Phi Beta Pi

Phi Beta Pi
ΦΒΠ
Founded March 10, 1891
West Pennsylvania Medical College
Type Professional fraternity
Affiliation PFA (former)
Emphasis Medicine
Scope local
Colors Emerald green   & white  
Flower White Chrysanthemum
Publication The Talisman (formerly Phi Beta Pi Quarterly)
Headquarters 1202 Church Street Formerly: 401 Mechanic Street
Galveston, TX 77550
Website phibetapi.com

Phi Beta Pi (ΦΒΠ) medical fraternity is a professional fraternity founded in 1891 at the West Pennsylvania Medical College. Currently the fraternity operates in Galveston, Texas at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB).

History

Phi Beta Pi medical fraternity is a professional fraternity founded March 10, 1891, at the West Pennsylvania Medical College, a school that is now a department of the University of Pittsburgh). It was, at its beginning, an anti-fraternity society, reactionary to the more secret groups of the day. At formation it was known briefly as Pi Beta Phi professional fraternity, but changed its name because a woman's fraternity also known as Pi Beta Phi had prior claim to that name.

Its Beta chapter was established at the University of Michigan on April 1, 1898, with its first national general assembly in Ann Arbor on January 6, 1900.

Baird's Manual (20th ed.) reports that Phi Beta Pi absorbed an early, secret medical fraternity named Kappa Lambda, which may have been the first professional fraternity of any account. It had been founded in 1803 at Transylvania University, in Lexington, Kentucky, extending chapters to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York, to Rutgers University Medical School (NJ), the Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, and elsewhere. It continued to be active in New York until the eve of the Civil War, to 1858 or later, "but having no useful purpose faded into oblivion." Baird's reports that what remained of Kappa Lambda consolidated with Phi Beta Pi under that name, even though Phi Beta Pi dates to 1891.

Over three decades the fraternity chartered 53 chapters. Growth slowed, adding ten more by 1955.

Growth was difficult, with probably the single biggest negative factor cited as being the consolidation and discontinuance of medical schools. In 1906 there were 162 medical schools in the United States and Canada, but by 1954 there were 79. Additionally, medical societies were in competition among themselves. Phi Beta Pi for a time gained from others' loss: In 1934 Omega Upsilon Phi medical fraternity, founded at Buffalo in 1894, merged into Phi Beta Pi, bringing with it an additional 24 chapter designations, some of which merged into existing Phi Beta Pi chapters, some closed, and with its Alpha chapter at the University of Buffalo leaving to join rival Phi Chi Medical Fraternity as its Omega Upsilon Phi chapter.

Later, in what was considered a merger of equals, Phi Beta Pi consolidated operations with Theta Kappa Psi, both contributing their remaining chapters to the combined group in 1961, and retaining the names of both national fraternities. Some chapters, notably those in Texas and Manitoba, fought against this merger which at first would have required Theta Kappa Psi to give up its name. These groups began to organize a schismatic and similarly named international group, but this effort failed to launch.

Thirty years later, in the Spring of 1992, Phi Beta Pi-Theta Kappa Psi was dissolved. At the time of dissolution there were only nine active chapters in existence. The only remaining chapter of Phi Beta Pi is situated at The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. It has expressed an interest in rebuilding the national with additional chapters.

Traditions and insignia

Its badge is a diamond of gold with emerald points and pearl edges. A black enamel center with gold skull and pelvis and the letters "ΦΒΠ."

Chapters

Below is a list of Phi Beta Pi chapters.

Chapter Institution Dates Notes
A University of Pittsburgh 1891-? Inactive
B University of Michigan 1898-? Inactive
Γ Starling-Ohio Medical College 1900–1905 Inactive
Δ Rush Medical College (University of Chicago) 1901-? Inactive
Ε McGill University 1901–1908 Inactive
Ζ Baltimore College of Physicians and Surgeons 1901-? Inactive
Η Jefferson Medical College 1902-? Inactive
Θ Northwestern University (Chicago) 1902-? Inactive
Ι University of Illinois (Chicago) 1902-? Inactive
Κ Detroit College of Medicine 1903-? Inactive
Λ Saint Louis University 1903-? Inactive
Μ Washington University 1903-? Inactive
Ν Kansas City University 1904-? Inactive
Ξ University of Minnesota 1904-? Inactive
Ο Indiana University (Indianapolis) 1905-? Combined with Alpha Zeta to make Omicron Alpha Zeta
Π University of Iowa 1905-? Inactive
Ρ Vanderbilt University 1906-1944 Inactive
Σ University of Alabama (Mobile) 1906-? Inactive
Τ University of Missouri 1906-? Inactive
Υ Western Reserve University 1906–1911 Inactive
Φ University College of Medicine 1906-? Inactive
Χ Georgetown University 1906-? Inactive
Ψ Medical College of Virginia 1906-? Inactive
Ω Cooper Medical College 1906-? Inactive
ΑΑ Creighton Medical College 1907-? Inactive
ΑΒ Tulane University 1907-? Inactive
ΑΓ Syracuse University 1907-? Inactive
ΑΔ Medico-Chirurgical College absorbed by University of Pennsylvania 1907-? Inactive
ΑΕ Marquette University 1907-? Inactive
ΑΖ Indiana University (Bloomington) 1908-? Inactive
ΑΗ University of Virginia 1909-? Inactive
ΑΘ University of Pennsylvania 1909-? Inactive
ΑΙ University of Kansas 1910-? Inactive
ΑΚ University of Texas (Galveston) 1910–Present Active Chapter and Head Quarters
AM University of Louisville pre-1921-? Inactive

Omega Upsilon Phi fraternity merged into Phi Beta Pi 1934. All active chapters became active chapters of Phi Beta Pi except Alpha which joined Phi Chi Medical Fraternity.

Theta Kappa Psi fraternity merged in 1961.

Other professional medical fraternities

In addition to the medical fraternities listed here, there are numerous chiropractic, pre-health, pharmacy and nursing fraternities.