The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) is a private, non-profit graduate college, with a main campus located on 17 acres in Philadelphia, in the US state Pennsylvania, and an additional campus located on 20 acres in Suwanee, Georgia. PCOM offers degree programs in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, psychology, physician assistant studies, and forensic medicine. With 2,418 students (2014–15), PCOM is one of the oldest and largest osteopathic medical schools in the world.
Founded in 1899 as the third osteopathic medical school in the world, PCOM was the first osteopathic medical school in the northeastern United States. In 1993, PCOM began offering a master’s degree in biomedical sciences, and in 1995 started a doctorate in clinical psychology (PsyD). In 2005, PCOM opened a second campus in Suwanee, Georgia. PCOM also operates five primary care health centers in cooperation with several teaching hospitals. PCOM sponsors residency training programs, which train newly graduated physicians. The Center for Chronic Disorders of Aging, which aims to improve quality of life for elderly individuals, is located on the Philadelphia campus.
All of the programs at PCOM have professional accreditation. PCOM is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. The Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) program is accredited by the American Osteopathic Association.
PCOM was established on January 24, 1899 as the Philadelphia College and Infirmary of Osteopathy (PCIO). 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. In May 1921, PCIO was renamed to Philadelphia College of Osteopathy (PCO). In 1967, the school adopted its present-day name, becoming the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM).
In 1973, PCOM opened a new building, Evans Hall, and relocated to its current campus along City Avenue in Philadelphia. In 1979, PCOM acquired the adjacent office building, which was later named 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 admissions.
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. In 1995, a Doctor of Psychology program was established. In 2005, the school opened a branch campus in Georgia, which graduated its first DO class in 2009.
For more than a century, PCOM has trained physicians, health practitioners, and behavioral scientists. In the United States, there are two types of physicians: DO physicians andMD physicians. Both are fully qualified physicians, licensed to prescribe medication and perform surgery.
In addition to its affiliation with several teaching hospitals, PCOM runs five primary care healthcare centers including: Sullivan County Medical Center, Roxborough Healthcare Center, Cambria Street Healthcare Center, Lancaster Avenue Healthcare Center, and Family Practice at PCOM. The clinics serve the dual purpose of providing community-based health care as well as providing educational experiences for medical students. Services include family medicine, gynecology, dermatology, geriatrics, psychology, and OMM.
The mission of the Center for Chronic Disorders of Aging (CCDA) at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine is to improve the quality of life for all individuals suffering from age-related chronic diseases and disorders.The CCDA promotes a better understanding of the nature of chronic disease processes by supporting basic and applied investigations, and providing educational opportunities for the community, scientists and health care professionals. The CCDA furthers its mission through an interdisciplinary approach combining scientific research, education, and clinical application into chronic diseases and disorders associated with the aging process.
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