SCRANTON, Pa. — Riverfront Sports Complex was filled with 115 medical students from the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. It was Match Day, and the students and their families waited in anticipation to learn where the next chapter of their medical career would take them.
"Lots are going into primary care. We're making 12 new psychiatrists that our region and our world needs. We're really proud of the fact that a third of them will stay in Pennsylvania," said Dr. Julie Byerley, president and dean of Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine.
Cara Anzulewicz is one of those students with a psychiatry specialty. After her residency, she will return to help those here in our area.
"Seeing all the people who are struggling with accessing those services really made me want to go to the forefront there, boots on the ground, and to be able to come back and make a difference to help people who really, really need those resources," Anzulewicz said.
Anzulewicz is even more excited that she will be heading to her residency with her partner, Zhi-Shan Hsu, at the same hospital.
Abbey Burke and her fiancé Sean Alventosa were also hoping for similar news. Luckily for the couple, they will be at facilities in Texas about an hour apart from each other.
"It's like the center of what we want to do, and so we're really happy to be able to do it together and help other people in the future," Burke said.
Cousins Alexis Notarianni and Alison Barrett have spent the last four years of medical college together, but the next step in their journey sends Notarianni to Philadelphia and Barrett to Boston.
"We had kind of had an idea we won't be together because these were our top, so we could kind of make it work anyways. Yeah, and, it's a short train ride. We will make it work."
Connor Barry is happy he won't be going far for his residency focusing on internal medicine with Geisinger.
"I can see myself staying with them long term. So, I'm part of that, but the Abigail scholars will be signing on again for at least four years, but hopefully longer than that."
The students will be heading to their residencies after graduation in May.