Summer 2021
FCE Volunteer Family update FCE program renamed, enhanced to include community partners Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine continuously strives to find new, effective ways to offer medical students transformational, intellectually challenging and inspiring learning experiences. That’s why we’re expanding and enhancing the Family Centered Experience (FCE) program. Changes include a new name — the Family & Community Centered Experience (FCCE) program — and the addition of 15 new community partners. For over a decade, FCE volunteer families have played an invaluable role in helping Geisinger Commonwealth medical students understand the importance of service to others through the medical profession, while sharing experiences about the spectrum of illnesses and their impact on family life. The expanded FCCE program: •
Builds on the strengths of the original FCE program
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Better integrates with the school’s educational mission and renewed curriculum
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Provides new opportunities for service learning with community partners
As a result, students will have new perspectives on all levels of the community, complementing their biomedical and clinical skills training and giving them experiences that demonstrate the personal side of medicine. The goals are to help students build empathy and professional identity skills through longitudinal service learning, verbal and written reflections and participation in Geisinger community outreach/wellness initiatives — all while working with the community to identify and address local priorities. Recently, a group of community members, agency representatives, students and faculty met to discuss northeast Pennsylvania’s community
concerns and develop service learning, advocacy and volunteer initiatives that will help lead to change and improvement. Over the four years, the FCCE will give medical students new perspectives that will encourage them to be not just great clinicians, but doctors who bring real humanity to medicine. Efforts will be guided by the CDC definition and action outlines of community engagement, and Liaison Committee on Medical Education criteria for service-learning initiatives. Continued on page 2
For additional information, contact: Carly Ellman, MSW, LCSW FCCE Program Director Assistant Professor of Medicine 570-955-1338 cellman@som.geisinger.edu
Sharon Myers FCCE Program Liaison 570-687-9707 smyers02@som.geisinger.edu