Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine’s (PCOM) Director of the Community Wellness Initiative (CWI), Florastine “Flo” Byarms, has been recognized as a 2024 City & State PA Healthcare Trailblazer for her commitment to providing health and wellness resources to local communities.
Byarms’ three-plus decades of healthcare experience have shown her firsthand the different barriers to care and the importance of providing sufficient resources to underserved populations, making her an advocate for community interaction and health equity.
“It is my philosophy that the wealth of a community lies in its members discovering the value of their health,” Byarms said. “It is an incredible honor to be recognized alongside other influential healthcare professionals in the state who share in our mission of delivering high-quality care and support to those who are most vulnerable.”
Since the CWI’s inception in 2021, Byarms has been instrumental in leading PCOM’s efforts to address social determinants of health. Throughout her time as director, she has implemented a wide range of educational and health services programming that has impacted over 14,000 people across PCOM’s Philadelphia and Georgia locations.
“We are incredibly proud of the work Flo has done to grow and promote our Community Wellness Initiative,” said PCOM President and CEO Jay S. Feldstein, DO '81. “It is because of people like her that we are able to live out our mission of advancing the health of diverse communities.”
Byarms earned her master’s degree in health communications from Southern New Hampshire University and her bachelor’s degree in communications from Temple University. She has served as a member of Healthcare Connect of Chester County, and the Media-based nonprofit Greener Partners.
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.
Gabrielle DePietro
Associate Director, News and Media Relations
Email: gabrielde2@pcom.edu
Office: 215-871-6304
© 2024 Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine