At Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (GCSOM), we are developing strategies to reduce the rising debt of our medical students. During a collaborative and iterative process that involved a surprisingly wide group of stakeholders, we developed an innovative service commitment award for medical students: the Abigail Geisinger Scholars Program. Beginning with the spring 2019, GCSOM selected 10 current students for the program, and an additional 10 medical students from the class of 2023 will receive the award beginning in fall 2019. With 20 students enrolled in the Abigail Geisinger Scholars Program, student debt for these students will be decreased by approximately $3.9 million. The potential of this program to significantly reduce medical student debt while repopulating the physician shortage in the primary service areas of Geisinger is tremendous. As the loan debt of medical students continues to rise, medical schools around the country should strategically think about innovative ways to reduce this burden while remaining true to the mission of their institution.

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Recently, concussions have become a popular topic among media outlets. Because of the long-term health effects associated with traumatic brain injuries as studied in football players such as Alzheimer's and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, this health crisis coverage is on the rise. On August 31, 2012, the National Football League (NFL) and the United States Army announced a partnership to raise awareness of traumatic brain injuries, specifically concussions in athletes and those serving in the armed forces. This partnership between the NFL and the Army received enormous media attention and was profiled on most major media outlets.Information concerning concussions is readily available to the public through various media outlets and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) "Heads Up" campaign. Based on this readily available data, do college athletes actively engage and utilize information to become more knowledgeable about concussions and the impact upon their future health? To determine an answer, a 10-question, IRB-approved survey was sent via email to athletes who played football, lacrosse, soccer, basketball, and field hockey at three National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) colleges and universities. Female athletes completed the survey at 52.6% while males completed the survey at 47.4%. The age range of survey respondents was 18 to 22 and the data they provided were descriptively and inferentially analyzed.This study determined there is a relationship between college athletes sustaining concussions and their concussion management though the consumption of the media portrayals of these traumatic brain injuries. In addition, respondents used new media vehicles 69% as compared to traditional media vehicles at 31% to investigate the long term health effects of concussions.

The number of primary care physicians in the United States is inadequate to meet current or projected needs. This is likely exacerbated by continuing increases in the cost of medical education and student debt. The Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine is part of an integrated care delivery system in which primary care is central to managing health, improving access, and advancing value-based care. The need for primary care providers and psychiatrists is difficult to meet despite generous recruiting incentives. To address this, the Abigail Geisinger Scholars Program (AGSP) represents a novel curricular approach linked with the provision of full tuition and fees and a living stipend to students who commit to work at Geisinger in primary care or psychiatry following residency. The support is provided as a forgivable loan. The program features preferential clinical placements, curricular enhancements, and celebration of the dedicated cohort. Fair and nonpunitive provisions allow students to opt-out. The AGSP supports 45 students in each class of 115. Outcomes monitored include withdrawals from the AGSP; academic performance of participants and their satisfaction with the program; the number who choose to repay the loan rather than fulfill the service obligation; the percentage who remain at Geisinger and in primary care following the period of obligation; and other measures. This model offers an attractive opportunity for students to experience a curriculum enhanced in primary care while receiving generous financing for their medical education. It bolsters the primary care physician workforce and aligns care delivery with new financing models.

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