Guthrie Scholars Program

Spend a semester at the hospital.

If you’re a highly motivated student interested in a career in medicine, consider the Guthrie Scholars Program.

The Guthrie Scholars Program provides qualified Wilkes University seniors with the opportunity to earn 15 credits while spending a semester-in-residence at the Guthrie Clinic and Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, Pennsylvania.

You’ll gain firsthand knowledge of the life of a physician through medical, surgical and teaching rounds. You’ll learn about the impact of a health care team as you shadow physicians, nurses, social workers, nutritionists, allied health care providers and administrators.

Since medicine doesn’t only happen in the hospital, you’ll spend time in a regional clinic, in home health care and in a hospice setting. Gain experience on the move with the Greater Valley Ambulance Service and the Guthrie Air Flight Team.

As you explore your professional interests in the wide-ranging field of medicine, you will conduct and present a capstone project in a research area of your choice.

You’ll also register through Wilkes, earning 15 credits during the semester for courses including topics in biomedicine, topics in biomedical ethics, a senior research capstone and cooperative education.

From lectures to operating room observations to a chance to take flight, the Guthrie Scholars Program gives you an in-depth look at the medical field as an undergraduate while giving your medical school applications a boost.

Program Highlights

Medical terminology

In this 14-lesson course, you’ll explore language and terms used in the medical profession through a workbook, videos, worksheets and homework. Get a head-start on your med school vocabulary.

Skills lab

These five dedicated rooms give you an opportunity to gain hands-on training with operating room equipment and procedures. The skills lab also hosts lectures and lab sessions to help prepare you to work with patients.

Clinical observation

As a Guthrie Scholar, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in a variety of clinical observations in areas including hematology/oncology, pediatrics, cardiology, emergency medicine and physical/occupational therapy, just to name a few.

Application process

To be considered for an interview for the Guthrie Scholars program, you must submit an application packet to Constance Dombroski, director of the Center for Health Sciences and Student Success, no later than Sept. 1 of your junior year at Wilkes.

The Department of Medical Education at Robert Packer Hospital will review your application materials. If you are eligible for an interview, hospital personnel will contact you to schedule an interview date and time during December or January of your junior year.

Application requirements

To apply for the program, you must:

  • Be in your junior year at Wilkes University.
  • Have a minimum GPA of 3.4.
  • Maintain a GPA of 3.4 or higher to keep your seat in the program.
  • Have previous shadowing experience. (If you’re not sure where to start, the Center for Health Sciences & Student Success can help.)
  • Obtain the approval of your faculty advisor.

Contact

Lindsey Good

Pre-Health Advising Coordinator
Learning Center

Conygham Hall 207
lindsey.good@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-4969

Dr. Linda Gutierrez

Professor
Biology

Cohen Science Center CSC 230
linda.gutierrez@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-4636

 
250+

The Robert Packer Hospital is a teaching hospital featuring more than 250 beds, Level II trauma center, intensive care unit, clinical skills lab and a full range of other medical services.

4

The Guthrie Scholars Program is an elite program for high-achieving students interested in a career in medicine. No more than four Wilkes students participate each semester.

15

As a Guthrie Scholar, you’ll register for 15 credits on campus to stay on track for graduation. Classes include topics in biomedicine and biomedical ethics, a senior capstone and cooperative education.

Alumni Testimonials

Harry Eckert PCOM, Class of 2023

One of the most vital things I learned while at Guthrie was the importance of the healthcare team and how each and every individual contributing to the care of a patient is vital in the process of them healing. This has been an invaluable experience and I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in any form of medicine!Harry Eckert PCOM, Class of 2023
 

Sean Thomas PSU Hershey, Class of 2020

My very first surgical procedure that I saw live was the TAVR (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement). This procedure is an advanced technique that allows the surgeon to replace the valve without any invasive surgery. This made me appreciate my time here at Guthrie. I am able to witness complex and advanced procedures like the TAVR while still I’m an undergraduate student.Sean Thomas PSU Hershey, Class of 2020
 

Zoya Rahman GSSOM, Class of 2023

I have learned so much from my time at Guthrie and I am so grateful to have had such an amazing opportunity. I have seen countless surgeries and have received advice from numerous physicians. Not many pre-meds get this kind of experience and I know that I will be able to use all that I have learned to make myself a better physician.Zoya Rahman GSSOM, Class of 2023