For the 131st time in history, fourth-year medical students from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) donned their caps and gowns, received wisdom from professors, mentors and other dignitaries,
and gathered together one last time to receive their diplomas, officially marking the transition from students to professionals.
On Monday, May 23, 2022, students in the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) program were joined by family, friends, faculty, staff and administrators to celebrate the College’s 131st Commencement ceremony at the Mann Center for Performing Arts. The Class of 2022 includes 241 graduates who will soon begin their residencies and internships at hospitals and healthcare facilities across the country. These doctors will pursue careers in a number of specialties including family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, anesthesiology and more.
“[As physicians], your service will be to prevent disease, cure when possible, and most of all, to comfort those who are ill and infirmed,” said Kenneth J. Veit, DO ’76, MBA, provost, senior vice president for academic affairs and dean. “You are well prepared and ready for the next step in your life’s journey…I ask you to conduct yourselves with integrity, enthusiasm, and passion as so many others have done before you.”
The Class of 2022 had the unenviable experience of starting their clinical rotations just as the Covid-19 pandemic was beginning to sweep across the globe. They have persevered through unique challenges, but await an uncertain healthcare landscape.
“Today is a day of celebration,” said PCOM President and Chief Executive Officer Jay S. Feldstein, DO ’81, in his address to the graduates. “At the same time, it must be recognized that the
world you are graduating into remains an unsettled one.”
Dr. Feldstein implored the students, however, to remain true to the tradition into which they now enter. “Care for your patients (and yourself) in the holistic manner that is intrinsic to your osteopathic heritage,” he said. “Focus—and refocus again—on the whole person.”
Keynote speaker Ala Stanford, MD, FACS, FAAP, pediatric surgeon and founder of the
Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium, gained recognition for providing coronavirus tests
and distributing vaccines to Philadelphia’s most vulnerable and hardest-hit neighborhoods
during the height of the global pandemic. She reminded the class of their roles as
newly-minted doctors, saying, “[You] will impact the lives of current and future patients,
and healthcare workers. You will learn the latest techniques, treatment modalities,
and stay up to date to provide the best care. You are the front lines.”
Dr. Stanford was confident, however, that the Class of 2022 is well-prepared with the knowledge, skills and talent to be successful. “Your foundation is here at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine,” she said. “Reach back when you need help, but also recognize that in your mind, in your heart, and in your hands you have the ability to heal, and that is a blessing and a gift.”
Following the ceremony, a separate military pinning ceremony took place for 12 military graduates who received their pins and took their osteopathic oaths.
The ceremony was aired live on the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Facebook page and YouTube channel.
For the past 125 years, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) 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, a private, not-for-profit accredited institution of higher education, operates three campuses (PCOM, PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia) and offers doctoral degrees in clinical psychology, educational psychology, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, and school psychology. The college also offers graduate degrees in applied behavior analysis, applied positive psychology, biomedical sciences, forensic medicine, medical laboratory science, mental health counseling, physician assistant studies, and school psychology. PCOM 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. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 215-871-6100.
Brandon Lausch
Executive Director, Strategic Communications
Email: brandonla@pcom.edu
Office: 215-871-6312 | Cell:
717-371-0609
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