The Wright Center to host Tinnitus Support Group meeting in September The Wright Center for Community Health will host a Tinnitus Support Group meeting on Friday, September 11 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Mid Valley Community Health Center at 5 South Washington Avenue in Jermyn. There are options to attend in person or virtually. The meeting is for people who are, or know someone who is, experiencing ringing, buzzing, whooshing or other sounds in their ears or head. Attendees can get support, practical advice and a sense of community at the meeting. The group is open to anyone who experiences tinnitus and those who want to learn more about it. There are meetings on the first Friday of every month at the Mid Valley Community Health Center in Jermyn. No RSVP is necessary for the meeting. For more information or to receive the virtual link, contact Joe Kelly, community health worker at The Wright Center for Community Health, at kellyj@TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019.
The Wright Center welcomes alumna as a physician and faculty member A graduate of The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s Internal Medicine Residency Program has returned to The Wright Center for Community Health to serve patients while helping train the next generation of physicians and advance health policy and advocacy efforts. Dr. Sandra Rabat, who completed her Internal Medicine residency at The Wright Center in June 2026, is accepting adult patients of all ages at The Wright Center for Community Health Mid Valley. In addition to providing whole-person primary and preventive health services, she will serve as an internal medicine physician faculty member and physician liaison for health policy and advocacy. Originally from Erie, Pennsylvania, Dr. Rabat spent three years in Scranton as a member of the inaugural cohort from A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona. During medical school, she completed her clinical rotations at The Wright Center for Community Health, an experience that ultimately led her to remain in the region for residency training. Dr. Rabat provides comprehensive, whole-person primary and preventive health services, including checkups and physicals, preventive screenings, treatment of common illnesses and injuries, chronic disease management, and more. To make an appointment, visit TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019. In her new role, Dr. Rabat will have medical, educational, and administrative responsibilities focused on high-quality patient care and clinical education. She will teach and supervise resident and fellow physicians, medical students, and interprofessional learners participating in clinical education at The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education. She will also work closely with The Wright Center’s advocacy team to champion legislative and regulatory changes at the state and federal levels that affect graduate medical education, public health policy, patient care, and healthcare workforce development. During medical school, Dr. Rabat participated in the Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center’s (AHEC) prestigious Scholars Program, which strengthened her focus on caring for vulnerable populations, community engagement, integrating behavioral health services into primary care, and advancing access to healthcare. She received an honorable mention for the 2024 AHEC Alumni/Advocate of the Year Award. Dr. Rabat’s interest in advocacy developed during her residency at The Wright Center, where she became increasingly involved in local and federal advocacy. Working alongside Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, president and CEO at The Wright Center, as well as The Wright Center’s advocacy team, colleagues, and enterprise leadership, she championed the vital role of teaching health centers and addressed the needs of rural and underserved communities. Her work with Dr. Thomas-Hemak and The Wright Center advocacy team helped shape her passion for health policy and advocacy. In her final year of residency, she served as chief resident of the Internal Medicine Residency Program, acting as a liaison between resident physicians and faculty members, mentoring junior residents, and helping facilitate clinical training. She previously served as a resident physician leader for advocacy in her second year of residency and as a resident physician leader during her first year. She has also led a community-oriented primary care project focused on increasing routine breast cancer screening rates, emphasizing preventive care and patient education. Dr. Rabat signed her employment contract on Feb. 17, 2026 – the 50th anniversary of The Wright Center. Founded on Feb. 17, 1976, The Wright Centers for Community Health, Graduate Medical Education, and Patient & Community Engagement is a physician-led, community-owned nonprofit and a cornerstone of healthcare in the region. The enterprise employs nearly 680 professionals – including nearly 200 resident and fellow physicians – and trains more than 200 interprofessional healthcare learners each year. In fiscal year 2025-26, The Wright Center served more than 39,000 unique patients across all care settings in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties. As a nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center and safety-net provider, The Wright Center serves all patients, regardless of insurance status, ZIP code, or ability to pay. No patient is turned away due to an inability to pay. Learn more at TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019.
The Wright Center to host September ‘Walk with a Doc’ events in Lackawanna County The Wright Center for Community Health is inviting people of all ages to lace up their sneakers and join a growing movement toward better health and stronger community connections with its monthly Walk with a Doc events. Led by local physicians and healthcare professionals, these community walks offer an easy, fun and social way to get moving while engaging in health-focused conversations. Participants enjoy light exercise, have the opportunity to ask health-related questions and connect with others in a relaxed, informal setting. The September Walk with a Doc in Jermyn will be held on Saturday, Sept. 19, at 9 a.m. at the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail. Walkers should gather at the Delaware Street Trailhead entrance. The Scranton Walk is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 12, at 9 a.m., also along the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail, with walkers meeting at the Olive Street entrance. These events are free and open to the public, welcoming individuals of all fitness levels. No pre-registration is required. For more information about The Wright Center for Community Health’s Walk with a Doc program, please contact Melissa Germano-Ryczak at germanom@TheWrightCenter.org.
