Geisinger Commonwealth kicks off Girls in Science program

On Feb. 2, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine kicked off its Girls in Science program. Participants rotated through learning stations centered around topics like physical exams, chemical interactions, heart physiology, brain anatomy, radiology, perfume chemistry and more. The event was hosted by Geisinger Commonwealth’s American Medical Women's Association (AMWA) chapter; Regional Education Academy for Careers in Health – Higher Education Initiative (REACH-HEI); and Center of Excellence (COE) for Diversity and Inclusion.

Girls in Science is an extended program that grew from a one-day symposium GCSOM hosted in 2018. For the 2019 extended program, REACH-HEI recruited 120 girls with an emphasis on applicants with low socioeconomic backgrounds from the Scranton School District. Following the Feb. 2 event, from February to June, the participants will also be involved in the following activities:

• A mentor program that will provide monthly college and career counseling to continue to inspire students to consider the field of STEM. Mentors will contact students twice per month through virtual methods to complete assigned objectives.
• Participants will participate in a “Turning Challenges into Motivation” book club. Students will read stories of women who faced challenges but persevered to become significant forces in the field of science.
  Books will include: Madame Curie by Eve Curie, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, Headstrong: 52 Women who Changed Science by Rachel Swaby, and Rosalyn Yalow: Nobel Laureate: Her Life and Work in Medicine by Eugene Straus. Participants will complete writing prompts and discuss key components of the books with mentors.
• Participants will design a presentation on their favorite woman in science and will present the information at a “Women in STEM Fair” in June.
  
  

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.