Partnerships Help PCOM Address Clinical Education Crisis

February 3, 2023

While enrollment in healthcare education programs continues to grow across the nation, a significant challenge is the clinical education of medical and allied health students after the didactic years occur. A new report from the Association of American Medical Colleges underscores the dire shortages of clinical training sites and preceptors, especially in primary care.

Through recent strategic partnerships with Chestnut Hill Hospital, St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children and other healthcare facilities, PCOM has expanded and established pipelines to secure clinical spots for its DO and physician assistant studies students.

“As a College, we understand that to effectively train the next generation of healthcare leaders, we must address the national shortfalls in clinical and graduate medical education,” says Jay S. Feldstein, DO ’81, president and chief executive officer, PCOM, of the College’s recent partnerships, which not only fortify training opportunities but also solidify PCOM’s commitment to community health.

Chestnut Hill Hospital

On January 1, 2023, the Alliance PCOM formed with Temple Health and Redeemer Health officially acquired Chestnut Hill Hospital. The newly named Temple Health – Chestnut Hill Hospital (TH-CHH) will remain a freestanding, licensed acute-care hospital under a not-for-profit company owned and controlled by the Alliance and managed by Temple Health. PCOM has strong roots at TH-CHH, including established residency programs in internal medicine, surgery and the transitional year. “This opportunity is significant,” says Dr. Feldstein. “Through our partnership, we will implement and expand clinical opportunities for our DO and physician assistant studies students while preserving a hospital that has been serving its Philadelphia community for more than 100 years.”

St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children

In June 2022, the College announced that—with other private and public donors—it contributed financial support to St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, helping to sustain the hospital’s vital work while establishing an academic affiliation agreement to provide PCOM DO and physician assistant studies students clinical training opportunities in pediatrics. This agreement maintains the College’s residency partnerships in surgery, plastic surgery, orthopedics and otolaryngology. It also provides PCOM with representation on St. Christopher’s board of trustees.

vybe urgent care

The recent renovation of Family Medicine at PCOM paired with the construction of neighboring vybe urgent care offers clinical opportunities for PCOM DO, physician assistant studies, behavioral health, and pharmacy students to learn in a hands-on, interprofessional, team-based medical environment.

PCOM Simulation Center at Bayhealth

Located at Bayhealth Hospital, Kent Campus, Delaware, this newly constructed, state-of-the-art training space is designed to provide a high-tech immersive learning environment for medical students, residents and healthcare professionals. PCOM and Bayhealth have a long-standing partnership. For years, Bayhealth has been an undergraduate medical education site for PCOM medical students completing their third- and fourth-year rotations. Many PCOM graduates have joined Bayhealth’s graduate medical education programs.

Core Clinical Campuses

In partnership with Wellstar Health System, PCOM has established a core clinical campus at Wellstar North Fulton Hospital in Roswell, Georgia, and is working to add a core clinical campus at Shore Medical Center at Somers Point, New Jersey.