Geisinger College of Health Sciences formally launched at Geisinger Commonwealth Day ceremonies

SCRANTON – Opening a Geisinger blue umbrella and holding it aloft, newly installed president and dean, Julie Byerley, MD, MPH, announced the formation of Geisinger College of Health Sciences. The college will serve as the “umbrella” institution uniting Geisinger’s School of Medicine, School of Graduate Education, Graduate Medical Education, Research Institute, faculty services and more under a single entity. In addition, the new entity will oversee the creation of the new Geisinger School of Nursing, a degree-granting institution that will bestow an associate degree in nursing. The new organizational structure also paves the way for future health professions programs needed to serve our region.

“Geisinger Commonwealth Day is a celebration we created to honor our past and embrace our future,” Dr. Byerley said. “There was no better forum than a setting uniting our founders, our community and our health system leadership to celebrate this next step in the life of local medical and health education.”

Dr. Byerley noted that Geisinger Commonwealth remains the name of the School of Medicine — and the school’s commitment to its founding mission hasn’t changed. “Our school will remain focused on serving our community, providing opportunity and advancement for local learners and leveraging the discoveries of our research team to improve health and well-being.”

The new structure, Dr. Byerley said, will create more synergy and opportunities for interprofessional learning experiences and greater collaboration with Geisinger’s Research Institute. “It’s a win for our learners and our scientists,” she said. “Our community will reap the benefits of our integrated, cooperative approach to educating the healthcare teams of the future.”

About Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine

Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (GCSOM) is a member of the Geisinger family. GCSOM offers a community-based model of medical education with campuses in Danville, Lewistown, Scranton, Sayre and Wilkes-Barre. Geisinger Commonwealth offers Doctor of Medicine (MD) and a portfolio of graduate degrees. The school’s innovative curriculum, focused on caring for people in the context of their lives and their community, attracts the next generation of physicians and scientists from within its region, as well as from across the state and the nation. Geisinger Commonwealth is committed to non-discrimination in all employment and educational opportunities. Visit www.geisinger.edu/gcsom.