penn State Health Family Medicine — Park Avenue
Address: 1850 E. Park Ave. Suite 207, State College PA 16803
Phone: (814) 235-2480
Training: Gajra Raja Medical College M.D. 1995 · residency UPMC Altoona
Years: 31
Languages: English, Hindi, Chinese
Hospitals: Penn State Hershey, Mount Nittany

Why pick her

Confirmed accepting new patients across all directories.
Active publisher in American Family Physician — chronic kidney, AFib, pulmonary HT. Teaches what she practices.
Access to Penn State Hershey — one of PA's top academic referral centers.
Academic-medicine doctors tend to be more current and less dismissive of chronic conditions.

Watch out for

Reviews 4.0–4.3 — solid but not exceptional. Some front-desk friction (Penn State Health logistics).

Tier 2 · Strong alternatives (fit 7.5–8.4)

#12Hussein Aboul-Hosn, MD NEW

8.2 / 10

Practice: Bellefonte Medical Clinic · independent — not Mount Nittany, not Geisinger
Address: 527 Willowbank St., Bellefonte PA 16823
Phone: (814) 353-3337
Training: Université de Poitiers (France) M.D. · residency Englewood Hospital NJ · board-certified Internal Medicine
Years: 45+
Languages: English, French, Arabic
Reviews: 4.7 ⭐ / 19 reviews — strongest signal among new-list Bellefonte internists

Why pick him

Genuinely independent practice in a region dominated by large systems — rare in Bellefonte.
45 years of practice — deep pattern recognition.
4.7/19 is the strongest patient signal of any independent Bellefonte option.
Internal medicine training = good fit for adult chronic disease management.

Watch out for

French medical school is unusual; ABIM board certification is what matters and he holds it.
Small independent practice — confirm hospital admitting privileges at booking.

#13Mallory Schaffer, MD

8.2 / 10

Practice: Mount Nittany Penns Valley · Family + Sports Medicine
Address: 3631 Penns Valley Rd., Spring Mills PA 16875
Phone: (814) 422-8873
Training: Penn State College of Medicine M.D. · UPMC St. Margaret residency + sports medicine fellowship
Years: 6–10

Why pick her

Sports medicine fellowship = trained eye for musculoskeletal differential (arthritis, tendinopathy, hypermobility).
In-office ultrasound-guided injections — no separate pain-clinic referral.
~35–40 min drive from both State College and Lock Haven.

Watch out for

Still not accepting new family-medicine patients per Sharecare (verified May 2026). Practice splits with her sports medicine work at 164 Greeview Dr., State College — call before assuming.
Practice is rural; on-site specialty resources are limited.

#14John Hanna, PA-C

8.1 / 10

Practice: UPMC Family Medicine Lock Haven · physician assistant, not MD
Address: 1 Outlet Ln. Suite 400, Lock Haven (verify suite with UPMC)
Phone: (570) 748-1260
Training: Lock Haven University (B.S. + M.S.) · NCCPA-certified PA
Reviews: 5.0 ⭐ rating, confirmed accepting new patients

Why pick him

PA appointments typically allow more time than MD slots.
Reviews specifically mention: "sends me to the best specialists" — willing to refer out, not protect territory.
Lock Haven University grad who stayed local — long-term community commitment.
UPMC backing means MD supervisor available for complex calls.

Watch out for

For most complex differential-diagnostic work, an MD/DO has a marginal edge.
Some insurance plans charge differently for PA vs MD visits — confirm at scheduling.

#15Carrie Timko, MD

8.0 / 10

Practice: UPMC Family Medicine Lock Haven
Address: 610 High St., Lock Haven PA 17745
Phone: (570) 748-1260
Training: Drexel / Hahnemann M.D. · residency Williamsport Hospital
Reviews: 4.9 ⭐ / 282 ratings on UPMC's portal

Why pick her

Confirmed accepting new patients (UPMC's own tool overrides Sharecare's stale "not accepting").
Largest body of consistent positive UPMC reviews in Lock Haven.
Reviews emphasize active listening before assessing.
Same building/system as #7, #9, #14 — strong cross-coverage.

Watch out for

One review described confrontation about seeing another physician — she has strong opinions about care coordination. Good if you want a PCP "quarterback"; friction if you have outside specialists you trust.

