Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
Jake Parrick, MD ’19 Matched into psychiatry residency at The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education Jake Parrick chose to become a doctor because he wanted to give back to his community. “Give back” is a phrase heard so often that it’s almost trite, yet Jake’s experience with the power of community is anything but banal. He had just started classes as a freshman at Wilkes University when the rain began. By the time it stopped, he had a completely different outlook on himself and his neighbors. “It was September 2011 and I was living with my family in my childhood home in Duryea. Weather reports said the rain had affected the Lackawanna River right behind our house, but we couldn’t see much difference, so we weren’t worried. Then the National Guard came knocking and warned people to leave. My mom and sister did, but my dad and I figured we’d ride it out,” Jake said. Remaining in the home was no longer an option when the pair looked out their kitchen window and saw waves of water coming through the fence in their backyard. After their narrow escape, the family came home to complete devastation. Fortunately, every day, an army of volunteers swarmed the neighborhood’s homes. “People would just walk in and start working, pulling down drywall, bringing food and supplies. People we didn’t even know. I was overwhelmed by their generosity,” he said. The experience drove Jake’s desire to excel in his undergraduate studies so he could attend medical school. It was also influential in his choice of Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. “I wanted to remain in the northeastern Pennsylvania area to serve the community I grew up in,” he said. Jake is now a psychiatry resident at The Wright Center of Graduate Medical Education. “I chose psychiatry because it really enables the clinician to form lasting deep relationships with patients,” he said. He is also pleased that his training continues to put his community at the forefront. “Geisinger Commonwealth places great emphasis on service. Students are not only encouraged, but required to get involved. So I like that The Wright Center has that community focus, too. I chose to be a doctor because I wanted to serve. My training is helping me to achieve that dream.”
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