History of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Source: https://www.pcom.edu/campuses/philadelphia-campus/history.html
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:22
History of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Skip to main content
PHILADELPHIA CAMPUS
Academics
Programs of Study
Faculty
About
About PCOM
Fact Sheet
History
Housing Options
Dining Commons
Student Success Center
Visit
Plan a Visit
Maps and Directions
Around PCOM
Virtual Tour
Administration
Office of the President
Board of Trustees
News and Social Media
News
Experts List
Social Wall
Office Directory
Healthcare Services
Body Donor Program
Career Opportunities
History of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
When osteopathic schools were forming throughout the country in the 1890s, two students
at the Northern Institute of Osteopathy in Minneapolis—the Rev. Mason Wiley Pressly
and Oscar John Snyder—targeted Philadelphia as a future home for an osteopathic college.
While the “City of Brotherly Love” had a rich history of medicine, it had but one
“osteopathist” by the time Drs. Pressly and Snyder graduated in 1898 and 1899, respectively.
The two
doctors of osteopathy (DOs)
followed through with their vision, incorporating Philadelphia College and Infirmary
of Osteopathy (PCIO) on January 24, 1899. They rented two rooms in the Stephen Girard
Building at 21 South 12th Street—the first of many homes for the College—and opened
their doors to students and patients.
In September 1899, the first PCIO degree was awarded to a transfer student; the first
PCIO “class,” comprised of one woman and one MD, graduated in February 1900. It was
not long before the early graduates formed an
alumni association
. By the end of the first year, the College outgrew its space in the Stephen Girard
Building. The academic year beginning February 1, 1900, commenced in PCIO’s second
Center City location: the newly built Witherspoon Building at Juniper and Walnut Streets.
From 1900 to 1903, PCIO occupied the entire south side of the sixth floor with classrooms,
clinical facilities and laboratories.
Early Years
From 1903 to 1908, the College established a campus in this seven-story Victorian
stone mansion at 33rd and Arch Streets in West Philadelphia.
The word of osteopathy spread quickly in Philadelphia. As the number of students and
faculty grew, the College moved to larger quarters in 1903, establishing its first
“campus” at 33rd and Arch Streets, a then-suburban neighborhood in West Philadelphia.
In a seven-story Victorian stone mansion with gas lighting and a big wrap-around porch,
surrounded by grassy lawns, a tradition of student life started with the organization
of athletics, professional societies, fraternities and sororities.
By 1906 the College opened the Osteopathic Dispensary at 1617 Fairmount Avenue, a
three-bed facility for the underprivileged of the community seeking osteopathic treatment.
The College moved to 1715 North Broad Street (1908-1912), then from 1912-1916 to 832
Pine Street in the city's Society Hill neighborhood, where the Osteopathic Hospital
of Philadelphia, the first osteopathic hospital to be chartered in Philadelphia, would
come to fruition around the corner at 410 S. Ninth Street.
College Expansion
Shortly before the United States entered World War I, the College purchased its first
buildings, including a hospital. The Reyburn Mansion, located at 19th and Spring Garden
Streets, became the cornerstone of the campus from 1917 to 1929.
After four prosperous years on Pine Street, PCIO bought its first building at 19th
and Spring Garden Streets in 1917. The College, officially renamed Philadelphia College
of Osteopathy (PCO) in 1921, erected a three-story, 52-bed hospital building to the
rear and acquired two adjacent townhouses—one for additional classrooms and clinics,
the other to serve as the Nurses' Home for the College’s new Training School for Nurses.
A training school for nurses and Department of Free Clinics were established in the
hospital, which featured a surgical amphitheater. The clinics would become a critical
component of practical instruction for generations of students.
The Depression and War Years
From 1929 to 1972, this custom-built 75,000-square-foot building at 48th and Spruce
Streets was the College’s home. The building offered enlarged educational and hospital
facilities.
Expanding again, PCO was completing construction of a new collegiate Gothic-style
college and hospital building at 48th and Spruce Streets on the eve of the Depression.
