Geisinger Commonwealth graduates its first MBS-Doylestown cohort

Thirteen members of Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine’s (Geisinger Commonwealth) first Doylestown campus cohort received their master of biomedical sciences (MBS) degree at a ceremony held Aug. 13 at the Scranton campus.

The Doylestown, PA campus was established in January 2016 as a partnership between Geisinger Commonwealth and the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute (BSBI), the research arm of the Hepatitis B Foundation located at the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center of Bucks County. The center serves as a biotech incubator housing more than 40 start-up companies.

Michael Sofia, PhD delivered the commencement address. In addition to serving as a member of Geisinger Commonwealth’s adjunct faculty at Doylestown, Dr. Sofia is a renowned scientist whose drug discovery, sofosbuvir (Sovaldi) has cured millions of patients suffering from hepatitis C.

Scott Koerwer, EdD, dean of Geisinger Commonwealth’s School of Graduate Studies welcomed the graduates, lauding them for their leadership of the new program. In his remarks, Steven J. Scheinman, MD, medical school president and dean, as well as chief academic officer of Geisinger Health, noted that the first cohort to graduate from the Doylestown campus affirmed the partnership between the school and the biotech park and is the harbinger of a bright future.

The MBS program at the Doylestown campus offers a novel delivery of a traditional MBS curriculum. It offers greater flexibility to a wider array of students by offering classes on evenings and weekends while leveraging the impressive scientific faculty of BSBI in conjunction with Geisinger Commonwealth’s own researchers and faculty. The program also provides multiple paths to a successful career by grounding students in the basic sciences for careers in biotechnology, pharmaceutical and life science companies or preparing them for further graduate study or professional programs in medicine.

About Geisinger
Geisinger is among the nation’s leading providers of value-based care, serving 1.2 million people in urban and rural communities across Pennsylvania. Founded in 1915 by philanthropist Abigail Geisinger, the non-profit system generates $10 billion in annual revenues across 134 care sites - including 10 hospital campuses, and Geisinger Health Plan, with 600,000 members in commercial and government plans. The Geisinger College of Health Sciences educates more than 5,000 medical professionals annually and conducts more than 1,400 clinical research studies. With 26,000 employees, including 1,600 employed physicians, Geisinger is among Pennsylvania’s largest employers with an estimated economic impact of $14 billion to the state’s economy. On March 31, 2024, Geisinger became the first member of Risant Health, a new nonprofit charitable organization created to expand and accelerate value-based care across the country.  Learn more at geisinger.org or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.