Dr. Theresa Yurkonis came to the College of Medicine from a full-time clinical/inpatient career where research was limited, but since joining as faculty Dr. Yurkonis has been involved in multiple quality improvement projects for the clinic as well as publications for general family medicine topics. She has interest in pediatric topics for the family medicine clinician and the use of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine as an adjunct treatment that any provider can use.

Dr. Theresa Yurkonis is a member of the core faculty of the Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center Family and Community Medicine Residency where she has the opportunity to pursue her passion in clinical teaching. She is dedicated to finding a way to educate the future of family medicine while promoting camaraderie and wellness within the residency program. 

She is currently developing numerous curriculums, including the overall didactic curriculum for the residency and implementing what she has learned at a Teaching with Simulation Introduction course to develop a novel simulation curriculum using resident’s own experiences as the teaching foundation. 

Dr. Yurkonis is also creating a new Wellness Curriculum for the residency, working with experts, life coaches and those with years of experience to encourage and guide the residents to being well physicians now and in the future.

Dr. Theresa Yurkonis has continuously done both inpatient and outpatient medicine and enjoys seeing patients of all ages. She has a special interest in promoting multi-generational care, seeing newborns all the way through their grandparents in continuity clinic. She enjoys the challenges of inpatient medicine and promoting transitions of care between inpatient and outpatient.

She has a special interest in pediatric care and is involved in quality improvement projects to improve age appropriate developmental screening for the at-risk population the Downtown Residency Clinic serves.

Member, Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, 2021

Board Certified, American Board of Family Medicine, 2019

Member, American Academy of Family Physicians, 2016

Member, American Osteopathic Association, 2012