Geisinger University of Health Sciences

Scranton – Opening and holding aloft the Geisinger blue umbrella, newly appointed Chancellor and Dean Julie Byerley, M.D., M.P.H., announced the establishment of the Geisinger College of Health Sciences. The university will serve as an ‘umbrella’ institution, uniting the Geisinger School of Medicine, the Faculty of Nursing and the Faculty of Graduate Education into one her organization. In addition, this new organization will oversee the expansion of the Geisinger School of Nursing from a diploma-granting institution to a degree-granting institution that awards an associate degree in nursing. The new organizational structure also paves the way for future health professional programs needed to serve the community.

“Geisinger Commonwealth Day is a celebration we created to honor the past and embrace the future,” said Dr. Byerley. “There was no better forum than an environment that unites our founders, communities and health system leadership to celebrate the next step in local healthcare and health education.”

Dr. Byerley said Geisinger Commonwealth remains the name of the medical school and the school’s commitment to its founding mission has not changed. “Our school remains committed to serving our communities, providing opportunity and advancement to our local learners, and using our research team’s findings to improve health and well-being.”

Byerley said the new structure will create more synergies and opportunities for interprofessional learning experiences and greater collaboration with Geisinger’s Research Institute. “This is a win for learners and scientists,” she said. “Our community will benefit from an integrative and collaborative approach to educating future health care teams.”