#16Internal Medicine Associates of State College NEW

7.8 / 10

Practice: Independent internal medicine — not in any health system
Address: 1850 E. Park Ave. Suite 201, State College PA 16803
Phone: (814) 234-8800
Doctors: Richard Dixon MD · Jeanette Trusky MD · Peter Pepe MD
Insurance: Medicare accepted

Why pick it

Genuinely independent — rare in State College. Not Mount Nittany, not Penn State Health, not Penn Highlands.
Internal Medicine practice — better structural fit for adult chronic disease than family medicine.
Same building as Karen Brown / Madhavi Singh / Karthika Arulsothynathan — central State College.
Three-doctor practice means continuity insurance if one departs.

Watch out for

Limited individual physician review data — judge from a meet-and-greet visit.
Ask which doctor would be your primary, and how messages route.

#17Cara Ricotta, DO

7.8 / 10

Practice: Mount Nittany Physician Group Philipsburg
Address: 1061 N. Front St. Suite 2, Philipsburg PA 16866
Phone: (814) 231-7000 (Mount Nittany central)
Insurance: 48 plans including Medicare and Medicaid

Why pick her

Confirmed accepting new patients; telehealth available.
D.O. — same osteopathic-training advantage as Dr. McElroy.
Same Mount Nittany specialist network as Dr. Thal & Dr. Pandolph.
Philipsburg office is ~30 min from Lock Haven.

#18Cynthia Alexander, MD NEW

7.7 / 10

Practice: Centre Medical & Surgical Associates P.C. — Bellefonte
Address: 141 Medical Park Ln., Bellefonte PA 16823
Phone: (814) 355-7322
Training: University of Phoenix / Northern California M.D. 2000 · board-certified Internal Medicine (ABIM)
Years: 25+
Reviews: 5.0 ⭐ / 5 reviews (small sample but consistent)

Why pick her

Board-certified internist at the Bellefonte Medical Park (same building as Dr. Thal — useful continuity).
Reviews describe her as taking time to listen and explain.
Internal medicine = stronger fit for adult chronic disease than family medicine.

Watch out for

Non-traditional med school path; ABIM board cert is what matters and she holds it.
Small review sample — meet-and-greet visit before committing.

#19Karthika Arulsothynathan, MD

7.6 / 10

Practice: Mount Nittany — Park Avenue
Address: 1850 E. Park Ave., State College PA 16803
Phone: (814) 234-8800 · or (814) 278-4600
Training: American University of Antigua M.D. · Penn State/Mount Nittany residency
Years: 11–20

Why pick her

Confirmed accepting new patients.
Same residency philosophy as Dr. Thal — careful, evidence-based.
Returned to State College after working in NY.

Watch out for

Caribbean med school may matter to some (same caveat as Dr. Powers).
Almost no public reviews.

#20Haven Health & Wellness

7.5 / 10

Practice: Independent NP/PA-led family medicine + wellness (no MD on site)
Address: 45 Bellefonte Ave. Suite 2, Lock Haven PA 17745
Phone: (570) 337-3440 · or (570) 858-5328
Hours: Mon–Thu 8a–5p, Fri 8a–1p
Providers: Kirsten Bubb CRNP · Jeremy Lazorka PA-C · Danielle Thompson CRNP
Insurance: Medicare-enrolled per CMS registry; CLIA license valid through Oct 2026

Why pick it

Confirmed still open and accepting as of May 2026.
Most independent practice in Lock Haven besides Dr. Piergallini.
Integrated family + wellness + weight management model.

Watch out for

No MD or DO on premises. Fine for routine care; real consideration for complex multi-system disease.
No supervising physician on-site limits prescribing autonomy on controlled substances.

Tier 3 · Worth considering (fit 6.5–7.4)

#21Wasiq Ahmad, MD

7.4 / 10

Practice: Mount Nittany / Penn Highlands Huntingdon · State College
Address: 1850 E. Park Ave. Suite 207, State College
Training: Hofstra/Northwell M.D. · top-tier NY academic school
Years: 5

Why pick him

Strongest academic-medicine pedigree of the early-career Mount Nittany docs.
Co-authored research on hospitalized depression in youth — comfortable with psychiatric overlap.
Multi-hospital admitting privileges (Mount Nittany, Penn Highlands, J.C. Blair).
Accepts Medicare, Aetna, BCBS, United.

