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On Monday, June 3, 1974, the legendary pathologist and osteopathic physician Dr. Otterbein Dressler gave the keynote address at the William Edrington Scott Theatre to 18 newly minted osteopathic physicians from the burgeoning Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Worth.

Little did Dressler or those 18 physicians know they were laying the foundation for what is now the top osteopathic and all-around medical school in the country, TCOM, which celebrated its 50th graduating class on Tuesday at Dickies Arena.

TCOM’s Class of 2023 featured 214 graduates receiving their Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth.

“TCOM has an incredible tradition and legacy that I’m very proud of,” said Dr. Frank Filipetto, dean of TCOM. “To see how much TCOM has grown over the last 50 years from its humble beginnings to now being one of the top medical schools in the nation is simply amazing.”

TCOM, which opened on October 1, 1970, has grown into a nationally renowned medical school, ranked No. 11 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report in primary care and No. 1 in the state of Texas. TCOM has been ranked as the top osteopathic medical school in the country for three of the last four years.

It all started in 1966 when three osteopathic physicians, Dr. D.D. Beyer, Dr. George Luibel, and Dr. Carl Everett procured a charter from the State of Texas to create the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Dr. David A. Ray, the class president of TCOM’s first graduating class in 1974, can remember vividly the first days of TCOM in October of 1970 and the effort it took to bring the school to fruition.

“There was an unbelievable amount of support and personal sacrifice in time and money from the local physicians who supported the opening of TCOM,” Ray said.

The sacrifices were plenty, but Ray recalls one memorable moment in the early days of class in the bowling alley.

“On the first morning in use as a classroom, the entry door that led from the lobby into lanes opened while Dr. Everett was presenting a slide show and lecture,” Ray said, referring to one of the founders of TCOM. “Everyone turned to look at the open door, and a rather pudgy silhouette of a man carrying a bowling bag said loudly, ‘Where are the lanes?’ Without further comment, he quickly left and closed the door. Dr. Everett continued the lecture without missing a word.”

Ray was elected TCOM’s first Class President, an honor bestowed upon him by his fellow trailblazing students as the soon-to-be first osteopathic medical gradu

ates in the State of Texas.

In 1975, TCOM came under the umbrella of North Texas State University, which later evolved into the UNT System.

With the establishment of the School of Biomedical Sciences in 1993, TCOM expanded into a graduate university with multiple colleges and changed its name to The University of North Texas Health Science Center. Through all the growth and changes in nearly 50 years in the university, city and world, TCOM and osteopathic medicine’s mission hasn’t changed, and it looks forward to another 50 years of graduates.

TCOM’s Inaugural Graduating Class of 1974.
Dr. W. Eugene Bond
Dr. Robert Breckenridge
Dr. Kenneth Brock
Dr. Jobey Claborn
Dr. Nelda Cunniff
Dr. Ronald Daniels
Dr. Gilbert Greene
Dr. Robert Holston
Dr. Shelley Howell
Dr. Sterling Lewis
Dr. R. Paul Livingston
Dr. Terry Parvin
Dr. Jesse Ramsey
Dr. David Ray
Dr. John Sessions
Dr. Ronald Sherbert
Dr. John Williams
Dr. T. David Wiman

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