Marking a 50-year connection with Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM),
Bruce Kornberg, DO ’78, FACC, FACOI, has been named the recipient of the 2024 O.J. Snyder Memorial Medal. Bestowed in
memory of the College’s co-founder, the annual award is a prestigious recognition,
honoring esteemed service to the institution and the exemplification of ideals of
the osteopathic profession. Dr. Kornberg will be recognized during PCOM’s 125th Anniversary Founders’ Day celebration
on January 25, 2024.
Graduating from PCOM in 1978, Dr. Kornberg joined PCOM as a clinical instructor of internal medicine in 1983, was named clinical professor of internal medicine in 1992, and was the chair of the Department of Cardiology from 1997–2023. He is a 12-time recipient of PCOM's Clinical Teacher of the Year Award, received the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Award for Outstanding Teaching in 1990, and was a fellow of the American College of Cardiology in 1992. In June 2023, Dr. Kornberg was elected to the PCOM Alumni Association Board.
Dr. Kornberg joined Main Line Health’s Lankenau Medical Center as an attending physician in 2004, and was named a Top Doc in Philadelphia by Philadelphia Magazine from 2018 to 2023. An academic leader in the osteopathic profession, Dr. Kornberg was co-vice chairman of the Department of Internal Medicine at PCOM between 1990 and 2023 and core curriculum chairman for clinical cardiology between 1995 and 2023.
During his time at the College, Dr. Kornberg has formed lasting relationships with notable PCOM graduates, including John P. Simelaro, DO ’71, FCCP, FACA, FACOI, a “legend to legions of PCOM alumni and patients,” and Robert H. Jama, DO ’69, who taught Dr. Kornberg how to multitask and move from patient to patient. “That was his greatest gift to me. I appreciate it to this day because I taught that to my residents.”
Faithful to the osteopathic tradition throughout his career, Dr. Kornberg says his training gave him another modality to make people better. As an instructor, Dr. Kornberg taught his students to look at the patient both medically and psychologically, integrating all aspects of care for the patient and their family, understanding the family is just as important as the patient.
Raised in Cheltenham, PA, Dr. Kornberg now lives in Wynnewood, PA, with his wife, Merle, whom he thanks for her years of support. “I couldn’t have done any of this without her,” he said. They have a son, William N. Kornberg, DO ’07, a cardiologist with the Lankenau Heart Group, and daughter-in-law, Traci Littman Kornberg, PA-C, a 2010 graduate of PCOM's Physician Assistant program. Their daughter, Rebecca, is a reading teacher and math coach, and their son-in-law, Martin Lehr, owns a biotech company.
Dr. Kornberg retired in June 2023 after four decades as a full-time cardiologist and professor. He now enjoys a more flexible schedule while working part-time with the Lankenau Heart Group, and he spends a few days a month teaching first-year courses at PCOM.
Learn more about Founders' Day 2024 at PCOM.
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
© 2024 Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine