To celebrate the hard work, perseverance and achievements of this year’s 265 graduates as they transition from students to alumni, Georgia Campus – Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (GA-PCOM) held its ninth annual commencement ceremonies on Friday, May 26.
At 11 a.m., 119 candidates were awarded Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degrees. During a second ceremony at 2:30 p.m., 55 students received Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences degrees, and 91 earned Doctor of Pharmacy degrees from the PCOM School of Pharmacy.
Each ceremony took place in the Grand Ballroom of the Infinite Energy Center in Duluth and featured distinguished speakers. During the morning ceremony, attendees heard from Marcus Engel, MS, CSP, CPXP, an author who provides insight and strategies about excellent patient care. His keynote presentation, “The Other End of the Stethoscope,” has been witnessed by tens of thousands of healthcare professionals and his books are used in scores of nursing and allied health programs to teach the basic foundations of caregiving.
“The two most compassionate words any human being can say to another is ‘I’m here,’” he said. “Simple human presence is the cornerstone of caregiving and the foundation of our humanity.”
The second ceremony featured guest speaker Congressman Doug Collins of Gainesville. In his keynote address, he gave the students several pieces of advice.
“Don’t let outside circumstances dictate your day … attitude is everything … bloom where you’re planted … and pour into others,” he said.
In the 115th Congress, Rep. Collins serves on both the House Judiciary and Rules committees. He chairs the Rules’ Subcommittee on Rules and Organization of the House and is the vice chair of the Judiciary’s Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet. In addition, he serves as vice chair of the House Republican Conference.
In honor of the graduating students, the College hosted a dinner dance the evening of May 23, at the Infinite Energy Center. Other annual pre-commencement activities included honors brunches, a graduation rehearsal and class photographs followed by a barbecue.
PCOM Georgia has been serving students and the community for 20 years as a branch campus of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), a private, not-for-profit, accredited institution of higher education established in 1899. Located in Suwanee (Gwinnett County), PCOM Georgia offers doctoral degrees in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy and physical therapy. Graduate degrees are offered in biomedical sciences, medical laboratory science and physician assistant studies. The campus joins PCOM South Georgia in Moultrie in helping to meet the healthcare needs of the state. Emphasizing "a whole person" approach to care, PCOM Georgia focuses on educational excellence, interprofessional education and service to the community. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 678-225-7500. The campus is also home to the Georgia Osteopathic Care Center, an osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic, which is open to the public by appointment. For more information, visit pcomgeorgiahealth.org.
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