Geisinger Commonwealth launches West Campus

During a night of celebration last July, 11 Geisinger Commonwealth students were welcomed to the new West Campus headquartered at Geisinger Lewistown Hospital.

West Campus Regional Associate Dean Julie Xanthopoulos, MD, greeted the audience, which included the students, regional and school leadership and several Lewistown area community leaders. “The new West Campus will improve patient care by training future physicians uniquely suited for the complexity of care in rural settings. Faculty and staff will also gain opportunities to work in teaching roles and aid local recruitment efforts,” she said.

Kirk Thomas, chief administrative officer of Geisinger’s Western Region, said the newly arrived medical students will benefit from Lewistown’s rural setting. “Geisinger is a system that values diversity — and that includes diversity in the clinical venues available to our students,” he said. “This is simply another step toward making better health easier for our patients and community, right here.”

President, Dean and Chief Academic Officer Julie Byerley, MD, MPH, noted that the campus is another addition to a thriving educational center in Lewistown. “At Geisinger, we see workforce and education as inseparable partners that ensure the long-term well-being of communities — physical and mental wellbeing, yes, but also well-being in terms of the life and vitality of our neighborhoods,” she said. “Geisinger Lewistown Hospital has long had an outstanding nurse education program. And with residents and now medical students, the hospital is a hub of scholarship and learning — something very attractive to young people. That’s why, when I think of Geisinger, I think of communities healthy in every possible way.”