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New Leaders Appointed to The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education Internal Medicine Residency Program
A pair of longstanding physicians have been promoted to leadership roles in The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s Internal Medicine Residency Program. Timothy K. Burke, D.O., has been named Program Director and Rajiv Bansal, M.D., has been named Associate Program Director for The Wright Center’s original residency program, founded in 1976 with just six residents. Today, The Wright Center trains more than 226 physician learners.
“Dr. Burke brings years of experience to this position as well as the admiration and respect of his faculty, staff and residents. He always motivates and delivers. I very much look forward to working with him in this expanded role,” explained Dr. Jumee Barooah, Designated Institutional Official for The Wright Center.
Dr. Burke, who will continue seeing patients at The Wright Center for Community Health’s Mid Valley Practice in Jermyn, began his Wright Center journey as a resident and ultimately chose to remain here after graduation. In past leadership roles, he has served as Program Director and Associate Program Director of the former Osteopathic Internal Medicine Residency Program, which has since become the single-accreditation Internal Medicine Program through Dr. Burke’s guidance and leadership.
A graduate of Valley View High School and Marywood University, Dr. Burke is Medication-Assisted Treatment-waivered to care for patients with Substance Use Disorder. In addition, he is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine and a fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Internists. Dr. Burke resides in his hometown of Archbald and is deeply invested in the local patient population.
“I couldn’t think of a better place to practice and teach,” Dr. Burke explained. “I plan to continue to recruit the best and brightest physician learners and to be a role model for them as we train and guide them to be the future generation of medicine. I have enormous shoes to fill in taking over this position from Wright Center President and CEO Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, but I look forward to following her example and being a beacon of organizational pride.”
Dr. Burke will be supported in this role by Rajiv Bansal, M.D., who assumes the title of Associate Program Director. Dr. Bansal previously served as Acting Program Director of Internal Medicine, overseeing The Wright Center’s three-year residencies in Northeast Pennsylvania. He will continue to serve as Director of Hospital Services and as physician-faculty for The Wright Center.
A graduate of Sawai Man Singh Medical College in India where he earned a master’s degree in surgery (ophthalmology), Dr. Bansal worked as a medical officer at Sanjivani Hospital in New Delhi. He then enrolled in the Scranton Temple Residency Program (now The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education) and joined The Wright Center as full-time faculty in 2011.
Dr. Bansal’s career at The Wright Center has been highlighted by his active involvement in our community through volunteerism with the Scranton Red Cross and Moses Taylor Hospital’s HELP Program. He also is the recipient of a physician recognition award with commendation in continuing medical education from the American Medical Association.
“For more than a decade, Dr. Bansal has demonstrated dedication to the patients of Northeast Pennsylvania and loyalty to The Wright Center’s mission of training the next generation of doctors. I look forward to seeing his meaningful contributions continue in this new role,” said Dr. Jignesh Sheth, Chief Medical Officer of The Wright Center.