Times were tough, but with strong leadership from the board of directors and others,
PCO weathered the storm.
During the 1930s, the curriculum expanded, pre-osteopathic and graduate schools started,
and PCO created the profession's first Department of Osteopathic Research.
Patients register to be seen by third- and fourth-year medical students.
The basement clinic at 48th Street was organized into rows of 40 numbered cubicles
which resembled booths. The third- and fourth-year student physicians who sat at each
cubicle while seeing patients became known as “booth doctors” who played an increasingly
important role in providing health care to the Philadelphia community.
During the war years, PCO accelerated the curriculum from four years to three, and
welcomed many returning GIs into the classes of the late 1940s and '50s. Medicine
was becoming more specialized and complex, increasing the need for clinical training.
A New Home
In 1951, PCO christened a satellite training facility called North Center Hospital
at 20th Street and Susquehanna Avenue.
In 1951, PCO acquired Women's Homeopathic Hospital at 20th Street and Susquehanna
Avenue and turned it into a satellite facility called North Center Hospital. Many
PCO medical students, nurses, interns and residents trained here.
In time, 48th Street no longer met the needs for state-of-the-art medical education
and patient care or the demands for larger class sizes. In 1957, the College purchased
16 acres of land at City Avenue and Monument Road and the Tudor Revival–style Moss
Estate housed on it. The estate, situated at the heart of the new campus, was renovated
and named the Levin Administration Building. The College was renamed Philadelphia
College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) in 1967.
PCOM has called City Avenue home since 1973.
A year later, the Frederic H. Barth Pavilion of the Hospitals of PCOM opened, and
the Howard A. Hassman, DO ’83 Academic Center (formerly known as Evans Hall)—which
houses classrooms, the library and laboratory facilities—was completed in 1973. An
adjacent five-story office building, acquired in 1977, was renovated into classrooms,
laboratories and medical offices. The building was later named Rowland Hall after
PCOM's fourth president, Thomas M. Rowland, Jr., DO (Hon.), LLD (Hon.).
During the 1970s, PCOM enhanced the basic sciences by recruiting many PhD faculty
members, instituted new programs in osteopathic education, expanded residency programs
and established a School of Allied Health.
Healthcare Centers
In keeping with the College's mission to train primary care physicians, PCOM opened
a rural healthcare center in Sullivan County, Pennsylvania, and in
several urban Philadelphia neighborhoods
. The centers provide care to medically underserved populations while serving as key
sites for the
clinical education
of PCOM students—not only DO students, but physician assistant and psychology students
as well.
In 2020, PCOM transferred ownership of the clinical practice in Sullivan County to
Family Practice Center, PC, owned and operated by PCOM alumni.
In 2022, Family Medicine at PCOM at City Avenue underwent a renovation and expansion
project that transformed the facility into a one-stop shop to serve the medical needs
of the community.
In 2022, the City Avenue location, then known as Family Medicine at PCOM, hosted a
ribbon-cutting ceremony to highlight a renovation and expansion project that more
than tripled the size of the facility footprint and transformed the facility into
a one-stop shop to serve the medical needs of the community. New additions include
a spacious and comfortable waiting area, 15 examination rooms (including two outfitted
for pediatrics), a dedicated space for mental health services, a new physician who
specializes in women's reproductive health, a preceptor room where PCOM students can
collaborate with physicians, a lab and a phlebotomy room where patients can get blood
drawn and COVID vaccines, often without an appointment. Beyond the spacious layout,
new flooring, lighting and soothing ambience, a new vybe urgent care center located
only steps away from the primary care practice will refer walk-in patients to PCOM
for follow-up care, to identify a primary care provider and for chronic care management.
In 2024, the City Avenue location was
renamed the Joseph M. Hassman, DO '65 Family Medicine Center
in honor of the father of philanthropist Howard A. Hassman, DO '83.
Program Diversification
Starting in the early 1990s, PCOM added several non-DO academic programs to the curriculum.
