Phi Beta Pi

Phi Beta Pi
Phi Beta Pi
ΦΒΠ
Founded	March 10, 1891; 133 years ago; West Pennsylvania Medical College
Type	Professional fraternity
Affiliation	Independent
Former Affiliation	PFA
Status	Active
Emphasis	Medicine
Scope	Local
Member badge
Colors	Emerald green white
Flower	White chrysanthemum
Publication	The Talisman
Chapters	1 active, 62 chartered
Headquarters	1202 Church Street; Formerly: 401 Mechanic Street; Galveston, Texas 77550; United States
Website	phibetapi.com

Phi Beta Pi (ΦΒΠ) is an American professional fraternity for medical students that was founded in 1891 at the West Pennsylvania Medical College. Currently, the fraternity operates as a local fraterenity at the University of Texas Medical Branch.

History

Phi Beta Pi medical fraternity is a professional fraternity founded on 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.^[1]

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.^[2]

Over three decades, the fraternity chartered 53 chapters.^[3] Growth slowed, adding ten more by 1955.^[3] Growth was difficult, with probably the biggest factor cited was the consolidation and discontinuance of medical schools.^[2] In 1906, there were 162 medical schools in the United States and Canada, but by 1954 there were 79.^[2] Additionally, medical societies competed among themselves. Phi Beta Pi gained from others' loss: Omega Upsilon Phi fraternity merged into Phi Beta Pi in 1934.^[3] All active chapters became chapters of Phi Beta Pi except Alpha which joined Phi Chi Medical Fraternity.^[4]

In what was considered a merger of equals, Phi Beta Pi consolidated operations with Theta Kappa Psi, both contributing their remaining chapters in 1961 and retaining the names of both national fraternities. Some chapters, notably those in Texas and Manitoba, fought against this merger that, 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. The only remaining chapter is at The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas.

Symbols

The Phi Beta Pi badge is a diamond of gold with emerald points and pearl edges. It has a black enamel center with gold skull and pelvis and the Greek letters ΦΒΠ.^[1]^[2] Its colors are emerald green and white.^[3]^[2] Its flower is the white chrysanthemum.^[3]^[2]

Chapters

Phi Beta Pi chartered 62 chapters.^[3] Currently, it operates as a local organization at the University of Texas Medical Branch.

Notable members

Otis Bowen, 44th Governor of Indiana and United States Secretary of Health and Human Services
W. Dennis Kendig, Virginia Senate
Bradbury Robinson, pioneering American football player

References

^ ^a ^b Baird, William, ed. (1915). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (8 ed.). New York: The College Fraternity Publishing Co.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Anson, Jack L.; Marchenasi, Robert F., eds. (1991) [1879]. Baird's Manual of American Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. p. I-19. ISBN 978-0963715906.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Robson, John, ed. (1963). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (17th ed.). Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press, George Banta Company, Inc. pp. 477-478.
^ Cannon, Daniel H. (1989). The History of Phi Chi Medical Fraternity Inc. Centennial Edition 1889-1989. Phi Chi Quarterly Office.

[baird-1] Baird, William, ed. (1915). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (8 ed.). New York: The College Fraternity Publishing Co.

[Baird's_20th-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Anson, Jack L.; Marchenasi, Robert F., eds. (1991) [1879]. Baird's Manual of American Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. p. I-19. ISBN 978-0963715906.

[:0-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Robson, John, ed. (1963). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (17th ed.). Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press, George Banta Company, Inc. pp. 477-478.

[history-4] Cannon, Daniel H. (1989). The History of Phi Chi Medical Fraternity Inc. Centennial Edition 1889-1989. Phi Chi Quarterly Office.

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v t e Professional fraternities and sororities organizations and members
Currently active members of the Professional Fraternity Association	Alpha Zeta Alpha Kappa Psi Alpha Rho Chi Alpha Phi Omega Alpha Chi Sigma Alpha Omega Epsilon Delta Chi Xi Delta Epsilon Mu Delta Theta Phi Delta Kappa Alpha Delta Omicron Delta Sigma Pi Delta Sigma Chi Epsilon Nu Tau Theta Tau Kappa Epsilon Kappa Epsilon Psi Kappa Eta Kappa Kappa Kappa Psi Kappa Lambda Chi Kappa Psi Lambda Kappa Sigma Mu Beta Phi Mu Phi Epsilon Pi Sigma Epsilon Rho Pi Phi Sigma Alpha Sigma Alpha Iota Tau Beta Sigma Phi Alpha Delta Phi Beta Phi Gamma Nu Phi Delta Epsilon Phi Delta Chi Phi Sigma Pi Phi Chi Theta
Former and formerly active members of the Professional Fraternity Association or its predecessors: Professional Panhellenic Association or Professional Interfraternity Conference	Alpha Delta Theta Alpha Delta Sigma Alpha Kappa Kappa Alpha Sigma Alpha Alpha Tau Delta Alpha Omega Beta Alpha Psi Gamma Eta Gamma Gamma Iota Sigma Delta Epsilon Iota Delta Sigma Delta Delta Psi Kappa Epsilon Eta Phi Zeta Phi Eta Theta Kappa Psi Theta Sigma Upsilon Theta Sigma Phi Iota Sigma Pi Kappa Alpha Pi Kappa Beta Pi Kappa Delta Epsilon Kappa Phi Kappa Nu Sigma Nu Xi Psi Phi Omicron Delta Kappa Omicron Nu Pi Lambda Theta Sigma Delta Chi Sigma Nu Phi Sigma Sigma Sigma Sigma Phi Delta (now social) Phi Beta Gamma Phi Beta Pi Phi Delta Delta Phi Delta Gamma Phi Delta Kappa Phi Delta Pi Phi Delta Phi (now honor society) Phi Epsilon Kappa Phi Lambda Kappa Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia (now social) Phi Rho Sigma Phi Upsilon Omicron Phi Chi Chi Beta Phi Psi Omega Omega Tau Sigma Omega Upsilon Phi Pershing Rifles Scabbard and Blade Scarab
North American Interfraternity Conference	Alpha Gamma Rho Alpha Gamma Sigma
Active independent professional fraternities	Alpha Gamma Kappa Alpha Zeta Omega Alpha Eta Rho Alpha Iota Alpha Psi Gamma Epsilon Tau Delta Sigma Theta Delta Theta Sigma Delta Kappa Gamma Delta Kappa Phi Delta Phi Epsilon Kappa Gamma Psi Kappa Pi Nu Beta Epsilon Phi Delta Kappa (sorority) Phi Sigma Gamma Phi Psi Chi Delta Mu Chi Eta Phi Block and Bridle Queens' Guard
Inactive independent professional fraternities	Aleph Yodh He Alpha Epsilon Iota Alpha Tau Sigma Chi Zeta Chi Delta Omicron Alpha Pi Delta Nu

Authority control databases
International	VIAF
National	United States

History

Symbols

Chapters

Notable members

See also

References