Frequently asked questions

 

Where are you located?

We are in northeastern Pennsylvania, about two hours west of New York City and two hours north of Philadelphia. The program is located in Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center (GWV), with inpatient rotations at GWV and Geisinger Community Medical Center (GCMC) in Scranton. Ambulatory rotations are in:

• Geisinger internal medicine clinic at GWV
• Scranton Primary Healthcare Center
• Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center

 

How do I apply?

We accept all applications through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS)^®.

Do you participate in the ERAS Supplemental Application program?

Our program strongly encourages applicants to complete a supplemental ERAS application, offered through the Association of American Medical Colleges' (AAMC’s) ERAS program. Applicants also will be required to complete the MyERAS application.

For more information, click here. 

What are our minimum required USMLE/COMLEX scores?

We prefer, but don’t require, scores above 220/500.

What is the timeline for application season?

• June
  • ERAS season begins.
  • Register on MyERAS and start working on your application.
• September
  • Start applying to ACGME residency programs via the NRMP
• October
  • Interviews start
• December/January
  • Interviews end
• February
  • Final rank order list submitted
• March
  • NRMP Match announce/SOAP.   

What documents do I need to apply?

• ERAS application (Electronic Residency Application Service)
  • Letters of recommendation
  • Department of Medicine Summary Letter of Evaluation
    • Letter can be written by Department of Medicine chair, internal medicine clerkship director or dean.
    • Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine (AAIM)-recommended standardized template is preferred. Click here to view the template.
    • **If your school doesn’t offer this, provide an additional clinical letter of recommendation instead.**
  • At least one clinical letter of recommendation (LOR) from an internal medicine faculty member 
    • Letters should be written by physicians who are qualified to evaluate your ability and performance.
    • Letters should refer to your term of service and your ability and performance.
  • An optional LOR could be provided by clinical faculty or a scholarly project mentor.
  • All letters should be submitted to the ERAS system.
• Current curriculum vitae (ERAS-generated)
• Personal statement
• Official medical school transcript (translated to English if applicable)
• Official USMLE/COMLEX transcript
  • Step 1/Level 1 is required to apply (consideration given to applicants with passing scores on first attempt)
  • Step 2/Level 2 is required prior to the match
    • We encourage you to have Step 2/Level 2 scores available before the application deadline.
• Current professional photo

Are there any additional requirements for international medical graduates?

• Graduation from an accredited international medical school within the past five years is highly preferred. Additional preference is given to graduation dates within the past three years.
• U.S. experience (i.e., “observership”) is preferred but not required.
• Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center doesn’t offer program-sponsored observerships.
• Current ECFMG certification
• Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center offers both J-1 and a limited number of H-1B visas to qualified candidates.
• If you wish to apply for an H-1B visa, you must pass USMLE Step 3 and the score report must be available by Match Day.
  
   

Does making contact outside of the application process improve my chance of acceptance?

Because we get a large number of inquiries on a regular basis, it’s not possible for us to review or respond to them outside of our recruitment processes.

What is the interview process like?

All interviews this year will be virtual. 

• Interview invitations are extended to prospective applicants via ERAS.
• Interviews occur from October until mid-January.
• Interview days run for approximately four hours during morning or afternoon sessions.
• You’ll be joined by the program administrator and current residents in the virtual holding room to interact and answer questions.
• If selected for an interview, you’ll have the opportunity to learn about our program more in-depth. You’ll also interact with current residents, which is an integral part of the interview process.

What’s life like in northeastern Pennsylvania?

With a low cost of living and plenty of entertainment and cultural activities, we think you’ll like living here. Learn more about the area:

• Discover NEPA
• Uncovering PA: NEPA

What is the rotation schedule like?

See the program overview for details.

What can I expect about the ambulatory experience?

• You’ll maintain patient panels in their general internal medicine (ambulatory medicine) continuity clinic. A continuity clinic is assigned to residents from one of two sites at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center and Scranton Primary Healthcare Center in addition to four weeks of ambulatory experience at Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center. 
• As a resident, you’ll have a 6+2 schedule. This means you’ll have ambulatory clinic every four weeks for a two-week period throughout the academic year.
• You’ll have an opportunity to rotate through all clinics and experience each site’s distinct culture during your training

What didactic sessions are offered?

See the program overview for details.

What fellowships does Geisinger offer?

Geisinger offers several sub-specialty fellowships at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville:

• Gastroenterology and advanced endoscopy
• Nephrology
• Rheumatology
• Cardiology, interventional cardiology and electrophysiology
• Bariatric medicine and nutrition
• Addiction medicine
• Pulmonary and critical care medicine
• Critical care medicine
• Palliative medicine
• Sports medicine
• Clinical informatics
• Hematology/oncology

 

Does the program offer fellowship training?

Our program was recently approved to start subspecialty fellowships in Cardiology and Gastroenterology. 

 

Do you offer couples match?

Yes.

 

Do you offer preliminary and transition year positions?

Our program offers positions as PGY1.

Do you allow away electives?

Away electives are allowed when a specialty service is not available in the Geisinger system. Your program and Graduate Medical Education (GME) leadership will need to approve them and must be requested 9-12 months in advance. H1-B visa holders are not allowed to go for away electives outside of their approved Geisinger training sites. 

Do you use an electronic health record?

Geisinger uses Epic. Our partners offer Nextgen and VA-based CPRS.

Do you sponsor visas?

We sponsor J-1 visas. We have limited opportunity for H1-B visas based on availability and eligibility.

 

Is there a difference in training while on a visa?

Any visa can potentially lead to a delay in the start of training due to visa processing steps beyond our control. These delays are more likely in the approval process for H1-B visas. Additionally, J-1 visa holders must comply with the requirements and limitations set forth by the ECFMG. Those on H1-B visas may be subject to longer visa-related delays, and limitations related to away electives.

What is the Geisinger Wyoming Valley Internal Medicine Residency Program’s NRMP code?

1608140C1

Whom can I contact with questions?

Geisinger Northeast Internal Medicine Residency Program
Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center
1000 East Mountain Blvd.
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711

Lindsey DeLazzari
Internal Medicine Residency Program Administrator
Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center
1000 East Mountain Blvd.
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711
ldelazzari@geisinger.edu