Geisinger Commonwealth School Of Medicine

GEISINGER COMMONWEALTH SCHOOL OF MEDICINE EDUCATES ASPIRING PHYSICIANS AND SCIENTISTS TO SERVE SOCIETY USING A COMMUNITY-BASED, PATIENT-CENTERED, INTERPROFESSIONAL AND EVIDENCE-BASED MODEL OF EDUCATION... SEE SCHEDULE O

ACADEMIC PROGRAM GEISINGER COMMONWEALTH SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (GCSOM) OFFERS THREE SEPARATE DEGREE PROGRAMS: A DOCTOR OF MEDICINE (MD) PROGRAM, A MASTER OF BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE (MBS) PROGRAM AND A PROFESSIONAL SCIENCE MASTER'S DEGREE PROGRAM. GCSOM FOCUSES BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH AND TRAINING PROGRAMS ON HEALTH ISSUES PREVALENT IN NORTHEASTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA, A 17-COUNTY REGION WITH 1.8 MILLION RESIDENTS. THE REGION HAS AN AGING POPULATION, 19.5 PERCENT OF RESIDENTS ARE OLDER THAN AGE 65, COMPARED TO 15.1 PERCENT NATIONALLY. MOREOVER, THE REGION HAS HIGH INCIDENCES OF BREAST, LUNG, COLORECTAL AND PROSTATE CANCERS, AS WELL AS HIGH INCIDENCES OF NON-HODGKIN'S LYMPHOMA, OTHER CHRONIC DISEASE ASSOCIATED WITH AGING, AND SIGNIFICANT NEEDS IN PRIMARY CARE, MENTAL/BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND COMMUNITY MEDICINE. MD STUDENTS SERVE THE COMMUNITY FROM THE MOMENT THEY ARRIVE AT GCSOM. THEY ARE ASSIGNED TO ONE OF GCSOM REGIONAL CAMPUSES, WHERE THEY WILL VOLUNTEER AT NONPROFIT AGENCIES AND TRAIN IN MEDICAL SETTINGS. THE REGIONAL CAMPUSES ARE NORTH(SCRANTON), SOUTH(WILKES-BARRE), CENTRAL(DANVILLE), WEST (LEWISTOWN/STATE COLLEGE) GUTHRIE(SAYRE), AND ATLANTICARE(ATLANTIC CITY, NJ). FOR THE FIRST PHASE OF THEIR CURRICULUM, STUDENTS ARE PAIRED WITH A MULTI-GENERATIONAL FAMILY COPING WITH A DISABILITY OR CHRONIC ILLNESS. THIS IS DONE TO FACILITATE STUDENTS' UNDERSTANDING FROM THE ENTIRE FAMILY'S PERSPECTIVE. STUDENTS GAIN EARLY CLINICAL EXPERIENCE STARTING THE FIRST PHASE IN THE LONGITUDINAL CLINICAL EXPERIENCE IN PRIMARY CARE CLINICS. STUDENTS ALSO PARTICIPATE IN A LONGITUDINAL COMMUNITY HEALTH INTERVENTION PROJECT TO GAIN SERVICE LEARNING EXPERIENCE,TO INVESTIGATE AND/OR SOLVE A COMMUNITY HEALTH ISSUE, TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE IMPROVEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY AND TO ENHANCE THE HEALTH OF THE REGION'S CITIZENS. IN ADDITION, ALL MD CANDIDATES COMPLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS. GCSOM STUDENTS HAVE VOLUNTEERED MORE THAN 50,000 HOURS SINCE THE SCHOOL'S INCEPTION. THE STUDENTS ORGANIZE BLOOD DRIVES AND HEALTH FAIRS, TUTOR LOCAL CHILDREN, COLLECT FOOD AND WARM CLOTHING FOR THE HOMELESS AND COMPLETE MANY OTHER HELPFUL ACTS THAT IMMERSE THEM IN AND IMPROVE THE WELL-BEING OF THE COMMUMITY. THE MBS CURRICULUM HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH A UNIQUE, PERSONAL EDUCATION THAT WILL HELP THEM TO ACHIEVE THEIR CAREER GOALS. A COMMITMENT TO STUDENT-CENTERED LEARNING IS COMBINED WITH INDIVIDUALIZED CAREER AND EDUCATION PLANNING SERVICES. THE MBS PROGRAM IS OFFERED IN ONLINE IN A PART TIME OR FULL TIME FORMAT. THE MBS PROGRAM IS DIRECTED TOWARD STUDENTS WHO ARE EITHER SEEKING TO STRENGTHEN THEIR CREDENTIALS FOR APPLICATION TO MEDICAL/HEALTH PROFESSION SCHOOL OR WHO WANT TO WORK IN OTHER HEALTH AND HEALTH-RELATED INDUSTRIES. DURING THEIR COURSE OF STUDY, MBS STUDENTS DEVELOP AN EPORTFOLIO DOCUMENTING THEIR EXPERIENCES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN CLINICAL/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, SERVICE AND CULTURAL COMPETENCE. IN ADDITION, MBS STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY HEALTH RESEARCH PROJECTS UTILIZING PREVIOUSLY ESTABLISHED SECONDARY DATA SETS. IN MARCH 2020, THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO) DECLARED THE OUTBREAK OF COVID-19 TO BE A GLOBAL PANDEMIC. AT THAT TIME, GCSOM MOVED TO A FULLY ONLINE LEARNING PLATFORM FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR BUT RETURNED IN THE FALL 2020 SEMESTER WITH A COMBINATION OF IN-PERSON AND ONLINE COURSES IN THE MD PROGRAM. ALL GRADUATE PROGRAMS REMAIN ONLINE THROUGH 2021. DURING CALENDAR YEAR 2021, THE COLLEGE RECEIVED FUNDING UNDER THE CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE AND RELIEF SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT, AND AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN. THE FUNDS WERE MOSTLY USED FOR DIRECT AWARDS TO STUDENTS. THE COLLEGE USED FUNDS TO DEVELOP PROGRAMS FOR THE MITIGATION EFFORTS TO SAFEGUARD THE HEALTH OF GCSOM EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS AND IMPLEMENT EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES TO MONITOR AND SUPPRESS CORONAVIRUS IN ACCORDANCE WITH PUBLIC HEALTH GUIDELINES. THESE FUNDS INCREASED GRANTS REVENUE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR. GCSOM IS CONTINUALLY MONITORING THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND THE EFFECTS ON ITS OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE. THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IMPACTS OPERATIONS GOING FORWARD WILL DEPEND ON NUMEROUS EVOLVING FACTORS, WHICH CANNOT BE RELIABLY PREDICTED AT THIS TIME.

