Center for Career Development

• Assist students in understanding the important steps necessary toward their journey of self-authorship and engagement in continual self-assessment and reflection to identify their skills, abilities and interests in the selection of a medical specialty.
• Support students in the development of a self-directed career and resource identification plan using national and institutional data to make informed and proactive decisions critical to achieving their professional and career goals.
• Provide resources to effectively coach students in the enhancement of their interpersonal communication skills through the development of a competitive curriculum vitae, personal statement and participation in mock interviews.

Learning communities

The Office of Student Affairs, through the Center for Career Development, has established a learning community model to support student personal and professional growth with a longitudinal connection to a community of learning at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. This model aims to support learners through a developmental and proactive approach to maximize their individual and collective potential by providing differential assistance and a community of faculty, interprofessional staff and peers to engage students in their personal and professional development.

Learning community outcomes:

• Students will engage in four interactive learning community team activities/touchpoints through the year.
• Students will participate in a virtual communication platform to promote and encourage interactions in real time with their peers, regional campus team and their learning community.
• Students will engage in a positive learning environment that supports the formal and hidden curriculum.

For more information on learning communities, contact Julia Kolcharno, MA, director of Student Development, Academic Advising and Career Engagement, at jkolcharno@som.geisinger.edu or 570-504-9635.

Mentoring

Given the significant impact mentoring can have on student success and the intention of creating shared experiences, the Center for Career Development is committed to providing physician mentors and role models for students to engage in reflection in a longitudinal and meaningful way.

Christin Spatz, MD, FASN, serves as the director of Clinical Advising. She coordinates the Abigail Geisinger Scholars Mentor and Specialty Mentor Program for students. Physician specialty mentors assist students in clarifying personal and professional development and goals related to their desired specialty. Mentors will also provide insight on patient profiles, workload, setting, administrative requirements, interprofessional teams, training and residency tracks, competitiveness, professional affiliations and lifestyle.

The Center for Career Development also works closely with program directors and faculty within each regional campus to provide residency planning and support for all students.

Meet the Center for Career Development team