Zach Lyons, MD ’13

Specialty: Family Medicine

Hometown: Huntingdon Valley, PA

“Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine provided me with a strong foundation of medical and clinical knowledge, and the third-year longitudinal curriculum was ideal preparation.”

Zach Lyons, MD ’13, matched with his first choice of Abington Family Medicine Residency Program at Abington Memorial Hospital, Abington, PA. Dr. Lyons had already completed an away rotation there, so he had a good idea of what to expect. According to Dr. Lyons, “Being a first-year resident obviously entails hard work and long days, but surprisingly it has been a lot of fun. My enjoyment comes, in part, from managing my own expectations and preparation, but I credit a much larger part of it to an outstanding residency program, a great program director in John Russell, MD, the faculty and the amazing group of friends I have the privilege to work with and learn beside each day.”

When asked how Geisinger Commonwealth prepared him, Dr. Lyons said, “Geisinger Commonwealth provided me with a strong foundation of medical and clinical knowledge, and the third-year longitudinal curriculum was ideal preparation. I had patients in my family medicine, pediatric and OB/GYN rotations that I saw on four or more occasions throughout the year. With each visit, I felt the doctor-patient relationship strengthen. These visits reaffirmed my interest in primary care.” The spectrum of patients he saw in medical school mimics what he now sees in residency. “The best part about Geisinger Commonwealth’s education is being paired with several fantastic volunteer clinical faculty and attending physicians,” he added. The education Dr. Lyons received at Geisinger Commonwealth improved his ability to communicate effectively as part of a healthcare team. “As a physician, communication is key. On any given day I’m talking with children, teens, adults, doctors, nurses, social workers and families. Sometimes my role is that of the educator, sometimes it’s just the listener, but whether I am in the office or hospital, with a patient or attending a lecture, I’m always the learner,” said Dr. Lyons.

Dr. Lyons' advice for recent graduates: “Be confident that Geisinger Commonwealth prepared you well for this next step. Be excited by the prospect of learning more in the next year than you ever could in a classroom or by studying for your Step exams. Also, hold tight to those in your life who helped you reach this point and to those who are traveling beside you on this amazing journey!”