Health Equity and Inclusion

REACH-HEI Pathway Programs celebrate seniors’ success

On May 18, 62 high school seniors gathered at Geisinger School of Medicine for a ceremony marking their completion of REACH-HEI Pathway Programs that encourage students to pursue careers in healthcare.

REACH-HEI (Regional Education Academy for Careers in Health – Higher Education Initiative) provides free health sciences education, motivation and mentoring to economically disadvantaged and first-generation-to-college students, exposing them to careers in healthcare and providing guidance on how to pursue these career goals.

At the ceremony, students and their mentors celebrated their REACH-HEI graduation with an awards presentation and distribution of certificates and gold and yellow cords the students wore at their own high school graduation ceremonies.

REACH-HEI Pathway Programs: Graduating seniors report

This information represents students who participate in three Pathway Programs: Health Interns, PA Smart: Physician-Ready and Sanofi Biomedical Science.

Total graduating seniors: 97

• Economically under-resourced: 79 (80%)

• First generation: 68 (67%)

• Self-disclose as minority background: 51 (52%)

High schools represented: 12

Majors/careers

• Pre-med/Physician track: 40 (41% of the high school graduates)

• Nursing: 15

• Physician assistant: 14

• Psychology: 4

• Forensic chemistry: 4

• Engineering: 4

• Medical imaging: 3

• Pharmacy: 3

• Pre-Doctor of Physical Therapy: 2

• Nutrition: 2

• Occupational therapy: 1

• Dental hygienist: 1

• Science education: 1

• United States Air Force (health career track): 1

Scholarships

• Full scholarship: 25

• Partial scholarship: 72

Encouraging girls in STEM

The REACH-HEI Pathway Programs at Geisinger College of Health Sciences presented a fun, science-filled day created specifically for girls in grades 7 and 8 to gain visibility and engagement with women in the fields of medicine, healthcare, public health and the sciences. Girls in Sciences participants rotated through learning stations centered around topics like environmental science, sonography, DNA, microbiology, nursing and more. Pathway Programs hosts a similar day called “Boys in White Coats.”

Pathway Programs hold symposium

Geisinger College of Health Sciences’ REACH-HEI Pathway Programs conducted a Research Day Poster Symposium in July.

Participants from 3 programs, including the PASmart Physician Ready High School Program, the Undergraduate Road to Medical School Program and the Pre-matriculating (pre-medical school) Med-Ready Program, presented research they conducted over 8 weeks.

Twenty-two posters were presented by 93 students.

“These students worked hard this summer to conduct their research and prepare their posters. I’m so proud of their achievements,” said Maureen Murtha, director, REACH-HEI Pathway Programs.

These participants will write research papers for publication during the next few months.