The addition of non-DO academic programs to the curriculum starting in the early 1990s
began a new era of diversification for PCOM. Program launches and expansions include:
A graduate program in
biomedical sciences
in 1993.
A
Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology
program in 1995 to meet the need for primary care mental health providers.
A
Master of Sciences in Health Sciences in Physician Assistant Studies
program in 1998.
In 1999, the Psychology Department expanded to include a counseling master's program,
which has evolved over the years into the
MS in Mental Health Counseling
program of today.
The Psychology Department added
school psychology programs
in 2002.
Also in 2002, the
Master of Science in Forensic Medicine
program was established.
PCOM also launched a number of
multidisciplinary degree options
providing opportunities in a number of fields, including business administration,
public health and forensic medicine.
The College also increased strategic partnerships from “home base” clinical teaching
fellowship partnerships.
Campus Modernization and Expansion
PCOM embarked on an ambitious campus overhaul in the mid-1990s to expand and modernize
its campus.
To expand and modernize its campus, PCOM embarked on an
ambitious campus overhaul
from 1995-1999. An expansion of the Hassman Academic Center added a modern osteopathic
manipulative medicine lab, classrooms, the Office of Admissions and a cafeteria. The
Hassman Academic Center, Rowland Hall and the Levin Administration Building were renovated,
and landscaped greenery gave the College a true campus feeling.
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 2026, the space
was renamed the
Student Success Center
and renovated to support academic excellence and student well-being.
The Meta Christy House, opened in 2021, includes 224 fully furnished apartments for
on-campus student housing.
In 2001, the College purchased the former City Avenue Hospital. The building was razed,
and the College sold a parcel of land to neighbor WPVI Channel 6. Investment income
from the sale has been used for need-based
student scholarships
; the remaining acres have been reserved to accommodate future construction.
In 2021, the College opened
Meta Christy House
, named in honor of
Meta L. Christy, DO 1921
, located adjacent to the PCOM campus. Previously, Overmont House, the newly renovated
facility includes 224 fully furnished apartments on 12 floors. The location allows
students to live on campus and to be part of a safe living community.
Expansion Into Georgia
The College chose suburban Atlanta for its first branch campus, opening PCOM Georgia
in Suwanee, GA, in 2005.
Responding to a growing need for healthcare providers in the South, PCOM established
a new, state-of-the-art branch campus in Suwanee, Georgia in 2005. Renamed
PCOM Georgia
in 2019, the Suwanee location offers a range of health-related degree programs, enabling
students to gain an education close to home with the aim of serving the health needs
of their communities and the region. Students can pursue professional doctoral degree
programs in
osteopathic medicine
,
pharmacy
and
physical therapy
. PCOM Georgia also offers master’s degree programs in
biomedical sciences
and
physician assistant studies
.
The 23-acre campus, located at 625 Old Peachtree Road in Suwanee, includes the
172,000-square-foot Old Peachtree building
, which features large and small classrooms, conference areas and study spaces. The
Old Peachtree building also houses research and multi-use basic science laboratories,
an anatomy laboratory, the
Simulation Center
, three pharmacy practice labs, a large osteopathic manipulative medicine practice
suite and the
Physical Therapy Education Center
.
A second campus building, the 21,000-square-foot Northlake building, houses offices
for administrative personnel, admissions, marketing and communications, and alumni
relations. The campus is also home to the
Georgia Osteopathic Care Center
, an osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic, which is open to the public by appointment.
In 2019, the College established PCOM South Georgia in Moultrie, GA, marking a new
era in healthcare education in Southwest Georgia.
In 2017, PCOM extended its reach into Georgia with an additional location in Moultrie,
Georgia, about 225 miles to the south of PCOM Georgia.
PCOM South Georgia
welcomed its inaugural class of DO students in August 2019. The
75,000-square-foot facility
, built on 30 acres, stretches out in four distinct wings framed around a central
common space that functions as the social heart of the building. The facility includes
expansive classrooms, osteopathic manipulative medicine and anatomy labs, a
simulation center
, exam and practice rooms, and an information commons. In 2020, PCOM South Georgia
expanded its academic offerings to include the
biomedical sciences program
.
