History
For more than a century, PCOM has trained physicians, health practitioners, and behavioral scientists. In the United States, there are two types of complete physicians: DOs and MDs. Both are fully qualified physicians, licensed to prescribe medication and perform surgery. DOs and MDs are alike in many ways, but receive additional training in the musculoskeletal system, take a more "holistic" approach to patient care, and may focus more on preventative health care.
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine has trained over 10,000 physicians, with more than 7,000 alumni currently practicing throughout the United States and in seven foreign countries. PCOM alumni practice in all areas of medicine, hold leadership positions in the medical community, teach in many of the country's top medical schools, and serve in every branch of the military.
The Philadelphia College and Infirmary of Osteopathy (PCIO) was founded on January 24, 1899 by the Rev. Mason W. Pressly, D.O., and Oscar John Snyder, D.O. It was the third osteopathic medical school to open in the United States. In September 1899 the first PCIO degree was awarded, and in February 1900, the first PCIO "class," comprising one woman and one MD, graduated. PCIO was officially renamed to Philadelphia College of Osteopathy (PCO) in May 1921. PCO became the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) in May 1967. PCOM relocated to its current campus along City Avenue in Philadelphia in 1973 with the opening of Evans Hall. In 1979, PCOM acquired the adjacent office building and later named it Rowland Hall in honor of PCOM's 4th President. From 1995-1999, Evans Hall expanded to include a modern osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) Lab, more classrooms, a new cafeteria, and the Office of Admission.
During the 1990s a series of new graduate level programs were added, expanding the scope of the medical school to a wide range of health-care related programs. In 1993, PCOM started the graduate program in biomedical science, offering graduate certificates and Master of Science degrees. The Doctor of Psychology was started in 1995. In 2005 the school expanded to Georgia with a new branch campus, which graduated its first D.O. class in 2009.
Examples of student scholarship, College histories, yearbooks and special collections are housed in the Digital Commons@PCOM.
Read more about this topic: Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine
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