Watch out for

New-patient signals conflict across directories — call to verify.
Some admitting work in Huntingdon, not State College.

#22Mount Nittany Mifflin County · Drs. Short & Fowler

7.3 / 10

Practice: Mount Nittany Health Mifflin County · multi-doctor family medicine
Address: 96 Kish Rd., Reedsville PA
Phone: (717) 667-7720
Providers: Kelsey Short DO · Eric Fowler MD (35+ yrs, Jefferson 1989)

Why pick it

Both doctors confirmed accepting new patients (Mount Nittany directory + Healthgrades).
Office was Mount Nittany's pilot site for a diabetes population-health program — culture is built around long-term PCP relationships.
Cardiology, endocrinology, surgery, nephrology, neurology, pulmonology, urology + on-site labs all in same building. Major time-saver for complex patients.

Watch out for

Reedsville is ~45 min from State College, 60+ from Lock Haven. Geography is the constraint.

#23Mitch Kovacs, MD

7.2 / 10

Practice: Penn Highlands Family Medicine State College · new hospital, opened 2024
Address: 239 Colonnade Blvd. 2nd Fl., State College PA 16803
Phone: (582) 220-2305
Hours: Mon–Fri 8a–4p
Training: George Washington University M.D. · Penn Highlands DuBois residency 2023
Reviews: Mixed — 3.6 stars / 14 reviews

Why pick him

Confirmed accepting new patients.
Penn Highlands is the brand-new third option in Centre County — distinct from Mount Nittany & Geisinger.
New panel = better appointment availability than entrenched systems.

Watch out for

3 yrs post-residency. Reviews genuinely mixed — coin flip for a complex patient.

#24Penns Valley Family Medicine team

7.2 / 10

Practice: Mount Nittany Penns Valley · multi-MD team
Address: 3631 + 4570 Penns Valley Rd., Spring Mills PA 16875
Phone: (814) 422-8873
Doctors: Tamar Baitel MD (confirmed accepting), Craig Pursell DO, Craig Collison MD, Jennifer Delozier MD, Jeffrey Eaton MD, Charles Nydegger MD, Jason Schweichler DO
Hours: Saturday morning + 7a weekday openings (rare for a small rural office)

Why pick it

Tamar Baitel MD confirmed accepting; other team doctors require a call.
Multi-generational team — continuity insured against any single retirement.
Unusual extended hours for working schedules.

Watch out for

Rural; fewer same-day specialty options than State College.

#25Jared Maurer, DO NEW

7.1 / 10

Practice: Mount Nittany Health Primary Care — Philipsburg · joined Nov 2024
Address: 1061 N. Front St., Philipsburg PA 16866
Phone: (814) 376-6200
Training: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) D.O. 2021 · Gold Humanism Honors Society
Years: ~3–4 post-residency

Why pick him

Confirmed accepting new patients — newly-arrived doctor with open panel.
Grew up in the Bald Eagle area — local roots, preventative-care focus.
Gold Humanism Society designation comes from supervising physicians, not self-nomination — signals strong bedside manner.

Watch out for

No patient reviews yet — too new.
Philipsburg is on the western edge of the corridor.

#26Peter Thomas, DO NEW

7.0 / 10

Practice: Outpatient Internal Medicine (Mount Nittany Medical Center affiliated)
Address: 550 W. College Ave., Pleasant Gap PA 16823
Phone: (814) 359-3421
Training: LECOM — Seton Hill D.O. 2011 · AOA board-certified Internal Medicine
Years: ~14
Reviews: 5.0 ⭐ / 2 reviews (thin)

Why pick him

Confirmed accepting new patients.
Pleasant Gap location bridges Bellefonte and State College — useful geography.
Published researcher in vascular biology.
Telehealth available.

Watch out for

Only 2 patient reviews — call to confirm he is taking outpatient primary care (not just hospital coverage).
Shares phone line with Dr. Hy DePamphilis's group — clarify which practice you're booking with.

