Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine history

By 1906 the College opened the Osteopathic Dispensary at 1617 Fairmount Avenue, forerunner of the Osteopathic Hospital of Philadelphia.

After many prosperous years on Pine Street, PCIO bought its first building at 19th and Spring Garden streets in 1916.

The College, officially renamed Philadelphia College of Osteopathy (PCO) in 1921, added a new hospital to the rear and acquired two adjacent townhouses—one for additional classrooms and clinics, the other for a nurses’ home.

In 1951 PCO acquired Women’s Homeopathic Hospital at 20th Street and Susquehanna Avenue, making it into a satellite facility called North Center Hospital.

In 1957, the former Moss Estate was acquired at City Avenue and Monument Road.

The College was renamed Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) in 1967.

In 1973, PCOM opened a new building, Evans Hall, and relocated to its current campus along City Avenue in Philadelphia.

The 75th Anniversary History of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, 1974, 0036.003, Volume: 3.

In 1979, PCOM acquired the adjacent office building, which was later named Rowland Hall in honor of PCOM's 4th President.

The addition of non-DO academic programs to the curriculum starting in the early `90s began a new era of diversification for PCOM. In 1993, the College launched a graduate program in biomedical sciences.

Recognizing a need for primary care mental health providers, the College started a Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology program in 1995.

In 1997, a larger, state-of-the-art PCOM Healthcare Center - Cambria opened a block from the old site.

The final phase of the campus overhaul was completed in 1999 with the opening of a 55,000-square-foot activities center.

In 2001, the Organizational Development and Leadership program was added to the College's offerings.

In 2002, the Psychology Department expanded to include school psychology programs.

The Center for the Study of Chronic Diseases of Aging (CCDA) was created in 2003.

In 2005, PCOM Georgia (formerly known as GA-PCOM) enrolled its first class of osteopathic medical students.

In 2014, the 11,000-square-foot facility was renamed the Doctor Michael and Wendy Saltzburg Clinical Learning and Assessment Center (CLAC) in honor of alumnus Michael C. Saltzburg, DO '77, and his wife, Wendy.

In 2015, the Department of Education accepted and approved PCOM’s application to obtain university status.

In 2016, patient services provided at Roxborough Center were relocated to the Roxborough Memorial Hospital Medical Office Building and Family Medicine at PCOM.

On December 5, 2017, PCOM received initial approval from the American Osteopathic Association’s (AOA) Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) to establish an additional location in Moultrie, Georgia.

PCOM South Georgia welcomed its inaugural class of DO students in August 2019.

In 2020, PCOM transferred ownership of the clinical practice in Sullivan County to Family Practice Center, PC, owned and operated by PCOM alumni.