The PCOM chapter of the Student Association of Military Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons hosted a remembrance ceremony on the College's campus.
The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) chapter of the Student Association of Military Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons hosted a remembrance ceremony for September 11, honoring the lives lost in the largest terror attacks on U.S. soil.
Col. Mitchell Paulin, the command surgeon for the 99th Readiness Division in New Jersey, spoke to a crowd outside of Evans Hall about what the hallowed date meant to him. That morning after finishing office procedures, he learned about the attacks on the World Trade Center, Pentagon and the plane crash in Western Pennsylvania.
“At the time I was a physician in the army reserves and a general surgeon with the hospital unit. Within hours, the alert roster was activated and I reported to Fort Dix, New Jersey,” he said. He noted that prior to September 11, the Army Reserves were largely a strategic reserve force but after that, they became an operational force.
“Seventy-five percent of all medical assets in the Army are in the Reserves,” he said. “Therefore, we can expect to be involved in almost all future missions deemed necessary by the National Command Authority.”
He noted other changes in the field of military medicine that occurred after September 11—most notably, that health practitioners from all branches of the military were working side-by-side more often.
“You are the future of military medicine,” he said. “Those of you who serve should take great pride in what you’re doing—to conserve the fighting strength and maintain the health of our soldiers and seamen.”
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.
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