#27Mount Nittany — Park Ave Internal Medicine team

7.0 / 10

Practice: Mount Nittany Physician Group · large team-based practice
Address: 1850 E. Park Ave., State College PA 16803
Phone: (814) 278-4600
Providers: Drs. Knab (above), Devkota, Covaleski, Coll, Sumner, Hackenberger; Amber Purdy PA-C

Why pick it

Practice confirmed actively accepting new patients; Mount Nittany added 7 new system-wide primary care providers in November 2025.
Internal Medicine practice — better structural fit for adult chronic disease than family medicine.
Several providers rated 4.5–4.9 on Healthgrades.

Watch out for

Ask explicitly which provider would be your primary, and whether messages/labs route to that provider.

#28Penn State Health team — Park Ave & Benner Pike

7.0 / 10

Practice: Penn State Health Medical Group — multiple State College locations
Phones: Park Ave (814) 235-2480 · Benner Pike (814) 272-5660 · Colonnade (814) 272-4445 · central (800) 243-1455
Notable: Franklin Berkey DO (see #2 above) · Dongsheng Jiang MD · Michael Flanagan MD · Christopher Heron MD · Gretchen Maurer DO · Mark Stephens MD · Hannah Fanelli MD

Why pick it

Penn State Hershey specialist pipeline.
Residency program here = thorough workups (with occasional resident handoffs).
Benner Pike location typically has shorter waits than Park Ave.

Watch out for

Bruce Bashline DO (50+ yrs experience) is no longer on the current Benner Pike roster — possibly retired or relocated. Do not refer to him without calling to confirm.
Walk-in hours have changed post-COVID — verify current schedule.

#29Andrea Knab, MD

7.0 / 10

Practice: Mount Nittany — Park Avenue · Internal + Hospital Medicine
Address: 1800 E. Park Ave., State College PA 16803
Phone: (814) 231-7000
Training: USF Morsani M.D. 2016 (with honors) · residency Penn State Hershey
Years: 8

Why pick her

Penn State Hershey-trained — top central-PA academic program.
Also a hospitalist — if you're admitted to Mount Nittany, she carries continuity inpatient→outpatient.

Watch out for

Outpatient-panel status unclear — call (814) 231-7000 first to confirm she carries a community panel.
Hospital work means tighter outpatient calendar.

#30David Luo, DO NEW

6.9 / 10

Practice: UPMC Outpatient Center — Lock Haven · Family Medicine
Address: 1 Outlet Ln. Suite 400, Lock Haven PA 17745
Phone: (570) 769-1300
Training: NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine D.O. + Johns Hopkins MPH · Mount Sinai South Nassau residency · ~8 yrs in practice

Why pick him

Confirmed accepting new patients.
The Johns Hopkins MPH is an unusual credential for a rural family doctor — suggests genuine interest in population health and preventive medicine.
UPMC affiliation keeps him out of the Geisinger ecosystem.

Watch out for

Zero published patient reviews on Healthgrades — relies on credentials alone for the moment.

#31Colby Welshans, PA-C · Haven Family Practice

6.8 / 10

Practice: UPMC Lock Haven affiliated · note: holds PA-C credential, not MD — verify with practice
Address: 208 E. Church St. Suite 300, Lock Haven (also 1 Outlet Ln. Suite 400)
Phone: (570) 769-1300

Why pick it

Confirmed accepting new patients.
208 E. Church St. is the same building cluster as Dr. Piergallini's second office.
Medicare/Medicaid accepted.

Watch out for

UPMC lists Welshans as PA-C, not MD — older listings showed MD. Confirm credential at booking before assuming you're seeing a physician.
Easy to confuse with "Haven Health & Wellness" (#20) — different practice.

#32Lock Haven Medical Center — Dr. Bharat Adroja, MD

6.6 / 10

Practice: Small independent group · Family + Internal Medicine
Address: 930 Bellefonte Ave. Suite 105, Lock Haven PA 17745
Phone: (570) 748-1550
Primary doctor: Dr. Bharat Adroja, MD · affiliated with UPMC Lock Haven, UPMC Muncy, UPMC Williamsport
Hours: Mon–Thu 8a–5p, Fri 8a–noon
Insurance: Medicare + 27 other plans

Why pick it

Confirmed accepting new patients.
Unusually broad insurance acceptance.
Plan-B independent option in Lock Haven.
UPMC hospital affiliations across three sites.

Watch out for

One MD on roster; very limited public info.
Short Friday hours suggest limited capacity for complex new patients.