PCOM timeline
In November 2025, a new timeline installation was created showcasing moments in the
history of PCOM. Below you can see each entry in detail.
Now, it is your moment to be a part of history at PCOM; to unite with thousands of
alumni and donors to help ignite goals to accelerate, expand, and enhance every PCOM
student's educational experience. Make a gift to the
United & Ignited Campaign
and have an unprecedented impact on the purpose, practice and passion of PCOM students.
1899
Mason Pressly, DO, and O.J. Snyder, DO, establish Philadelphia College and Infirmary
of Osteopathy (PCIO), the nation’s third osteopathic college.
1899
1902
PCIO forms the Alumni Association.
1902
1903
The College establishes its first “campus” at 33rd and Arch Streets in Philadelphia,
PA.
1903
1912
The College moves to 832 Pine Street near the Osteopathic Hospital of Philadelphia.
1912
1919
The School of Nursing established was established in 1919 (closed in 1960).
1919
1924
Physicians conduct surgical operations in a clinical amphitheater.
1924
1929
A fundraising campaign is successful to build a new home for the institution at 48th
and Spruce in Philadelphia.
1929
1930
Third- and fourth-year PCO “booth doctors” treat patients and gain clinical exposure.
1930
1933
Angus G. Cathie, DO '31, MSC, FAAO, prepares specimens for PCO's anatomy museum.
1933
1942
PCO opens new war-time accelerated term to meet physician demand at home.
1942
1949
PCO celebrates its 50th anniversary.
1949
1951
The College acquires Women's Homeopathic Hospital and renames it North Center Hospital.
1951
1957
The College purchases the Moss Estate (now the Levin Administration Building) on City
Avenue in Philadelphia.
1957
1967
The Frederic H. Barth Pavilion opens.
1967
1970
The College begins construction of Evans Hall.
1970
1982
Renovations are completed at 4190 City Avenue.
1982
1986
The PCOM Healthcare Center opens at 4148 Lancaster Avenue.
1986
1993
PCOM begins to expand its academic offerings to include biomedical sciences, psychology
and physician assistant studies programs.
1993
1999
PCOM celebrates its Centennial anniversary with growth of the campus.
1999
2005
PCOM Georgia opens in Suwanee, GA.
2005
2001
The College purchases the vacant City Avenue hospital building.
2001
2015
The U.S. Department of Education grants PCOM university status.
2015
2019
PCOM South Georgia opens in Moultrie, GA.
2019
2021
PCOM opens an apartment building for students on the Philadelphia campus.
2021
2024
PCOM marks its 125th anniversary.
2024
X
Prospective Students
Admissions
Programs and Degrees
What is Osteopathic Medicine?
Request Information
Costs and Financial Aid
Mission Statement
Student Life
Housing Options
History
Clery Act
Current Students
myPCOM
Academic Calendar
Course Catalog
Financial Aid
Bursar
Registrar
Faculty
Commencement
Library
Bookstore
Security
Faculty and Staff
Off-Campus Access
Administration
Administrative Departments
Academic Departments
Technical Support
Website Support
Faculty Directory
Alumni
Alumni Portal
Alumni Association
Class Notes
Get Involved
Alumni Events
Alumni Resources
Give
Digest Magazine
Community
President's Podcast
Office of Campus and Community Partnerships
Community Wellness Initiative
Primary Care Innovation Fund
Events Calendar
Career Opportunities
Patient Services
For the Media
Connect With Us
More Information
Contact Us
Maps and Directions
Virtual Tour
Accreditation
HEOA Disclosures and Policies
Program Statistics
Title IX
Non-Discrimination
State Licensure Information
Financial Aid
Programs
Admissions Events
Philadelphia, PA
Suwanee, GA
Moultrie, GA
Contact Us
Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
Accessibility
Manage Cookies
©
2026 Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
©
Skip to main content
PHILADELPHIA CAMPUS
Academics
Programs of Study
Faculty
About
About PCOM
Fact Sheet
History
Housing Options
Dining Commons
Student Success Center
Visit
Plan a Visit
Maps and Directions
Around PCOM
Virtual Tour
Administration
Office of the President
Board of Trustees
News and Social Media
News
Experts List
Social Wall
Office Directory
Healthcare Services
Body Donor Program
Career Opportunities
History of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
When osteopathic schools were forming throughout the country in the 1890s, two students
at the Northern Institute of Osteopathy in Minneapolis—the Rev. Mason Wiley Pressly
and Oscar John Snyder—targeted Philadelphia as a future home for an osteopathic college.
