Geisinger College of Health Sciences

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.

Tyler Schubert, a member of Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine's Class of 2025, is working with Laney Jones, PharmD, MPH, co-principal investigator of a new NIH NHLBI-funded study, Collaborative Approach to Reach Everyone with Familial Hypercholesterolemia, or CARE-FH. The purpose of the study is to build awareness and systems that will encourage clinicians to screen patients early for FH, a genetic condition that affects 1 in 250 people and can cause onset of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease at a young age if not sufficiently treated.

A Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine student delivered an oral presentation and won an award at Geisinger's 27th annual Scholarship Days, an event that highlights the depth and breadth of clinician, fellow and resident research.

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.

Five master of biomedical sciences (MBS) students at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine authored a paper published in volume 10, issue three of Pharmacy, an international, scientific, peer-reviewed journal dealing with pharmacy education and practice.

Five Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine MD graduates received military commissions prior to their Commencement ceremony,

Prior to their Commencement ceremony, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine bestowed its annual end-of-year awards upon deserving fourth-year students on May 14.

Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine conferred Doctor of Medicine (MD) degrees upon its Class of 2022 at commencement ceremonies Sunday, May 15.

Three of Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine students recently presented at the AAMC Group on Student Affairs (GSA), Careers in Medicine (CiM), and Organization of Student Representatives (OSR) National Meeting in Denver, Colorado.

On Saturday April 23, the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine Basketball Club held a tournament to support local charities providing aid to Ukrainian refugees. Students and members of the Geisinger community spent the day competing in a "three-on-three" basketball tournament and other games.

Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine's Graduate Student Council (GSC) on February 17 hosted a "Random Acts of Kindness" day. The event was presented by GSC's Service Engagement co-chairs, Kristen Denniston and Jennifer Szpernoga, both members of the Master of Biomedical Sciences (MBS) Class of 2022. "The event was meant to bring a little light into this world and to help people to remember that every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day," Denniston said.

On November 10, Len Farber, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine's director of career engagement, along with Master of Biomedical Sciences (MBS) student volunteers, assembled meal packets to hand out to veterans from northeastern Pennsylvania. Students were located at three distribution sites in Wilkes-Barre and Scranton.

On January 28, three Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine Master of Biomedical Sciences (MBS) students joined an effort aimed at improving health in Scranton's African American community.

Several students in the master of biomedical sciences (MBS) Class of 2022 received personal thanks from Jim Pierce, president of Pike County Hands of Hope, who praised the students for their work aiding people without homes.

Two medical students at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine have published a paper in the December 2021 edition of Peer J, the Journal of Life and Environmental Science. Sneha Vaddadi, MD Class of 2022 and Nicholas Czelotka, MD Class of 2023 authored the paper, entitled "Rise, and pronounced regional variation, in methylphenidate, amphetamine, and lisdexamfetamine distribution in the United States."

A class discussion regarding cardiac health inspired Miranda Rep of Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine's MD Class of 2024 to launch a service project that would embed students more deeply into the Scranton community and keep its older members safe.

Four medical students and a faculty member at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine have published a paper in the journal, Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology.

Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (Geisinger Commonwealth) conferred master of biomedical sciences (MBS) degrees upon students who composed Geisinger Commonwealth's second cohort of the MBS Class of 2021. Commencement ceremonies were held virtually on Saturday, December 18 beginning at 1 p.m.

Eight members of Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine's MD Class of 2022 recently published "Comparison of Patient Satisfaction Among Shoulder Arthroscopy Patients: Telemedicine vs. Clinic Follow Up Visits," in the journal, Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow, an international, peer-reviewed journal.

Mira Patel, a second-year medical student at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, last month was elected by her peers to serve as Medical Student Representative on the Women Physician Section for the Pennsylvania Medical Society (PAMED). She will serve in the role for one year.

Members of Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine's (GCSOM) chapter of the Minority Association of Premedical Students (MAPS) recently completed a successful fundraiser on behalf of the NEPA Rainbow Alliance.The Master of Biomedical Sciences (MBS) students raised funds by selling Double Good Popcorn.

Two Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine students co-authored research that will be presented at the Vascular and Endovascular Surgical Society (VESS) Conference in January in Aspen, Colorado. Evan Bair and Beau McCarver, both members of the Class of 2024, worked with co-authors, Gregory G. Salzler, MD, and Evan Ryer, MD, board-certified vascular surgeons at Geisinger on the research.

Eight medical students at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine volunteered during Scranton School District's Fire Prevention Month Fair in October.The Scranton School District invited students of GCSOM to create a table on Family Health and Wellness.

Alice Bouchard, a member of Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine's MD Class of 2025, was first author on a paper published in volume 154 of the journal, BONE.

Twelve Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine MD students participated in a September 11th Day of Service designed to inspire future heroes.