Geisinger College of Health Sciences

Geisinger College of Health Sciences' School of Medicine held its 13th commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 10. 115 members of the class of 2025 received a diploma.

Touch and hearing are the last senses to go when we die. It's why hospice professionals have an iron-clad rule: Assume everything you say can be heard and understood, even by a seemingly non-responsive patient - and assume these patients know when they're alone. This simple truth inspired a group of Geisinger College's School of Medicine class of 2025 to found No One Dies Alone, a volunteer group that "vigil sits" with hospice patients. And due to their compassion and dedication Allied Service Hospice recently recognized them with its Star Volunteer Award.

On Friday, March 21, soon-to-be graduates of Geisinger School of Medicine took part in "Match Day," an event at which all fourth-year medical students around the country simultaneously open envelopes to learn where they'll spend the next years training in their chosen specialty.

Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine held its 16th annual White Coat Ceremony for the Class of 2028 on Saturday, Aug. 3, at the Theater at North in Scranton.

On March 15 soon-to-be graduates of Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (Geisinger Commonwealth) learned their residency placements during the National Resident Matching Program's "Match Day," an event at which all fourth-year M.D. students around the country simultaneously open their envelopes to learn where they will spend the next three to seven years training in their chosen specialty.

Sydney Dana, a member of Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine's MD Class of 2025, published a paper, "Pronounced State-Level Disparities in Medicaid Prescribing of Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder (2019-2020)" in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

Edward Liu, a member of Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine's MD Class of 2025, published a paper, "Pronounced State-Level Disparities in Prescription of Cannabinoids to Medicaid Patients," in the journal, Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids.

Edward Liu, a member of Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine's MD Class of 2025, published a paper, "Variations in adverse drug events of opioids in the United States," in the journal, Frontiers in Pharmacology.

Two Geisinger Commonwealth medical students, Garrett Alexander, II, and Luke Cavanah, both members of the class of 2025, have published a paper, Medical Cannabis Legalization: No Contribution to Rising Stimulant Rates in the USA, in the journal Pharmacopsychiatry.

Rhudjerry Arnet, a member of Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine MD Class of 2027, published a paper, "An Examination of the Complex Pharmacological Properties of the Non-Selective Opioid Modulator Buprenorphine to distinguish the variable properties and mechanisms of Buprenorphine" in the journal, Pharmaceuticals.

Catherine (Cate) Falkenstein, a member of Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine's MD Class of 2027, recently received a commendation for the work she did as a member of the American Balint Society.

Edward Liu, a member of Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine's class of 2025, was a presenter at the Pennsylvania Society of Oncology and Hematology's (PSOH) annual conference last fall in Philadelphia. A state affiliate of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, PSOH is an organization of physicians and healthcare professionals devoted to the improvement of hematologic and oncologic care of patients.

Amy Kennalley, Class of 2027 and Jessica Fanelli, Class of 2025 both MD students at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, published a paper, "Dynamic changes in methadone utilization for opioid use disorder treatment: a retrospective observational study during the COVID-19 pandemic" in BMJ Open, a medical journal addressing research questions in clinical medicine, public health and epidemiology.

Zhi-Shan Hsu, Justina A. Warnick and Tice R. Harkins, members of Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine's MD Class of 2024, along with Master of Biomedical Sciences alumni, Neal K. Bharati, MBS '21 and leTausjua B. Eley, MBS '21 have published a manuscript entitled "An analysis of patterns of distribution of buprenorphine in the United States using ARCOS, Medicaid, and Medicare databases" in the peer-reviewed journal Pharmacology Research & Perspectives.

Amy Kennalley, MBS '21, of Lodi, a member of Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine's MD Class of 2027, has co-authored a paper published in the Nov. 16 edition of the online journal BMJ Open.

Guha Jay Ganesh, GCSOM MD Class of 2024, received one of just four scholarships awarded to medical students by the Physician's Foundation, a nonprofit that, through research, education and grantmaking works to improve physician wellbeing, strengthen physician leadership, address drivers of health and lift physician perspectives.

One hundred and fifteen new MD students were presented with a powerful symbol of the medical profession at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine's 15th annual White Coat Ceremony. The event welcoming the school'svClass of 2027 was held Aug. 5, in Scranton.

Thanks to a curricular emphasis on community immersion, a group of first-year medical students at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine worked with Marley's Mission, a nonprofit that provides equine-assisted psychotherapy to traumatized children, to develop health resources to help the children along their therapeutic journeys. Impressed with the results, Marley's Mission leadership asked the students to join them as their guests at the agency's annual Blue Ribbon Gala. At the event, held Feb. 18, the students' work was prominently displayed throughout the venue, and they were recognized for their work.

On March 17, soon-to-be graduates of Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (Geisinger Commonwealth) learned their residency placements during the National Resident Matching Program's "Match Day," an event at which all fourth-year M.D. students around the country simultaneously open their envelopes to learn where they will spend the next three to seven years training in their chosen specialty.

Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine conferred Doctor of Medicine (MD) degrees upon the 108 students in the Class of 2023 at commencement ceremonies Sunday, May 7 at 11 a.m. at FM Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre.

Geisinger College of Health Sciences (Geisinger College) conferred 44 Master of Biomedical Sciences (MBS) degrees upon students who composed Geisinger Commonwealth's MBS Class of 2022. Commencement ceremonies were held virtually on Saturday, January 7.

When the holidays come to the hospital, healing includes making spirits bright. That's why Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine student Miranda Chen played violin for the inpatients at Geisinger Lewistown Hospital (GLH) on Christmas Eve and Christmas day this year.

Irene J. Ganahl, a member of Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine's MD Class of 2024, received a 2022 Excellence in Public Health Award from the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS).

Abigail Geisinger Scholars from Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine's (GCSOM) class of 2026 were welcomed into the family by their mentors and system leaders at a special reception and ceremony. Students accepted to the Abigail Geisinger Scholars Program pay no tuition and receive a monthly stipend in exchange for a commitment to work as a Geisinger primary care physician or psychiatrist upon residency completion.

Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine's (GCSOM) new 3+3 Accelerated Program welcomed its first cohort at the Class of 2026 White Coat Ceremony on Aug. 6. Abigail Geisinger Scholars accepted to the program complete medical school in three years, followed by either a three-year Family Medicine Residency at Geisinger Lewistown Hospital (GLH), or a three-year Internal Medicine Residency at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center (GWV).

Kara Romanowski, a member of the MD Class of 2023, entered a submission, entitled "Dignity in the Details," a moving reflection on the need to remember the humanity of patients. Her first-place award will be presented during the 2022 FMEC Annual Meeting, September 16-18 in Crystal City, Arlington, Virginia.

Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine held its 14th annual White Coat Ceremony for the Class of 2026 on Friday, Aug. 6, at the Scranton Cultural Center.

Oluwaseyi Olulana, a member of Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine's cass of 2024, was elected Student National Medical Association (SNMA) Region VIII Director. Region VIII includes all medical schools in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Delaware. Olulana was elected at the 2022 SNMA Annual Medical Education Conference (AMEC) in Orlando, the largest gathering of underrepresented minority (URM) medical students in the nation.

Two medical students at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (GCSOM) received the American Society for Clinical Pathology's (ASCP) 2022 Medical Student Award. The award is bestowed on just 10 students nationwide.

Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (Geisinger Commonwealth) conferred Master of Biomedical Sciences (MBS) degrees upon the 45 students of its MBS Class of 2022. Commencement ceremonies were held virtually on Saturday, June 25 beginning at 1 p.m.