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Lambda Omicron Gamma (LOG) was originally known as the Blue and White Club. It was established at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathy in 1919 by Jewish medical students seeking mentoring, post-graduate training, and employment. LOG was officially founded on November 10, 1924 by ten students. LOG continued to pursue the goals of the Blue and White Club for over 75 years. LOG’s objectives were to:
- spread the knowledge of Osteopathy among the Jewish people
- encourage Jewish youth to enter into the field of osteopathic practice
- maintain a high standard of professional competence for Jewish osteopathic physicians
- actively propagate the principle of equal opportunity for all races and creeds, with advancement based not on racial or religious grounds but on merit
By 1929, with the establishment of the Astra Chapter in the Los Angeles area, LOG became a national organization. The PCO Philadelphia chapter was named the Caduceus Chapter. By the late 1930’s LOG was nationally recognized, and by the 1950’s all Osteopathic institutions except for Kirksville, had active LOG chapters. LOG eventually became the most popular PCO and PCOM fraternity, with membership eventually exceeding 100 individuals.
The fraternity opened doors and provided opportunities for those who had none. Post graduate training was limited for Jewish doctors who were not offered internships or allowed to have beds in hospitals. LOG members got together and founded Metropolitan Hospital. Metropolitan provided career paths for many of the fraternity members. This initial pathway led to the creation of future hospitals such as Parkview Hospital and Cherry Hill Hospital. In the 1950’s LOG opened membership to women and minorities who were excluded from other fraternities, because of race or gender.
In the 1960’s, the fraternity began offering CME credits in all specialties giving fraternity members training opportunities not available elsewhere at that time. LOG’s national conventions provided chapter members with additional training, social and networking opportunities. LOG’s annual awards recognized outstanding service from both members and individuals who contributed to the work of the fraternity. Annual conventions continued through the late 1980s.
LOG was disbanded in 2000. It had achieved its goals of providing access and career opportunities to all. With the proceeds of the sale of the last fraternity house, LOG established a scholarship fund at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. The Lambda Omicron Gamma Scholarship is presented to a second-, third- or fourth-year DO student recognized for active involvement in the campus and the community. LOG’s legacy lives on through the good works of PCOM students.
