Bryan Ginn: “Georgia Campus–Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM)”

Addressing the Rotary Club of Lawrenceville at its Monday, March 2, meeting was Bryan Ginn, the Chief Campus Officer of Georgia Campus—Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM). He opened with personal reflections on being a third-generation Rotarian and having had a parent who was a polio victim. He then gave background information on PCOM and its major programs: Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Doctor of Pharmacy, and Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences. Their programs are designed to meet health needs in Georgia’s underserved areas. Founded in 2005 with a class of 80, they have grown to a total of 1,012 current students. They are funded primarily by tuition (78% of budget), and tuition is high, $44,000 a year. Students often leave with a debt of over $200,000. But competition is tough, with over 4,000 applicants for 135 slots in the Osteopathic program and over 1,000 for the 100 PharmD slots. He emphasized the positive impact of PCOM on the community, with its faculty payroll and its trained health care graduates.