If you travel up the steep hills on the narrow streets of the Roxborough neighborhood
of Philadelphia, you can be rewarded, in certain locations, with a breathtaking view
of the Schuylkill River and Wissahickon Valley below. Take away the trees and tall
buildings, and you might even see Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM).
Perhaps that’s what Michael A. Becker, DO ’87, MS, FACOFP, associate dean of clinical education, saw living in Roxborough as a young child, just a stone's throw from the college that would define his professional career, in the community in which he would commit his service.
Dr. Becker will be honored for his commitment to PCOM on Thursday, January 25, at the College’s annual Founders’ Day celebration as the recipient of the 2024 Alumni Association Certificate of Honor. It is the highest award given by the Association in recognition of distinguished services rendered and loyal devotion to the welfare and strengthening of PCOM.
Inspired to work in medicine by his family’s doctor, an osteopathic physician named Harold Schreiber, DO, Dr. Becker has made a lifelong commitment to osteopathic medicine. “Our approach to how we take care of our patients is unique,” he said. “Osteopathic manipulation really works, and we are truly holistic. The osteopathic approach is totally consistent with who I am as a person and as a doctor.”
He has been involved with PCOM in various capacities for over 35 years—student, medical staff, teacher, academic leader—and says he can’t recall a time when the College wasn’t a part of his life.
His academic journey began as a student at LaSalle University, where he majored in biology. After graduating from LaSalle, Dr. Becker enrolled in medical school at PCOM. After graduating in 1987, he completed a residency in family medicine and officially joined the PCOM faculty in 1993 in the Department of Family Medicine. He served in various leadership roles at Roxborough Memorial Hospital in the 1990s and served as Medical Director at the PCOM Roxborough Healthcare Center from 1999-2001.
In 2001, life came full circle when Dr. Schreiber offered him a job as Family Practice Residency Director of the PCOM/Mercy Suburban Hospital program. Dr. Becker later returned to PCOM in 2009 and was appointed Associate Dean of Clinical Education in July 2020. In 2021, he was named Campus Chief of Main Line Health-Lankenau Hospital’s Department of Family Medicine.
Becker credits the success of his professional career to the support and influence of mentors he met along the way, including Emanuel Fliegelman, DO ’42, and Bruce Kornberg, DO ’78, this year’s recipient of the O.J. Snyder Memorial Medal. “Dr. Kornberg made a big impact on me as a resident. He was tough, but that's how you learn. And now, I refer patients to him who need a cardiologist because of the way he takes care of patients.”
The influence of PCOM on Dr. Becker’s life became even more significant in 2023 when he watched his daughter, Claire Becker, DO ’23, cross the commencement stage to receive her diploma.
“We have a bond because she understands the culture and the craziness of medicine.”
Dr. Becker lives in Blue Bell with his wife, Barbara, and has a second daughter, Katelyn, and a son, Christopher.
On the board of the PCOM Alumni Association since 2016, and President-elect for a term beginning in June 2024, Becker has been reflecting on his legacy. “We are a family here at PCOM,” he said. “And that means we all have a commitment to each other. I want to be remembered as someone that made a difference to our students, and ultimately to their patients.”
“I'm a lifer,” he added. “And it's really important to see the success of PCOM continue long after I'm gone.”
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