Geisinger College of Health Sciences

On April 2, several Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (Geisinger Commonwealth) master of biomedical sciences students participated in the 22nd annual Gift of Life Donor Dash in Philadelphia.

Fourteen third-year medical students at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine have been notified that they will be inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS).

Several Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine master of biomedical sciences (MBS) students will be inducted into the Alpha Epsilon Lambda Honor Society on May 6. Alpha Epsilon Lambda was founded in 1990 with the specific objective of recognizing the academic and leadership accomplishments of graduate and professional school students.

The Public Health Student Association (PHSA) at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (Geisinger Commonwealth) planned a series of events to help celebrate National Public Health Week, April 3 through April 7.

Several Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine students took part in the Great American Cleanup on March 25, beautifying three miles of roadway surrounding the Doylestown campus. The Great American Cleanup is a nationwide event during which community members volunteer their time to clean up public areas like roadsides, streams, beaches, parks and forests. More than 75 bags of debris were collected and the area was left in a considerably better shape than when the students found it.

Eighty-eight students at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (Geisinger Commonwealth), the largest class in the school's history, learned their residency placements during the National Resident Matching Program's "Match Day." Match Day occurred simultaneously at medical colleges around the country in an exciting event in which all fourth-year M.D. students opened their envelopes to learn where they will spend the next three to seven years training in specialties. Residencies begin July 1.

On Saturday, March 25, student members of the Dermatology Interest Group at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (Geisinger Commonwealth) will host a free skin-cancer screening from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the school's Medical Sciences Building, 525 Pine Street in Scranton.

On March 7, Adriana Feliz, Michael Scharf and Nicholas Maffetone - all students in Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine's master of biomedical sciences program (MBS) at the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute in Doylestown -- served as judges for the Buck County Science Research Competition.

Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine's Doylestown campus recently celebrated the FDA approval of TRULANCE, a drug developed by Kunwar Shailubhai, PhD, MBA, executive vice president and chief scientific officer of Synergy Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Shailubhai is also a faculty member at the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute (BSBI) and at Geisinger Commonwealth.

Leanne Woiewodski, of Lower Burrell, a second-year medical student at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, was the lead author of a case report published in the Journal of Pediatrics.

The Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine's Primary Care Progress chapter hosted Dr. David Feinberg, president and CEO of Geisinger Health System, as keynote speaker for its spring 2017 Leadership Series launch on Monday, Feb. 13. Dr. Feinberg discussed his pathway to leadership in a talk entitled, "Inspiration to Lead: A Personal Narrative."

On Sunday, Feb. 12, students from Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine will host the sixth annual ALLEY-OOP FOR AUTISM three-on-three charity basketball tournament. In addition to the tournament, the event features a three-point contest for $10. All proceeds will benefit the Northeast Regional Autism Center at Friendship House in Scranton.

Nicole Marianelli, of Old Forge, a second-year medical student at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, on Jan. 13 was the guest speaker at the monthly meeting of the Abington chapter of the Insulin Pump Support Group.

Ashley Labdick of Allentown and Nicole Klein of Emmaus, both second-year medical students at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine in Scranton, are leading an effort to bring information and peace of mind to local patients coping with metastatic breast cancer.

Geisinger Commonwealth students on Jan. 7 took primary care to the needy. They set up a blood pressure screening, with dipstick urine test for diabetes, at Scranton's Community Intervention Center (CIC), which offers homeless services, in addition to addiction and mental health services. Two faculty members and 14 Geisinger Commonwealth students volunteered for the screening, held Jan. 7.

The Advocacy Alliance, in conjunction with Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (Geisinger Commonwealth), will hold an Affordable Care Act (ACA) registration event on Wednesday, Jan.25 from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. at the school's Medical Sciences Building, 525 Pine Street in Scranton.

Erin Connolly, a first-year medical student at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine participated in Northwest Area High School's annual College/Career Day. She spoke to students in grades 7-12 about college, getting in to medical school and what it is like to be a medical student and future physician. The event is organized by Northwest's Alumni Group.

