Phi Rho Sigma

Phi Rho Sigma () is a professional fraternity founded by medical students at Northwestern University in 1890.

Early History

Phi Rho Sigma was founded at the Northwestern Medical School, then the Chicago Medical College on .

Its founder were:
* Milbank Johnson
* T. J. Robeson
* H. H. Forline
* J. A. Poling

The ''Alpha chapter'' granted charters to ''Beta'' and ''Gamma'' chapters and was the head of the fraternity until early in , when three members from each of the then-existing chapters were appointed to take charge of the affairs of the general fraternity. These nine representatives were elected yearly and the body was known as the Grand Chapter. They elected their own officers and had full power to grant charters, enact laws, and perform other duties devolving upon them. By this body charters were granted to ''Delta'', ''Epsilon'' and ''Zeta''. A revised constitution was adopted , which specifies that the grand chapter shall consist of two delegates from each chapter, and that it shall hold its meetings biennially. In accordance with this act the first general convention was called to Chicago, –. From this meeting dates in reality the national scope of the fraternity. In the interim between conventions the executive power of the fraternity is vested in a Grand Council composed of seven members who all reside in the same vicinity.

Conventions have been held as of biennially.

Chapter Formation and Later History

Many of the chapters were formed from prior existing organizations. ''Gamma chapter'' from the "Ancient Order of Ananias," ''Epsilon chapter'' came from Mu Kappa Phi founded in , ''Eta chapter'' from a local called Tau Sigma, ''Iota chapter'' from Lambda Pi, ''Lambda chapter'' came from a local called "A n T", ''Mu chapter'' from Delta Sigma, ''Omicron chapter'' from Phi Alpha Phi, ''Rho chapter'' from Tau Beta Alpha, ''Chi chapter'' from Alpha Kappa Phi, and the Buffalo chapter from the parent and sole surviving chapter of Alpha Omicron Delta, the name of which has been retained as its chapter name. The Yale chapter was formed from a local society called the Skull and Sceptre which had been founded in . It was allowed to retain its name as a chapter designation although its name is not in harmony with the fraternity's system of chapter nomenclature. The Hamline Medical College where the ''Theta chapter'' was located united with the Medical department of the University of Minnesota where the ''Tau chapter'' was located and the two chapters united under the name of ''Theta Tau chapter''. In the Omaha Medical College where ''Iota chapter'' is located became the medical department of the University of Nebraska, and as part of the instruction was carried on at Lincoln and part at Omaha, the chapter divided into two parts ''Iota-Alpha chapter'' at Lincoln and ''Iota-Beta chapter'' at Omaha. All of the medical course is now given at the State University and thus those chapters are once again consolidated. The ''Iota chapter'' publishes a small magazine called the ''Iota''. The Ohio State chapter was formerly a chapter of Phi Delta. The ''Upsilon chapter'' was originally at the University College of Medicine which was merged into the Medical College of Virginia. ''Omicron chapter'' was originally at the Wisconsin College of Physicians and Surgeons which was merged into Marquette University.

On , a merger agreement was signed in Cincinnati by the authorities of Chi Zeta Chi Fraternity to merge into Phi Rho Sigma.

By , two chapters were reported as inactive, namely, those at Johns Hopkins University (its charter was withdrawn in ) and the University of Toronto (last year of recorded activity is .

In the Grand Chapter established a group of national awards in the form of gold medals, given biennially at the Grand Chapter meeting.

*The Irving S. Cutter Medal is presented to a member of the Society who has provided extraordinary service to the field of medicine.
*The Jesse Ansley Griffin Medal is awarded to a Phi Rho who has given outstanding service to the Society over the past years.
*The student medal, the Paul McLain Student Research Award, is given to a student member who has done significant research while in medical school. Dr. McLain was a physician and scientist who dedicated his life to the education of the medical student. Winners get both a gold medal and a cash award and will present their research at the Grand Chapter.

The Fraternity welcomes suggestions from alumni for the Cutter and Griffin Medals.

Certificates of Meritorious Service may also be given out by the Grand Chapter.