While the “City of Brotherly Love” had a rich history of medicine, it had but one
“osteopathist” by the time Drs. Pressly and Snyder graduated in 1898 and 1899, respectively.
The two
doctors of osteopathy (DOs)
followed through with their vision, incorporating Philadelphia College and Infirmary
of Osteopathy (PCIO) on January 24, 1899. They rented two rooms in the Stephen Girard
Building at 21 South 12th Street—the first of many homes for the College—and opened
their doors to students and patients.
In September 1899, the first PCIO degree was awarded to a transfer student; the first
PCIO “class,” comprised of one woman and one MD, graduated in February 1900. It was
not long before the early graduates formed an
alumni association
. By the end of the first year, the College outgrew its space in the Stephen Girard
Building. The academic year beginning February 1, 1900, commenced in PCIO’s second
Center City location: the newly built Witherspoon Building at Juniper and Walnut Streets.
From 1900 to 1903, PCIO occupied the entire south side of the sixth floor with classrooms,
clinical facilities and laboratories.
Early Years
From 1903 to 1908, the College established a campus in this seven-story Victorian
stone mansion at 33rd and Arch Streets in West Philadelphia.
The word of osteopathy spread quickly in Philadelphia. As the number of students and
faculty grew, the College moved to larger quarters in 1903, establishing its first
“campus” at 33rd and Arch Streets, a then-suburban neighborhood in West Philadelphia.
In a seven-story Victorian stone mansion with gas lighting and a big wrap-around porch,
surrounded by grassy lawns, a tradition of student life started with the organization
of athletics, professional societies, fraternities and sororities.
By 1906 the College opened the Osteopathic Dispensary at 1617 Fairmount Avenue, a
three-bed facility for the underprivileged of the community seeking osteopathic treatment.
The College moved to 1715 North Broad Street (1908-1912), then from 1912-1916 to 832
Pine Street in the city's Society Hill neighborhood, where the Osteopathic Hospital
of Philadelphia, the first osteopathic hospital to be chartered in Philadelphia, would
come to fruition around the corner at 410 S. Ninth Street.
College Expansion
Shortly before the United States entered World War I, the College purchased its first
buildings, including a hospital. The Reyburn Mansion, located at 19th and Spring Garden
Streets, became the cornerstone of the campus from 1917 to 1929.
After four prosperous years on Pine Street, PCIO bought its first building at 19th
and Spring Garden Streets in 1917. The College, officially renamed Philadelphia College
of Osteopathy (PCO) in 1921, erected a three-story, 52-bed hospital building to the
rear and acquired two adjacent townhouses—one for additional classrooms and clinics,
the other to serve as the Nurses' Home for the College’s new Training School for Nurses.
A training school for nurses and Department of Free Clinics were established in the
hospital, which featured a surgical amphitheater. The clinics would become a critical
component of practical instruction for generations of students.
The Depression and War Years
From 1929 to 1972, this custom-built 75,000-square-foot building at 48th and Spruce
Streets was the College’s home. The building offered enlarged educational and hospital
facilities.
Expanding again, PCO was completing construction of a new collegiate Gothic-style
college and hospital building at 48th and Spruce Streets on the eve of the Depression.
Times were tough, but with strong leadership from the board of directors and others,
PCO weathered the storm.
During the 1930s, the curriculum expanded, pre-osteopathic and graduate schools started,
and PCO created the profession's first Department of Osteopathic Research.
Patients register to be seen by third- and fourth-year medical students.
The basement clinic at 48th Street was organized into rows of 40 numbered cubicles
which resembled booths. The third- and fourth-year student physicians who sat at each
cubicle while seeing patients became known as “booth doctors” who played an increasingly
important role in providing health care to the Philadelphia community.
During the war years, PCO accelerated the curriculum from four years to three, and
welcomed many returning GIs into the classes of the late 1940s and '50s. Medicine
was becoming more specialized and complex, increasing the need for clinical training.
A New Home
In 1951, PCO christened a satellite training facility called North Center Hospital
at 20th Street and Susquehanna Avenue.
In 1951, PCO acquired Women's Homeopathic Hospital at 20th Street and Susquehanna
Avenue and turned it into a satellite facility called North Center Hospital. Many
PCO medical students, nurses, interns and residents trained here.
In time, 48th Street no longer met the needs for state-of-the-art medical education
and patient care or the demands for larger class sizes. In 1957, the College purchased
16 acres of land at City Avenue and Monument Road and the Tudor Revival–style Moss
Estate housed on it. The estate, situated at the heart of the new campus, was renovated
and named the Levin Administration Building. The College was renamed Philadelphia
College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) in 1967.
PCOM has called City Avenue home since 1973.
A year later, the Frederic H. Barth Pavilion of the Hospitals of PCOM opened, and
the Howard A. Hassman, DO ’83 Academic Center (formerly known as Evans Hall)—which
houses classrooms, the library and laboratory facilities—was completed in 1973. An
adjacent five-story office building, acquired in 1977, was renovated into classrooms,
laboratories and medical offices. The building was later named Rowland Hall after
PCOM's fourth president, Thomas M. Rowland, Jr., DO (Hon.), LLD (Hon.).
During the 1970s, PCOM enhanced the basic sciences by recruiting many PhD faculty
members, instituted new programs in osteopathic education, expanded residency programs
and established a School of Allied Health.
Healthcare Centers
In keeping with the College's mission to train primary care physicians, PCOM opened
a rural healthcare center in Sullivan County, Pennsylvania, and in
several urban Philadelphia neighborhoods
. The centers provide care to medically underserved populations while serving as key
sites for the
clinical education
of PCOM students—not only DO students, but physician assistant and psychology students
as well.
In 2020, PCOM transferred ownership of the clinical practice in Sullivan County to
Family Practice Center, PC, owned and operated by PCOM alumni.
In 2022, Family Medicine at PCOM at City Avenue underwent a renovation and expansion
project that transformed the facility into a one-stop shop to serve the medical needs
of the community.
In 2022, the City Avenue location, then known as Family Medicine at PCOM, hosted a
ribbon-cutting ceremony to highlight a renovation and expansion project that more
than tripled the size of the facility footprint and transformed the facility into
a one-stop shop to serve the medical needs of the community. New additions include
a spacious and comfortable waiting area, 15 examination rooms (including two outfitted
for pediatrics), a dedicated space for mental health services, a new physician who
specializes in women's reproductive health, a preceptor room where PCOM students can
collaborate with physicians, a lab and a phlebotomy room where patients can get blood
drawn and COVID vaccines, often without an appointment. Beyond the spacious layout,
new flooring, lighting and soothing ambience, a new vybe urgent care center located
only steps away from the primary care practice will refer walk-in patients to PCOM
for follow-up care, to identify a primary care provider and for chronic care management.
In 2024, the City Avenue location was
renamed the Joseph M. Hassman, DO '65 Family Medicine Center
in honor of the father of philanthropist Howard A. Hassman, DO '83.
Program Diversification
Starting in the early 1990s, PCOM added several non-DO academic programs to the curriculum.