Jessica Porcelan, Mechanicsburg; Trevor Staub, Aspers; Oakland Walters, Scranton; and Laura Wingert, Hanover Township, all members of Geisinger Commonwealth's M.D. Class of 2017, recently volunteered to help with the annual "Christmas Wrap" at the Catherine McAuley Center in Scranton. The Catherine McAuley Center provides temporary shelter for women and children in crisis and assists women in attaining safe, affordable, permanent housing. It also provides women support services leading to self-r

Students enrolled in The Commonwealth Medical College's (TCMC) master of biomedical science program at the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute (BSBI) in Doylestown conducted a holiday food drive benefitting the Bucks County Opportunity Council.

Mountaintop resident Michael Bedrin, a fourth-year medical student at The Commonwealth Medical College (TCMC) has been notified he has successfully matched into an orthopedic surgery residency at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland.

Jacob (Jake) Parrick, a second-year medical student from Duryea and Erin Connolly, a first-year medical student from Shickshinny, created and delivered a STEAM presentation on Dec. 15 for sixth-grade students at Dunmore Elementary Center.

Taylor Nursing Rehabilitation (TRN) Scholarship of the Luzerne Foundation awarded Bhumi PatelThe Taylor Nursing Rehabilitation (TRN) Scholarship of the Luzerne Foundation is awarded by the board of directors of the Taylor Long Term Care Center to benefit a TCMC medical student who is a native of the geographic area that the nursing facility serves.

Geetika Gupta, of Newtown, was elected medical student representative to the Lackawanna County Medical Society (LCMS). Ms. Gupta, a member of The Commonwealth Medical College's (TCMC) Class of 2019, is serving on the board of LCMS for a one-year term.

Geetika Gupta, of Newtown, was re-elected president of The Commonwealth Medical College's (TCMC) chapter of the Asian Pacific American Medical Students Association (APAMSA). APAMSA is a national organization that provides an important forum for Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) medical students to meet, exchange information and experiences and develop personally and professionally.

World AIDS Day, one of just eight official global public-health campaigns marked by the World Health Organization, has been celebrated every Dec. 1 since 1988. This year, for the first time, The Commonwealth Medical College (TCMC) will also hold an observation. TCMC's student group, PRIDE (Physicians Representing Inclusivity, Diversity and Equality) is working with the NEPA Rainbow Alliance to plan the free, public event.

The Commonwealth Medical College (TCMC) in conjunction with The Advocacy Alliance will hold an Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance registration event on Wednesday, Nov. 30, from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. at TCMC's Medical Science Building at 525 Pine Street, Scranton.

Student leaders of the Preventive Medicine Interest Group at The Commonwealth Medical College in Scranton are helping to plan a Nov. 30 lecture by renowned biochemist and author, T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D.

Rachel Z. Polinski of Sayre, a third-year medical student at The Commonwealth Medical College (TCMC) in Scranton, was awarded a scholarship from the Pennsylvania Medical Society (PAMED) Alliance Medical Education Scholarship (AMES) Fund. Polinski was presented with the scholarship at PAMED's annual inauguration and awards ceremony at the Great American Hall of the Convention Center in Hershey in October.

Akhil Kher of Horsham, a fourth-year medical student at The Commonwealth Medical College (TCMC) in Scranton, recently presented a poster of his research at TCT 2016 in Washington, D.C. His research received recognition as one of the Top 50 posters of the more than 1,000 posters presented at the conference. TCT is the transcatheter cardiovascular therapeutics annual conference presented by the Cardiovascular Research Foundation.

The Commonwealth Medical College held its annual Turkey Trot on Sunday, Nov. 6. The event, featuring 5k and 10k races and a "Tiny Trot" for children younger than 13, attracted close to 200 participants. When added to race registration fees, additional funds from a basket raffle, a cupcake sale, a bowling event and a college-wide "penny war" raised more than $11,000 for Friends of the Poor to provide Thanksgiving dinners for those in need.