“Candidate for accreditation” status allows GA-PCOM’s new doctor of physical therapy
program to begin classes in June.
On May 2, 2018, the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) granted "candidate for accreditation" status to the doctor of physical therapy program at Georgia Campus – Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (GA-PCOM).
Candidate for accreditation is a pre-accreditation status recognizing that the program is making progress toward accreditation. It is not an accreditation status and does not assure that the program will be accredited by CAPTE.
However, Philip Palmer, PT, PhD, professor and chair of the physical therapy program, stated he is confident the program will move toward compliance and eventual accreditation with the continued support of PCOM.
“This decision was based on the program's demonstration of satisfactory progress, to date, toward achieving compliance with accreditation standards, and allows the program to move forward with matriculation of the inaugural class as scheduled,” explained Dr. Palmer.
The inaugural cohort, consisting of 40 students, will begin classes on June 4, 2018. Orientation for the new students will take place May 30 through June 1.
“After two years of planning and preparing, we can finally do what we, the faculty, love most—teaching,” said Dr. Palmer “All of the current faculty members are seasoned educators and look forward to the daily interactions with students.”
Community members are invited to a ribbon-cutting and open house which will take place on Wednesday, May 23 at 10:30 a.m.
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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