The addition of non-DO academic programs to the curriculum starting in the early 1990s
began a new era of diversification for PCOM. Program launches and expansions include:
A graduate program in
biomedical sciences
in 1993.
A
Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology
program in 1995 to meet the need for primary care mental health providers.
A
Master of Sciences in Health Sciences in Physician Assistant Studies
program in 1998.
In 1999, the Psychology Department expanded to include a counseling master's program,
which has evolved over the years into the
MS in Mental Health Counseling
program of today.
The Psychology Department added
school psychology programs
in 2002.
Also in 2002, the
Master of Science in Forensic Medicine
program was established.
PCOM also launched a number of
multidisciplinary degree options
providing opportunities in a number of fields, including business administration,
public health and forensic medicine.
The College also increased strategic partnerships from “home base” clinical teaching
fellowship partnerships.
Campus Modernization and Expansion
PCOM embarked on an ambitious campus overhaul in the mid-1990s to expand and modernize
its campus.
To expand and modernize its campus, PCOM embarked on an
ambitious campus overhaul
from 1995-1999. An expansion of the Hassman Academic Center added a modern osteopathic
manipulative medicine lab, classrooms, the Office of Admissions and a cafeteria. The
Hassman Academic Center, Rowland Hall and the Levin Administration Building were renovated,
and landscaped greenery gave the College a true campus feeling.
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 2026, the space
was renamed the
Student Success Center
and renovated to support academic excellence and student well-being.
The Meta Christy House, opened in 2021, includes 224 fully furnished apartments for
on-campus student housing.
In 2001, the College purchased the former City Avenue Hospital. The building was razed,
and the College sold a parcel of land to neighbor WPVI Channel 6. Investment income
from the sale has been used for need-based
student scholarships
; the remaining acres have been reserved to accommodate future construction.
In 2021, the College opened
Meta Christy House
, named in honor of
Meta L. Christy, DO 1921
, located adjacent to the PCOM campus. Previously, Overmont House, the newly renovated
facility includes 224 fully furnished apartments on 12 floors. The location allows
students to live on campus and to be part of a safe living community.
Expansion Into Georgia
The College chose suburban Atlanta for its first branch campus, opening PCOM Georgia
in Suwanee, GA, in 2005.
Responding to a growing need for healthcare providers in the South, PCOM established
a new, state-of-the-art branch campus in Suwanee, Georgia in 2005. Renamed
PCOM Georgia
in 2019, the Suwanee location offers a range of health-related degree programs, enabling
students to gain an education close to home with the aim of serving the health needs
of their communities and the region. Students can pursue professional doctoral degree
programs in
osteopathic medicine
,
pharmacy
and
physical therapy
. PCOM Georgia also offers master’s degree programs in
biomedical sciences
and
physician assistant studies
.
The 23-acre campus, located at 625 Old Peachtree Road in Suwanee, includes the
172,000-square-foot Old Peachtree building
, which features large and small classrooms, conference areas and study spaces. The
Old Peachtree building also houses research and multi-use basic science laboratories,
an anatomy laboratory, the
Simulation Center
, three pharmacy practice labs, a large osteopathic manipulative medicine practice
suite and the
Physical Therapy Education Center
.
A second campus building, the 21,000-square-foot Northlake building, houses offices
for administrative personnel, admissions, marketing and communications, and alumni
relations. The campus is also home to the
Georgia Osteopathic Care Center
, an osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic, which is open to the public by appointment.
In 2019, the College established PCOM South Georgia in Moultrie, GA, marking a new
era in healthcare education in Southwest Georgia.
In 2017, PCOM extended its reach into Georgia with an additional location in Moultrie,
Georgia, about 225 miles to the south of PCOM Georgia.
PCOM South Georgia
welcomed its inaugural class of DO students in August 2019. The
75,000-square-foot facility
, built on 30 acres, stretches out in four distinct wings framed around a central
common space that functions as the social heart of the building. The facility includes
expansive classrooms, osteopathic manipulative medicine and anatomy labs, a
simulation center
, exam and practice rooms, and an information commons. In 2020, PCOM South Georgia
expanded its academic offerings to include the
biomedical sciences program
.
