Dear Members of the PCOM Community:
As a community of medical, health and behavioral science professionals, we celebrate the universal sanctity of human life. But the senseless killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, and other recent tragedies, make far too apparent that not every life is valued equally within our society. We stand in unity with our African American communities, but understand these are issues that impact our society as a whole.
The clear disparities in justice align closely with many of the disparities we see in healthcare, and the root causes are the very societal ills we aim to overcome. And through our work—whether as students, educators or health professionals—we must do our part to work toward a more just, fair, and equitable society.
We can only undertake this challenge together.
In this moment, the PCOM mission has never been more poignant, as it speaks to advancing the well-being of the community through leadership and service. We are proud of the entire PCOM Community for their passion, their advocacy, and their drive for change.
We recognize and acknowledge the anguish that these recent incidents are causing for our PCOM students, faculty, and staff. With this in mind, on Thursday, June 4, at 4 p.m., the Office of Diversity and Community Relations will be co-sponsoring a virtual Community Gathering in concert with the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) and the Student Government Association (SGA) for our students. Further details will be shared in a subsequent message. This will allow a space to reflect on the recent crisis and disruptions that are impacting our lives. A virtual Community Gathering will also be offered for our faculty and staff. The details on that event are forthcoming.
During this unprecedented time of immense challenge, we will work together to be a beacon to fulfill our mission in support of education, care and healing, connection, and service to each other and our community.
Jay S. Feldstein, DO ’81
President and Chief Executive Officer
© 2024 Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine