Strategic Plan a Model for Success | PCOM 2020 News
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PCOM Strategic Plan a Model for Success


August 7, 2020
Photograph of front of PCOM South Georgia med school building in Moultrie, GA at dusk.
Photograph looking up at PCOM's med school and research building in Philadelphia, PA
Photograph of a flame sculpture and support beams inside PCOM Georgia's professional school building's main lobby.

The College completed its 2015-2020 process that included a new location in Southwest Georgia, a medical marijuana research partnership and more.


With the end of the 2020 fiscal year, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) marked the completion of a five-year process to deliver on the goals laid out in the College’s strategic planning document, PCOM 2020: A Strategic Vision. Conceptualized in 2014 and approved by the PCOM Board of Trustees in 2015, PCOM 2020 served as roadmap to ensure institutional goals and priorities would be tied to the College’s mission.

PCOM 2020 Planning and Goals

Developed and approved by a 47-member planning committee with members (faculty, staff, students, residents, trustees and alumni) from PCOM and PCOM Georgia, the plan included widespread input from all College constituents. This institution-wide collaboration identified five strategic themes that generated areas for academic, experiential, and infrastructure growth from 2015-2020:

  1. Capitalizing on our osteopathic heritage
  2. Ensuring strength, consistency and quality in clinical training
  3. Expanding our educational mission and footprint
  4. Promoting our institutional identity and brand
  5. Positioning PCOM for growth, stability and reduced tuition dependency
PCOM 2020: A Strategic Vision (PDF)

PCOM 2020 Accomplishments

The results of the campaign indicate a tremendous success across the five themes. Highlights include:

Ten-year Accreditation

In April 2020, PCOM’s DO programs were granted “Accreditation with Exceptional Outcome.”

Virtual/Blended Learning

A virtual preceptor model was established across a multitude of clerkships on both the Philadelphia and Georgia campuses, including pediatrics, psychiatry, internal medicine and OB/GYN.

Geographic Expansion

In August 2019, PCOM South Georgia welcomed 59 osteopathic medical students to a brand new facility in Moultrie, GA. The first class of biomedical sciences students is slated to begin in Fall 2020.

Research Partnerships

PCOM and Organic Remedies entered into a strategic partnership dedicated to health outcomes-based research involving cannabinoids and medical marijuana.

Brand and Identity

As the recipient of the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award (HEED) every year since 2016, PCOM is one of the few osteopathic medical schools that have raised its profile as a leader in advancing diversity, equity and inclusion.

Institutional Support

A restructured and revitalized Office of Institutional Advancement resulted in record-setting fundraising totals for the last few years, growing from $3M in FY16 to nearly $7M in FY20.

While this strategic plan concluded at the close of the 2020 fiscal year, PCOM will continue to assess the outcomes and build upon what has been accomplished. The College has also begun work setting new priorities is continuing to identify opportunities to solidify its position as a leader in osteopathic medicine, health and behavioral health.

PCOM 2020: Accomplishments Report (PDF)

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  • About Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

    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.

    Contact Us

    Brandon Lausch
    Executive Director, Strategic Communications
    Email: brandonla@pcom.edu
    Office: 215-871-6312 | Cell: 717-371-0609

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