Leadership Lackawanna announces Core Program Class of 2026-27 Leadership Lackawanna, a division of The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, is pleased to announce the 39 professionals selected for its Core Program Class of 2026–27. The 10-month Core Program develops participants’ leadership, interpersonal and managerial skills while expanding their understanding of issues affecting the greater Scranton region. Through monthly sessions led by recognized specialists, participants explore topics that may include community and economic development, government, health care, law, education, quality of life, sustainability, regional history and media. A cornerstone of the program is the Core Class Project experience. Working in teams alongside local nonprofit organizations, participants develop and implement service projects that address genuine community needs. The projects give class members practical experience in strategic thinking, goal setting, teamwork, consensus building, problem solving, fundraising, resource development, marketing, public relations, equity and inclusion, conflict resolution and evaluation. The Leadership Lackawanna Core Program Class of 2026–27 includes: • Emily Arcaro, NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania • Nicole Ash, Aramark at the University of Scranton Catering Dept. • Alyssa Bartoli, Fidelity Bank • Rik Bhattacharyya, The Procter & Gamble Paper Products Company • Jonathan Brady, Fidelity Bank • Melissa Calachino, The Wright Center for Community Health • Dylan Cawley, Geisinger • Nicole Cesarini, Children’s Advocacy Center of NEPA • Camille Dantone, Everhart Museum • Sean Dempsey, Alliance Wealth Advisors • Samantha Donahue, The Arc of NEPA • Brittany Dougherty, Penn State Scranton • Laura Dunn, Merrill Lynch • Angelina Elders, NBT Bank • Elizabeth Ephault, The Wright Center for Community Health • Kevin Farrell, Marywood University • Morgan Farrell, Geisinger College of Health Sciences • Kyle Frable, Benco Dental • Lauretta Graham, The Wright Center for Community Health • Claire Guarneri, Peoples Security Bank & Trust Co. • Natasha Hazzouri, The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education • Kristen Hoover, Maximus • Teresa Kalinay, Montage Mountain Resorts • Fletcher Kanas, Barry Callebaut • Curt Kromko, Prudential • Kim Lazuka, Greater Scranton YMCA • Kristen McGoff, Peoples Security Bank & Trust Co. • Todd Monahan, Stone House Investment Management, LLC • Elisheva-Lydia MR, United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania • Rich Mullen, Posture Interactive, LTD • Nicole Piccoletti, Outreach – Center for Community Resources • Theodor Radu, The Honesdale National Bank • Monica Reich, Penn East Federal Credit Union • Alondra Vazquez Rivera, Wells Fargo • Lewis Schweppenheiser, Penn East Federal Credit Union • Nicholas Sherman, Friends of the Poor and Catherine McAuley Center • Kelly Siekierka, Plaskolite Pennsylvania • Jeff Snyder, Allied Services • Anthony Walaitis, Plaskolite Pennsylvania
The Wright Center hosts ribbon-cutting for Carbondale location The Wright Center for Community Health celebrated the opening of its newest community health center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Aug. 12, in Carbondale. The Wright Center for Community Health Friendship House – Carbondale, located inside Friendship House’s new Whole-Person Care Center at 30 N. Main St., Suite 100, began seeing patients Thursday, Aug. 13. Led by Medical Director Bryan Boyle, a longtime board-certified physician assistant, the community health center is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The new location provides whole-person primary and preventive health services, including checkups, health screenings, and treatment for common illnesses and injuries. Care is available for everyone, regardless of insurance status, ZIP code, or ability to pay. Patients do not need to be a Friendship House client to receive care at the community health center. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-591-5298. “For generations, Friendship House has helped children, adults, and families build resilience through an extraordinary continuum of care that includes mental and behavioral health services, autism and developmental disability programs, social services, school-based behavioral health support, and integrated primary care,” Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, president and CEO of The Wright Center, said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “The Wright Center complements that work by providing comprehensive whole-person primary and preventive health services while educating and training the next generation of physicians and interprofessional healthcare teams. Together, we are making it easier for individuals and families to access compassionate, coordinated care in one trusted setting – care that recognizes each person’s inherent dignity, supports recovery and resilience, promotes lifelong wellness, and helps people achieve their fullest potential.” The community health center in Carbondale marks The Wright Center’s second partnership with Friendship House. Since November 2024, The Wright Center’s clinical team has provided primary care at more than 3,500 patient visits at Friendship House’s Whole Person Care Center in Scranton, located at 200 Wyoming Ave. The Wright Center is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026. Founded in 1976, The Wright Centers for Community Health, Graduate Medical Education, and Patient & Community Engagement is a physician-led, community-owned nonprofit and a cornerstone of health care in the region. The organization employs nearly 680 professionals – including nearly 200 resident and fellow physicians – and trains more than 200 interprofessional health care learners each year. In fiscal year 2025-26, The Wright Center served more than 39,000 unique patients across all care settings in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties. As a Federally Qualified Health Center and safety-net provider, The Wright Center serves all patients, regardless of insurance status, ZIP code, or ability to pay. No patient is turned away due to an inability to pay. Learn more at TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019.
Scranton Area Community Foundation awards grant to The Wright Center The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education will use a $18,700 grant from the Scranton Area Community Foundation to help its patients in need with transportation, hygiene supplies and household items. Specifically, the grant money will be used to buy bus passes, transportation vouchers and gas cards for patients enrolled in The Wright Center for Community Health’s Healthy Maternal Opiate Medical Support program and patients being helped by The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s new street medicine program to get to and from doctor appointments at Wright Center community health centers and at community partners across the region. “Transportation assistance is essential to help patients access critical services and reduce barriers to care,” said Dr. Douglas Klamp, who leads the street medicine team and serves as The Wright Center’s senior vice president, chief medical education officer, and physician chair of resident and fellow talent acquisition. “By improving transportation access, patients will be better able to attend appointments, adhere to treatment, and remain engaged in care, especially if they are experiencing financial difficulties, housing insecurity, or other challenges.” The money will also be used to provide hygiene supplies and household items to patients at the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Clinic.
The Wright Center, Training The Next Generation Of Physicians Remains The Heart Of Our Mission 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.
The Wright Center To Host Drug Take-Back Event In Scranton With Lackawanna/Susquehanna Office Of Drug & Alcohol Programs The Wright Center for Community Health will host a drug take-back event with the Lackawanna/Susquehanna County Office of Drug & Alcohol Programs on Friday, June 12, from noon to 4 p.m. at its community health center in Scranton. Anyone can stop by The Wright Center for Community Health Scranton, 501 S. Washington Ave., to drop off unused or expired medications. Medications accepted include prescription and over-the-counter medications, such as pain relievers, antacids, cold medications, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, as well as topical medications, creams and ointments, eye drops, and pet medications. Drug take-back programs are essential public health and safety initiatives designed to safely dispose of unused or expired medications, primarily to prevent opioid misuse, accidental poisoning, and environmental contamination. Officials with the Lackawanna/Susquehanna Office of Drug & Alcohol Programs and members of the Scranton Police Department will be stationed in the community health center’s waiting room to safely collect items for proper disposal. For more information, call the Lackawanna/Susquehanna Office of Drug & Alcohol Programs at 570-963-6820, ext. 32037.
The Wright Center Promotes Men’s Health Awareness During Men’s Health Month The Wright Center for Community Health is recognizing Men’s Health Month this June by encouraging men to prioritize preventive care, healthy lifestyle habits, and routine medical screenings to support long-term wellness and improved health outcomes. “In my many years of practicing medicine, one truth has remained consistent: men are often less proactive about their health than women. That reality continues to affect health outcomes across our communities and multiple generations,” said Dr. William Dempsey. Observed each June, Men’s Health Month raises awareness about the physical, behavioral, and emotional health challenges men face while promoting education and early detection of preventable health conditions. This year’s theme, “Partners in Care: For Better Lifespans Across the Lifespan,” highlights the important role families, caregivers, and communities play in supporting healthier lives. Men’s Health Week, taking place June 14-21, also promotes awareness through outreach and educational initiatives, including Wear Blue Day on June 19. Healthcare professionals continue to emphasize the importance of routine primary care visits, prostate and colon cancer screenings, and early health education to help reduce the risk of advanced disease. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, men in the United States experience a shorter average life expectancy than women and face increased risks for conditions such as heart disease, lung cancer, HIV, and prostate cancer. Through its Patient-Centered Medical Home model, The Wright Center provides comprehensive, whole-person healthcare services, including medical, dental, behavioral health, recovery, and preventive care services for patients of all ages. The Wright Center’s Lifestyle Medicine initiative also promotes healthier living through nutrition, physical activity, stress management, improved sleep habits, stronger personal relationships, and tobacco cessation programs aimed at reducing chronic disease risks and improving quality of life throughout the region. “Improving men’s health is a shared responsibility,” Dr. Dempsey added. “By encouraging the important men in our lives to prioritize preventive care and healthier habits, we can help build stronger families, healthier communities, and longer lives.”
The Wright Center To Host Tinnitus Support Group Meeting In June Tinnitus Support Group of Northeast Pennsylvania will host its next meeting on Friday, June 5 at 2:00 p.m. at The Wright Center for Community Health Mid Valley. Virtual meeting options will also be available for those unable to attend in person. The support group welcomes individuals living with tinnitus, their loved ones, and anyone interested in learning more about the audiological and neurological condition. Participants will have the opportunity to connect with others, share experiences, and discuss coping strategies in a supportive and compassionate environment. There is no fee to attend, and new members are welcome. Tinnitus, commonly described as ringing, buzzing, or whooshing in the ears or head, affects more than 50 million adults in the United States. While some individuals experience temporary symptoms, others face chronic and life-altering effects. The program is supported in part through the Support Group Grant Program of the American Tinnitus Association. For additional information or to obtain the virtual meeting link, contact Joe Kelly at kellyj@TheWrightCenter.org or by phone at 570-230-0019.
