Amalfitano Family Endows Scholarship for Legacy Students

Louis F. Amalfitano, DO '54, (1925-2014) dedicated much of his career to PCOM and the osteopathic profession. He took great pride in the fact that 11 of his relatives chose to pursue careers in osteopathic medicine, including his brothers, Joseph, DO '45, and Albert, DO '57; his brother-in-law, John Cifala, DO '45; his nephew, Mark, DO '91; and three of his children, Diane, DO '84, Michael, DO '85, and David, DO '87, who all attended PCOM. Additionally, two of Dr. Amalfitano's sisters were nurses at PCOM. Dr. Amalfitano also met his wife, Gloria, at PCOM while she was working as a medical researcher, responsible for obtaining the first grant to PCOM for cancer research.

"My father was very proud of all of his children and was especially thrilled to see some of them attend PCOM," says Michael Amalfitano. "PCOM was always a huge part of my family's life. My father never pressured us to go to PCOM, but it was like those families who have a favorite team. Everyone grew up wanting to go there."

Inspired by their father's love for PCOM, Michael, David and their brother, Don, led the Louis F. Amalfitano charitable remainder trust to contribute more than $120,000 to the College and establish the Louis F. Amalfitano, DO '54, Endowed Legacy Scholarship—PCOM's first scholarship that will benefit a legacy student who has two or more family members who have graduated from PCOM.

"My father would have been honored and thrilled to help students with obtaining an educational opportunity in the field of medicine. His accomplishments were particularly impressive, and I can tell you it all started from the positive experience he received at PCOM," says Don.

Dr. Amalfitano enrolled at PCOM after receiving a Purple Heart medal from the Army in WWII. While in his second year at PCOM in 1952, he authored a resolution to have the Veterans' Administration utilize osteopathic physicians in VA hospitals that was unanimously approved by the Disabled American Veterans organization. This resolution paved the way for other institutions to open their doors to osteopathic physicians.

After graduating from PCOM, Dr. Amalfitano began a pediatric residency in Detroit, where he stayed for most of his life. Throughout his career, Dr. Amalfitano had many accomplishments, including serving as founder and chair of the pediatrics unit at Detroit Osteopathic Hospital and serving as chairman of pediatrics and chief of staff at multiple hospitals.

Specializing in the care of critically ill children with complicated medical conditions, Dr. Amalfitano founded the largest cystic fibrosis clinic in Michigan, which had patients travel from across the United States and Europe to receive his care. An avid sports fan, Dr. Amalfitano was a team physician for the Detroit Tigers, Pistons, Lions and Red Wings as well as for numerous high schools in the Detroit area.

Dr. Amalfitano's dedication to patient care made him a beloved pediatrician in inner city Detroit. Getting paid only $9 per visit, Dr. Amalfitano would give the children he treated one dollar for every 'A' they earned on their report cards. If a child had a particularly good academic quarter, this meant that Dr. Amalfitano paid his $9 wage back to his patient.

"I've never seen anyone as dedicated and as passionate toward his career and patients as my father was," says Michael. "I hope the fund we're establishing continues my father's legacy by helping others to experience the tremendous history and current offerings of PCOM."

You can make a difference for med students with your planned gift to PCOM. To learn more, please contact Carrie Collins, JD, PhD, FCPP at 215-871-6120 or carrieco@pcom.edu.