Health Center Hero Spotlight: Stephen Long, MD
The path to becoming a physician is a significant commitment in time, education, and finances. It is not a path one chooses to go on lightly, and it’s crucial to make sure that medicine is truly one’s passion to be successful. In addition to choosing to go to medical school, aspiring physicians also face another significant choice – what specialty to pursue. One such physician who faced this crossroads and found his purpose is Stephen Long, MD.
Long is a dual board-certified Internal Medicine and Pediatrics physician. Originally from Bethlehem, PA, Long completed medical school at the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine in Scranton before completing his residency at MaineHealth Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine. His decision to enter primary care was made over a long period of time. He started his medical training thinking he would subspecialize and really enjoyed taking care of children. Once he realized he could care for both adults and children by pursuing a combined Internal Medicine/Pediatrics residency, often nicknamed “Med/Peds,” he changed his plans.
“And then it was really sort of a slow burn for primary care. We had continuity experiences in residency where you are taking care of your own patients over a period of time. You don’t realize at first how much it matters seeing the same people over and over again and noticing that over time you made a tangible difference in their life. That fulfilled me more than I realized,” Long recollected.
Long always knew he wanted to return to Scranton, where he completed medical school and met his wife. Through networking with colleagues, he got connected with the CEO of The Wright Center, a Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike and Teaching Health Center and began working there as an Associate Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency program, as well as a faculty member in the Pediatrics Residency Program in July 2024. His decision to pursue a career in primary care at a community health center has been incredibly rewarding. Not only does he have flexibility and control over his career, he also has found his passion and purpose as a physician.
“One cool aspect of being in primary care is that people can bring their children to you. If I have an adult patient and they trust me enough to bring their child to me later on, that’s the best compliment in the world.”
His roles at The Wright Center give him variety in his day-to-day, including the opportunity to see a panel of patients and continue learning along with the residents he teaches.
FQHCs and FQHC Look-Alikes, commonly known as Community Health Centers (CHCs), make up the largest network of primary healthcare providers in the Commonwealth, serving nearly a million patients annually at over 400 sites in underserved rural and urban areas. These mission-focused health centers provide integrated medical, dental, and behavioral health care services for all patients, regardless of their ability to pay or insurance status.
The Wright Center, founded in 1976, is one of the largest U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)-funded Teaching Health Centers in the nation, training hundreds of residents and physicians each academic year. They have several locations serving the communities in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties and offer integrated, whole-person care.
Despite being so early in his career, Long is already making an impact with his accomplishments. Not only was he voted “Resident Teacher of the Year” for both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics programs in his final year of residency, but he was also recently named the 2025 Well-being Champion by the American College of Physicians (ACP) for the Pennsylvania Chapter’s Eastern Region. The ACP Well-being Champion Program was launched ten years ago to address physician burnout and improve well-being.
“Another big interest of mine is how we make the job sustainable over time because we are in a challenging healthcare climate for a variety of reasons. So, I am trying to figure out ways to make this work for a long time and figure out how we can support each other,” Long explained.
Long credits two strong women in his life with having positively influenced his success. The first is his wife, Juliette, who also works at The Wright Center as an art therapist. He readily admits that he wouldn’t have made it through residency without her and her support. He also appreciates The Wright Center CEO, Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, who is also Med/Peds trained, for her mentorship and assistance as he started practice after residency.
Based his experiences on his journey to becoming a physician, Long has some advice for others considering this career path:
“Figure out what makes you feel the most fulfilled in your career and what you can’t let go of. Follow those things as much as you can. If helping people is what keeps you going throughout the day, this is a good career to be in.”
If you would like to explore a rewarding career in one of Pennsylvania’s Community Health Centers, the Pennsylvania Primary Care Career Center is here to help. The PA Primary Care Career Center, part of the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers and funded by a generous grant from the Department of Health, serves as a free resource to match primary care providers and staff, such as physicians, dentists, medical assistants, and front office staff, with compatible job opportunities at Community Health Centers and other safety net facilities. For more information, visit the Career Center’s website at https://paprimarycarecareers.org/.