Fifty years ago, our visionary goal, championed by Dr. Robert E. Wright, established a medical residency program with a clear purpose: to train the next generation of doctors and encourage them to serve our communities in Northeast Pennsylvania.

That mission took shape on Feb. 17, 1976, with the formation of the Scranton-Temple Residency Program, thanks to community support and a Primary Care Workforce Development Grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Health Manpower, along with several smaller grants. On July 1, 1977, the journey officially began when six internal medicine resident physicians started training in Scranton under our banner.

Over the decades, class after class followed, helping transform a small residency program into what is now The Wright Center for Community Health, The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education, and The Wright Center for Patient & Community Engagement – one of the nation’s largest U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration-funded Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Safety-Net Consortiums.

As we celebrate our 50th anniversary this year, it is rewarding to reflect on how far we have come. Yet our core purpose remains unchanged. At a time when physician shortages continue to challenge communities across Northeast Pennsylvania and the nation, preparing highly skilled, compassionate physicians has never been more important.

Today, nearly 200 resident and fellow physicians train annually through our Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited programs, including residencies in Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation; our Internal Medicine-Geriatrics Integrated Residency and Fellowship Pathway; and fellowships in Cardiovascular Disease, Gastroenterology, and Geriatrics.

Our Internal Medicine Residency Program remains our largest and longest-running, training more than 100 physicians each year. Meanwhile, our Family Medicine – Scranton Residency Program provides a uniquely community-centered experience, with residents caring for patients at our Scranton community health center, the community-based Regional Hospital of Scranton, and other clinical training sites throughout the region.

The future of these programs was on full display this spring during National Match Day on March 20, when medical students across the United States and around the world simultaneously learned where they would continue their medical training. This year, we welcomed 68 new resident physicians and nine fellow physicians into our graduate medical education programs.

The incoming class includes 49 physicians in our Internal Medicine, seven into Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Residency, and six in our Family Medicine Residency programs. In addition, two physicians matched into our Internal Medicine-Geriatrics Integrated Residency and Fellowship Pathway, while four matched into the Family Medicine – HealthSource of Ohio Residency Program, a collaboration between The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education and HealthSource of Ohio in Hillsboro.

One of the greatest strengths of our residency and fellowship programs is the diversity of the learners we attract. This year’s incoming residents in our residency programs, for example, represent 15 countries, bringing a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and talents that enrich both the educational environment and the communities they serve.

On July 1, these physicians began the next chapter of their professional journeys. Watching them take this important step is always inspiring. They arrive eager to learn, grow, and serve. In return, they help us fulfill our mission by providing compassionate, high-quality whole-person primary and preventive health services to patients of all ages, income levels, and insurance statuses throughout our region.

For nearly five decades, our graduates have gone on to practice medicine in communities across the country and around the world. Many have chosen to remain in Northeast Pennsylvania, strengthening the local healthcare workforce and expanding access to care. As we look toward the future, preparing the next generation of physicians remains one of the most meaningful ways we can serve our communities.