April 16, 2015

Established over 225 years ago, the College of Physicians of Philadelphia is the oldest professional medical organization in the US.  It began in 1787 as 24 physicians gathered in Philadelphia “to advance the science of medicine and thereby lessen human misery.”  As of 2015, there are nearly 1,500 Fellows who continue to meet at the College to carry on the mission of its founders. 

One of the newest Fellows is Maria Benedetto, DPT, an associate clinical professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences.  However, Benedetto is not new to the College of Physicians.  For the past four years, she has been a mentor with their Karabots Junior Fellows Program which works with high school students from communities under-represented in current health care professions.  It is one of her passions, and she enjoys bringing students on campus for interactive activities. 

As a Fellow, Benedetto will not only continue to work with Karabots, but she will also participate in a second educational program, the Teva Summer Internships.  She’d also like to explore other possible mentorship opportunities dealing with physical activity and obesity in children. 

Benedetto was nominated by  Stanley Goldfarb, MD, FCPP, MACP, the President of the College of Physicians, and will be inducted as a Fellow on May 8, 2015 when she will sign her name in the same book the founding members used in 1787.