Engaging Accepted and Prospective Students Virtually

During this unprecedented time when our world is reeling from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, medical students at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (GCSOM) are putting into practice their commitment to serve the community, the health system, and the medical school. Because of the restrictions put in place due to COVID-19, all in-person recruitment events such as Accepted Student or Second Look Days have been cancelled for medical schools throughout the country. Many medical schools, including GCSOM, have transitioned from in-person recruitment events to online communications. In many instances, these virtual recruitment sessions are duplications of the in-person events; however, some schools are embracing technological possibilities and are offering novel targeted recruitment sessions for specific populations.

During the current pandemic, GCSOM online recruitment events have provided unforeseen opportunities for our medical students to engage in novel service activities. The original agenda for our virtual Accepted Students day called for sessions focused on professionalism, simulation, research, curriculum, activities, and service with participation from faculty, administrators, and current medical students deployed via the Zoom Web conferencing application.