#33Mount Nittany Boalsburg team

6.5 / 10

Practice: Mount Nittany Physician Group
Address: 143 Hospital Dr. Suite 301, State College PA 16803 (temporarily relocated from Boalsburg while site renovates)
Phone: (814) 234-6701
New providers: Harsiman Singh DO + Paige Witkowski DO (joined Nov 2025)

Why pick it

Confirmed accepting new patients — expanded team with two new DOs as of Nov 2025.
Geographically attractive if living south side of State College.

Watch out for

Currently at temporary Hospital Drive address — confirm location before visiting.

Alternative care models concierge + Direct Primary Care

Both of these are non-insurance models — patients pay the practice directly (monthly fee for DPC, retainer for concierge). The trade-off is longer visits + direct doctor access in exchange for the out-of-pocket fee. Medicare patients should call to clarify exactly how Medicare interacts with the fee structure before signing up. The corridor is thin on both models.

John McShane, MD NEW

concierge

Practice: Concierge Family Medicine — independent
Address: 476 Rolling Ridge Dr. Suite 101, State College PA 16801
Reviews: 5.0 ⭐ / 10 reviews
Services: Annual wellness, chronic care, telehealth, home visits

Notes

Only concierge-model physician identified in State College proper.
Fee structure not published — call to ask.
Medicare acceptance not confirmed. Concierge practices typically don't bill Medicare directly; patients pay the monthly fee separately and Medicare covers labs/imaging/specialists.

Sean P. Hampton, DO NEW

DPC

Practice: Hampton Medical Direct Primary Care
Address: 502 Logan Blvd., Altoona PA 16603 (35 miles from State College)
Fee: $25–$100/month flat fee, no insurance billing
Reviews: 5.0 ⭐ / 7 reviews
Services: Free consultation, telehealth, home visits, board-certified family medicine

Notes

Nearest confirmed Direct Primary Care (monthly fee, no insurance billing) practice.
DPC monthly fees are paid out of pocket; Medicare still covers hospitalizations, specialists, and labs.
35-mile drive from State College.

Avoid concerning review patterns

Dr. Nigelle Pinto, MD (Lock Haven, Geisinger). Public review describes forced tapering of controlled medications without patient input. Worst-case for any patient who may need controlled meds. Skip.
Dr. William Wagner, DO (Mount Nittany Bellefonte). Healthgrades 3.0/4 reviews — mixed. Most recent review (Jan 2025) is positive. However, an April 2024 review alleged he failed to order a standard PSA test for a senior patient, with subsequent elevated results suggesting possible prostate cancer. For an older male patient, this is a serious omission allegation. Same office as Dr. Thal (#5) — always ask for Dr. Thal by name, not "next available."
Dr. Paul Woolley Jr., MD (Mount Nittany Penns Valley). Yale '64, 60+ yrs in practice. Reviews use unusually harsh language: "cocky, frigid, needlessly obnoxious, arrogant." Skip.
Dr. Jonathan Ashley, MD — was on the previous version of this list as a primary care option. Mount Nittany's current page lists him as Hospitalist only. He does not maintain an outpatient primary care panel. Removed from the ranking.

Excluded — Geisinger system good reviews but family-policy excluded

Listed only because their patient feedback is genuinely exceptional. If your concern with Geisinger was specific to a particular office or service line rather than the system overall, these three are worth a second look.

Dr. Levi Delozier, MD (Geisinger Healthplex State College). Patient review verbatim: "No gaslighting!" — the gold-standard signal for any chronic-pain patient. By reviews, possibly the single best PCP in the region.
Dr. Eddie Rodriguez-Lopez, MD (Geisinger Lock Haven, 955 Bellefonte Ave.). "He has restored my faith in the medical profession." Speaks Spanish. Currently not accepting new patients.
Dr. Brett Oesterling, MD (Geisinger Bellefonte). 28+ years; patients say they keep Geisinger care because of him even after moving away.

Questions to ask at the first appointment

Practice mechanics (the deal-breakers)

How long is a new-patient visit? How long are follow-ups? 45–60 min new + 20–30 follow-up is the floor for complex care. 15-min follow-ups are a structural failure.
How are messages handled between visits, and what's the response time? Portal-based, 1–2 business days, clear urgent pathway.
If I need to be seen sooner than scheduled, what happens? Same-week with the PCP or a known partner — not "go to urgent care."
Who covers when you're unavailable? A known partner with shared records, not rotating-coverage roulette.
How do you handle prior authorizations and formulary issues? Organized process = values your time.

