On Tuesday, May 19, at 10:00 a.m., the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine graduated 251 osteopathic physicians in the College’s 129th commencement ceremony, a celebratory occasion held for the first time as an online event in the midst of an historic public health crisis.
PHILADELPHIA, June 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- On Tuesday, May 19, at 10:00 a.m., the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) graduated 251 osteopathic physicians in the College’s 129th commencement ceremony, a celebratory occasion held for the first time as an online event in the midst of an historic public health crisis. These graduates will go on to join the more than 100,000 doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs) that are currently in practice in the US. The ceremony was simulcast on the PCOM Facebook and YouTube pages.
“The job will require flexibility, adaptability, and creativity—meaningful new ideas, approaches, and discoveries,” said Jay S. Feldstein, DO ’81, president and CEO of PCOM, in his address to the graduates. “It will be your forward-thinking leadership that will restore our nation to health. Your dedicated labor will carry us through our time of crisis. And your dream to heal will ensure that our healthcare system, post-pandemic, delivers on the unmet health and wellness needs of our society as a whole.”
As part of the online event, PCOM students and their families submitted short videos celebrating their accomplishment, with some including balloons and congratulatory signs. The clips were then incorporated into the program amid clapping and cheers from the virtual “crowd.” The ceremonies are available for replay on the College’s YouTube channel.
“You are well prepared for the next step in your life’s journey,” said Dr. Kenneth J. Veit, DO ’76, MBA, provost, senior vice president for academic affairs and dean. “Now is a particularly difficult time in healthcare and in the world, [but] we, at the College, are confident you will be able to meet and overcome these challenges. Our best wishes and prayers go with you always.”
Founded in 1899, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine has trained thousands of highly competent, caring physicians, health practitioners and behavioral scientists who practice a “whole person” approach to care—treating people, not just symptoms. PCOM offers doctoral degrees in clinical psychology, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy and school psychology, and graduate degrees in biomedical sciences, forensic medicine, mental health counseling, organizational development and leadership, physician assistant studies, school psychology, and public health management and administration. Our students learn the importance of health promotion, research, education and service to the community. Through its community-based Healthcare Centers, PCOM provides care to medically underserved populations in inner city and rural locations. For more information, visit pcom.edu.
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SOURCE Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
