Hometown Pediatrician Trained Through LVHN's SELECT Medical School Program

SELECT is a medical school program created by the University of South Florida College of Medicine and Lehigh Valley Health Network. SELECT stands for Scholarly Excellence, Leadership Experiences and Collaborative Training. The SELECT program prepares approximately 50 medical students annually to lead the accelerating pace of change in medicine.

Students will spend their first two years learning in a highly progressive, student-centered medical school, the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine in Tampa, Fla., the region’s highest ranked medical school. They will then spend their final two years learning inside a technologically advanced health network – LVHN – that’s recognized nationally for quality, safety and collaborative care.

Kelli Harajda, MD, grew up and received her education in the Lehigh Valley, so she is perfectly suited to provide care here, too. A graduate of Northampton Area High School, Harajda earned her bachelor’s degree in life sciences from Pennsylvania State University.

She was selected to be a student of the SELECT program for her intellectual perspective, empathy, creativity and passion to change patient care, the health of communities and the medical profession. Harajda was part of the second graduating class of this joint program with USF. As a student of the program, she was able to benefit from the dedicated physicians who act as mentors, coaches and guides to the students during their four-year training.

Harajda graduated from LVHN’s pediatrics residency in 2019. She is a pediatrician at LVPG Pediatrics–Center Valley, part of Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital, a neighboring building to the recently opened Lehigh Valley Health Network Center for Healthcare Education. Her background is proof that she is #LVHNProud. She grew up and received her education, matched into a program and continues to provide care – all in the Lehigh Valley. She embodies what it means to be homegrown, and LVHN is proud to have her as part of the team.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to share my knowledge with children and their parents and to watch my patients grow,” says Harajda.

She enjoys connecting with children and their families in her home community to provide the excellent care they expect and deserve. The SELECT program made that possible.

This program offers a rare opportunity for medical students to live and work in two different areas and hospital systems throughout four years of medical school. Learning to adapt to those situations and have those experiences is invaluable.

This program also offers a unique, dedicated training focusing on emotional intelligence and leadership in addition to the core medical school curricula. This is not a common model in traditional medical programs and prepares the SELECT medical students to handle high-stress situations.

Students admitted to SELECT develop leadership skills that will arm them with the knowledge, resources and network to change the health care landscape for the better. These include:

• Making a difference in the lives of patients, peers, community and hospitals
• Applying continuous improvement approaches to optimize health care quality, patient safety and efficient use of resources
• Building resilience to operate efficiently in complex health systems
• Acquiring tools to become a change catalyst
• Becoming a driving force for the evolution of health care quality