PCOM timeline
In November 2025, a new timeline installation was created showcasing moments in the
history of PCOM. Below you can see each entry in detail.
Now, it is your moment to be a part of history at PCOM; to unite with thousands of
alumni and donors to help ignite goals to accelerate, expand, and enhance every PCOM
student's educational experience. Make a gift to the
United & Ignited Campaign
and have an unprecedented impact on the purpose, practice and passion of PCOM students.
1899
Mason Pressly, DO, and O.J. Snyder, DO, establish Philadelphia College and Infirmary
of Osteopathy (PCIO), the nation’s third osteopathic college.
1899
1902
PCIO forms the Alumni Association.
1902
1903
The College establishes its first “campus” at 33rd and Arch Streets in Philadelphia,
PA.
1903
1912
The College moves to 832 Pine Street near the Osteopathic Hospital of Philadelphia.
1912
1919
The School of Nursing established was established in 1919 (closed in 1960).
1919
1924
Physicians conduct surgical operations in a clinical amphitheater.
1924
1929
A fundraising campaign is successful to build a new home for the institution at 48th
and Spruce in Philadelphia.
1929
1930
Third- and fourth-year PCO “booth doctors” treat patients and gain clinical exposure.
1930
1933
Angus G. Cathie, DO '31, MSC, FAAO, prepares specimens for PCO's anatomy museum.
1933
1942
PCO opens new war-time accelerated term to meet physician demand at home.
1942
1949
PCO celebrates its 50th anniversary.
1949
1951
The College acquires Women's Homeopathic Hospital and renames it North Center Hospital.
1951
1957
The College purchases the Moss Estate (now the Levin Administration Building) on City
Avenue in Philadelphia.
1957
1967
The Frederic H. Barth Pavilion opens.
1967
1970
The College begins construction of Evans Hall.
1970
1982
Renovations are completed at 4190 City Avenue.
1982
1986
The PCOM Healthcare Center opens at 4148 Lancaster Avenue.
1986
1993
PCOM begins to expand its academic offerings to include biomedical sciences, psychology
and physician assistant studies programs.
1993
1999
PCOM celebrates its Centennial anniversary with growth of the campus.
1999
2005
PCOM Georgia opens in Suwanee, GA.
2005
2001
The College purchases the vacant City Avenue hospital building.
2001
2015
The U.S. Department of Education grants PCOM university status.
2015
2019
PCOM South Georgia opens in Moultrie, GA.
2019
2021
PCOM opens an apartment building for students on the Philadelphia campus.
2021
2024
PCOM marks its 125th anniversary.
2024
X
Prospective Students
Admissions
Programs and Degrees
What is Osteopathic Medicine?
Request Information
Costs and Financial Aid
Mission Statement
Student Life
Housing Options
History
Clery Act
Current Students
myPCOM
Academic Calendar
Course Catalog
Financial Aid
Bursar
Registrar
Faculty
Commencement
Library
Bookstore
Security
Faculty and Staff
Off-Campus Access
Administration
Administrative Departments
Academic Departments
Technical Support
Website Support
Faculty Directory
Alumni
Alumni Portal
Alumni Association
Class Notes
Get Involved
Alumni Events
Alumni Resources
Give
Digest Magazine
Community
President's Podcast
Office of Campus and Community Partnerships
Community Wellness Initiative
Primary Care Innovation Fund
Events Calendar
Career Opportunities
Patient Services
For the Media
Connect With Us
More Information
Contact Us
Maps and Directions
Virtual Tour
Accreditation
HEOA Disclosures and Policies
Program Statistics
Title IX
Non-Discrimination
State Licensure Information
Financial Aid
Programs
Admissions Events
Philadelphia, PA
Suwanee, GA
Moultrie, GA
Contact Us
Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
Accessibility
Manage Cookies
©
2026 Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
©