RESEARCH PROGRAMS: THE GCSOM RESEARCH MISSION IS TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF ITS 17-COUNTY COMMUNITY THROUGH THE COLLABORATIVE DISCOVERY AND DISSEMINATION OF KNOWLEDGE GAINED THROUGH RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION. BECAUSE IT IS OUR VISION TO BE IN SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY, WE STRIVE TO BE A CATALYST FOR STRATEGIC RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS, TO BE A LEADER FOR ADVANCING BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH AND TO BE A KEYSTONE FOR IMPROVING HEALTH OUTCOMES THROUGH TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH. WE INCORPORATE VALUES OF COLLABORATION, INTEGRITY, INNOVATION, TRANSLATION AND ENGAGEMENT. AT GCSOM, STUDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONDUCT RESEARCH UNDER THE MENTORSHIP AND GUIDANCE OF DISTINGUISHED FACULTY. RESEARCH PROJECTS DEVELOPED BY FACULTY RESEARCH MENTORS INCLUDE TRANSLATIONAL SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IN THE LABORATORY SETTING OR PUBLIC HEALTH, COMMUNITY, AND CLINICAL RESEARCH IN THE CLINICAL OR COMMUNITY SETTING. THESE ARE POSITIONS FOR WHICH STUDENTS DO NOT NEED SUBSTANTIAL EXPERIENCE, YET THESE RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AND THE MENTORS WHO GUIDE THEM PROVIDE UNIQUE AND RICH EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. GCSOM HAS MULTIPLE, ORGANIZED RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING THE SUMMER RESEARCH IMMERSION PROGRAM FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS ENTERING THEIR SECOND YEAR AND THE MEDICAL RESEARCH HONORS PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS WHO WANT TO EXPLORE AN AREA OF RESEARCH INTEREST IN A SCHOLARLY MANNER THROUGHOUT THEIR FOUR YEARS OF MEDICAL SCHOOL.

STUDENT AFFAIRS: THE STUDENT AFFAIRS TEAM SUPPORTS GCSOM'S INSTITUTIONAL MISSION AND VALUES BY FOSTERING STUDENTS' ACADEMIC, PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL GROWTH. GCSOM ADMITS ACADEMICALLY SUCCESSFUL, PASSIONATE, INNOVATIVE AND COMMUNITY-MINDED STUDENTS WITH APTITUDE FOR BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES AND A SINCERE COMMITMENT TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF HEALTHCARE. THE OFFICE PROVIDES A HOST OF PERSONAL, ACADEMIC AND REFERRAL SERVICES TO ENHANCE THE INTERPERSONAL AND EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES OF GCSOM STUDENTS. STUDENT AFFAIRS PROMOTES STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND PARTICIPATION IN SOCIAL, CULTURAL AND INTELLECTUAL LIFE AT GCSOM. THE OFFICE IS THE PRINCIPAL ADVISOR TO STUDENT COUNCILS, CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS. THE OFFICE ALSO WORKS WITH STUDENTS FOR WELLNESS PROGRAMMING, CAREER ADVISING AND PLANNING. GEISINGER COMMONWEALTH SCHOOL OF MEDICINE COMMUNITY SERVICE SUMMARY DECEMBER 31, 2021 COST OF RESEARCH ACTIVITIES 365,913 COMMUNITY HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND OUTREACH 419,414 CASH AND IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS 18,788 VALUE OF VOLUNTEER HOURS 7,789,735 TOTAL COMMUNITY BENEFIT ACTIVITIES 8,593,850