Chapters

The chapter roll is as follows: Some names reflect the chapter's origin as a previous local fraternity. ''Chi'' series chapters indicate those originating as Chi Zeta Chi, such as ''Chi Alpha'', or merged chapters where the Chi Zeta Chi chapter was oldest, or the only active chapter of the two. Bold indicates a chapter that is active.
* - Alpha - Northwestern University
* - Beta - University of Illinois (dormant in , had merged with ''Gamma chapter'' in )
* - Gamma - University of Chicago (includes Rush) (dormant in 1969, had merged with ''Beta chapter'' in 1936)
* - Delta - University of Southern California (dormant in 1969)
* - Epsilon - Detroit College of Medicine and Surgery (dormant in 1965)
* - Zeta - University of Michigan
* - Eta - Creighton University (dormant, 1973-19xx. Later known as ''Eta Tau chapter''.)
* - Theta - Hamline Medical College (united with ''Tau'' in 1907 to form ''Theta Tau chapter'')
* - Iota - University of Nebraska
* - Kappa - Case Western Reserve University
* - Lambda Phi - Medico-Chirurgical College (Perelman, UPenn) (dormant in 1973)
* - Mu - University of Iowa
* - Nu - Harvard University (dormant in 1923)
*1903 - Xi - Johns Hopkins University (dormant in 1904)
* - Omicron - Marquette University (dormant in 1921)
* - Pi - Indiana University Bloomington (Indianapolis)
*1903 - Chi Alpha - University of GeorgiaThis chapter had originally been a chapter of Chi Zeta Chi medical fraternity.
*1904 - Chi Beta - Emory University (dormant in 1959)
*1904 - Chi Gamma - University of Maryland (dormant in 1936)This chapter may include alumni from a chapter of Chi Zeta Chi medical fraternity.
* - Rho - Thomas Jefferson University (dormant in 1965)
* - Sigma - University of Virginia (dormant in 1929)
*1905 - Tau - later ''Theta Tau'' - University of Minnesota
*1906 - Chi Delta - University of South Carolina
*1906 - Chi Epsilon - University of Tennessee
*1906 - Chi Eta - Saint Louis University School of Medicine
*1906 - Chi Zeta - University of Arkansas (dormant in 1939)
* - Upsilon - Medical College of Virginia (dormant in 1943)
* - Phi - University of Pennsylvania (see ''Lambda Phi chapter'')
* - S&S - Yale University (dormant in 1919)
* - Chi - University of Pittsburgh (dormant in 1970)
* - Psi - University of Colorado (dormant in 1972)
*1911 - Alpha Omicron Delta - University at Buffalo (dormant in 1931)
*1913 - Omega - Ohio State University (dormant in 1943)
*1913 - Alpha Beta - Columbia University (dormant in 1932)
*1913 - Alpha Gamma - McGill University (dormant in 1938)
*1918 - Delta Omicron Alpha - Tulane University (dormant in 1950)
*1921 - Alpha Delta - University of Washington (dormant in 1944)
*1922 - Alpha Epsilon - University of Toronto (dormant in 1942)
*1923 - Alpha Zeta - Stanford University (dormant in 1959)
*1924 - Chi Theta - Wake Forest University (dormant in 1965)
*1925 - Alpha Eta - Dalhousie University
*1927 - Alpha Theta - University of Cincinnati (dormant in 1935)
*1929 - Alpha Iota - University of Manitoba (dormant in 1938)
*1933 - Alpha Lambda - Temple University
*1935 - Alpha Mu - Louisiana State University (dormant in 1941)
*1939 - Alpha Nu - University of Texas
*1939 - Alpha Omicron - University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (dormant between 1944–56)
*1948 - Alpha Pi - University of Utah (dormant in 1965)
*1958 - Alpha Rho - Seton Hall University (dormant in 1969)
*1964 - Iota Gamma - University of California, Irvine School of Medicine (dormant in 1974)
*2012 - Alpha Upsilon - Wright State University

As of : Active chapters 28, inactive 2. Membership 4,498. As reported at that time, "The Nebraska, Minnesota, and Michigan chapters own houses."

There are nine active chapters as of .Phi Rho Sigma website
accessed 3 Sept 2020.

Chi Zeta Chi chapters

As of , the following Chi Zeta Chi chapters were activeThe Chi Zeta Chi Medical Fraternity "national" A Retrospect and a Prospect An Official Document
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ACTIVE CHAPTERS
*Alpha University of Georgia
*Beta College of Physicians and Surgeons
*Gamma New York Polyclinic Medical College
*Delta University of Maryland
*Epsilon College of Physicians and Surgeons
*Zeta Baltimore Medical College
*Eta Johns Hopkins University
*Theta Vanderbilt University
*Iota South Carolina Medical College
*Kappa Atlanta School of Medicine
*Lambda College of Physicians and Surgeons
*Mu Tulane University
*Nu University of Arkansas
*Xi St. Louis University
*Omicron Washington University
*Pi College of Physicians and Surgeons
*Rho College of Physicians and Surgeons
*Sigma George Washington University
*Tau Jefferson Medical College
*Upsilon Fordham University
*Phi Lincoln University
*Chi Long Island Medical College
*Psi Medical College of Virginia
*Omega Birmingham Medical College

Symbols

The fraternity issues a periodical called the ''Phi Rho Sigma Journal''. Its publication was begun in . After some little irregularity in issue it became a quarterly in . As of it is published twice a year. In a history and directory edited by Dr. D. E. W. Wenstrand of Milwaukee was published. This was a large octavo volume with many illustrations.

The badge of the fraternity was originally a gold shield with the letters , and in black enamel, surrounding a raised pair of clasped hands in gold over an open book in gold. The was in the upper left hand corner, the in the upper right hand corner, and the below at the apex of the shield. the official badge consists of a gold monogram outline of the letters , and , the being placed on a separate plane above the other two letters and its face set with pearls. The change was made in .

The colors of the fraternity are scarlet and gold.

Other professional medical fraternities

In addition to the medical fraternities listed here, there are numerous chiropractic, pre-health, pharmacy and nursing fraternities.
* Alpha Delta Theta, medical technology
* Alpha Gamma Kappa
* Alpha Kappa Kappa
* Alpha Phi Sigma, see Phi Delta Epsilon
* Alpha Tau Sigma, Osteopathic, dormant
* Mu Sigma Phi, Philippines
* Nu Sigma Nu
* Omega Tau Sigma, veterinary medicine
* Omega Upsilon Phi, see Phi Beta Pi
* Phi Alpha Gamma, formerly Homeopathic, see Phi Chi
* Phi Beta Pi
* Phi Chi
* Phi Delta Epsilon
* Phi Kappa Mu, Philippines
* Phi Lambda Kappa
* Sigma Mu Delta, pre-medical
* Theta Kappa Psi

See also

Phi Rho Sigma homepage

References

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{{Professional Fraternities

Professional medical fraternities and sororities in the United States
Student organizations established in 1890
Former members of Professional Fraternity Association
1890 establishments in Illinois