Older-adult / Medicare specific

How do you handle Annual Wellness Visits and Welcome to Medicare visits? Some practices run these well; others rush them. A good answer mentions a cognitive screen + a fall risk assessment as built-in.
How comfortable are you with deprescribing — taking patients OFF medications they may not need anymore? Most doctors are good at adding meds; few are good at removing them. Polypharmacy is a real risk for older adults.
How do you coordinate with my cardiologist / nephrologist / orthopedist? Looking for: clear answer about who reconciles after each specialist visit.
Do you do home visits if I'm too sick to come in? Rare but valuable for older patients with mobility issues.
How do you approach advance care planning conversations? Palliative-trained doctors (Berkey, Brown) handle this best. A doctor who never raises this is a doctor missing the fundamentals.

Chronic-condition signals

How do you think about chronic pain / fibromyalgia diagnostically? Good: central sensitization, multi-system, sleep+stress modulation, differential against autoimmune. Bad: wastebasket diagnosis or psychiatric complaint.
What's your approach to chronic pain medication? Comfortable with neuropathic agents (gabapentin, pregabalin, duloxetine, low-dose naltrexone); opioids rarely first-line but not reflexively refused.
How do you handle the overlap between chronic pain and depression/anxiety? Good: commonly co-morbid, treating one helps the other. Bad: any version of "it's in your head."
Who do you typically refer to for rheumatology, pain medicine, sleep medicine? Reveals whether referrals are a fight or a handoff.

Whole-person check

What do you want to know about my life outside my medical history? A doctor who treats this as a real question is signaling whole-person care.
How do you feel about patients who bring in research or questions from outside sources? Good: welcomes informed patients. Bad: dismissive or defensive.
What outcomes should we aim for in the next year? Good: realistic, multi-dimensional (function, sleep, pain, medication minimization). Bad: vague reassurance.

What changed in the May 2026 update vs. the original 24-provider list

Added 10 new providers. Most significant: Paul Guillard MD (only geriatrician in corridor), Franklin Berkey DO (4.9/242 reviews — highest review volume on entire list), Allison Holmes DO (5.0/224 reviews), Frank Guillard MD (second geriatrician), Hussein Aboul-Hosn MD (independent Bellefonte internist 45+ yrs).
Added 2 alternative-model providers (John McShane MD concierge in State College; Sean Hampton DO DPC in Altoona).
Removed Jonathan Ashley — Mount Nittany's current page lists him as hospitalist-only; no outpatient panel.
Re-ranked existing providers based on confirmed accepting-new-patients status. Most "Verify" tags are now "Yes."
Updated Wagner flag with specific April 2024 PSA-omission allegation.
Flagged Bruce Bashline DO as missing from current Benner Pike roster (possibly retired).
Named the Lock Haven Medical Center primary doctor: Dr. Bharat Adroja MD.
Updated Mount Nittany Boalsburg team — Harsiman Singh DO + Paige Witkowski DO joined Nov 2025.
Corrected Colby Welshans credential — UPMC lists as PA-C, not MD. Verify at booking.
Re-weighted top-three calls for older-adult fit — Paul Guillard (geriatrician) and Franklin Berkey (palliative + 242 reviews) now join Mary Piergallini at the top.

Methodology. 34 providers within ~45 min of the State College ↔ Lock Haven corridor. Ranking weights: proactive engagement · time per visit · older-adult / chronic-pain fit · practice independence + continuity · hospital-system access · review pattern consistency. Sources: Healthgrades · Vitals · WebMD · ZocDoc · Doximity · UPMC, Mount Nittany, Penn State Health, and Penn Highlands provider directories · CMS billing-length codes · Sharecare · US News · practice websites. Hard exclusion: Geisinger system per family preference (three excluded providers named for reference). Tier bands: T1 ≥8.5 · T2 7.5–8.4 · T3 6.5–7.4. Diann Westrick MD was researched as a candidate geriatrician for Philipsburg but her primary practice site is Geisinger Medical Group Philipsburg and she is therefore excluded.