Phi Chi

Infobox Fraternity
letters= ΦX
name= Phi Chi Medical Fraternity, Inc.
crest= -->
birthplace = University of Vermont in Burlington, Vermont
founded = March 31, 1889
type= Professional fraternity
motto= "Phthanomen Chrasimein (Φθνομεν-Χραιομειν)," First to Serve
colors= Olive green and White
symbol= Adult Tiger Beetle (Cicindela patruela), Doodlebug
flower= Lily of the Valley
publication= "The Chronicles" formerly "The Quarterly"
chapters= 15
scope = International
USA
CAN
SXM
UK
GRD
factoid= Phi Chi Society (1889) and Phi Chi Medical Fraternity, Inc. (1894) joined March 5, 1905
address=2039 Ridgeview Drive
city=Floyds Knobs
state=Indiana
country=USA
homepage=http://www.phichimed.org
footnotes=

Phi Chi is one of the oldest and largest international, medical fraternities of its kind in the world. Phi Chi evolved from the merging of two professional medical fraternities bearing the same name. Phi Chi Society (Phi Chi East) was founded on March 31, 1889, at the University of Vermont, Burlington, Vt. Phi Chi Medical Fraternity (Phi Chi South) was founded on October 26, 1894, at the Louisville Medical College, Louisville, Ky. These two organizations did not know that they shared a similar name when they were founded. On March 5, 1905, in Burlington, Vt., Phi Chi Society and Phi Chi Medical Fraternity, Inc., were consolidated taking the name Phi Chi Medical Fraternity, Inc.

Phi Chi has grown to become a co-ed, international, professional medical fraternity with 15 active chapters in 5 countries and 10 states.

A Short History of Phi Chi

Phi Chi Society of the East

The Eastern Fraternity was founded by Caleb Wakefield Clark on March 31, 1889, who called to his support Frederick Luther Osgood, Isaac Newton Fox and Alfred Judson Young, all of the class of 1889. According to a letter from Dr. Clark shortly before his death, “Phi Chi was not formed for purely social reasons and indeed, my aim and desire to bring about such an organization was primarily to get together and discuss thing medical and thus get more out of our college course. The new fraternity was to be established to give all possible aid in the dissemination of knowledge and information along medical lines and to broaden and uplift the minds of all; as I keenly felt the need of a society through which we could work and cooperate.”

In 1895, members from the University of Vermont met in Baltimore, Md and created the Beta Chapter in the Baltimore Medical College. In 1900, Gamma was chartered in the Maine Medical College under similar circumstances. In 1902 and 1903, Beta organized Delta and Theta in Baltimore. On February 26, 1904, Alpha Chapter called a convention of Phi Chi Society Chapters (A, B, Γ, Δ, Θ) to meet in Burlington, Vt. June 5, 1904, is the first convention of the Grand Chapter.

Phi Chi Medical Fraternity of the South

“October 26, 1894, at four o’clock, p.m., there assembled in the office of Doctor Clinton Kelly” of the faculty of the Louisville Medical College, “A. Harris Kelly, Samuel T. McClung, G. Fowler Border, Joseph N. Powers, George E. Gavin, Charles W. Hibbitt, and Linn L. Kennedy (all of whom became members of Alpha of the Southern Fraternity; now Alpha Alpha) for the purpose of organizing a fraternity.”

The growth of Phi Chi is a great monument to the spirit that urged the original group to unite and form a medical fraternity in a city where little was known of such societies. The first members of the Southern Fraternity consisted of the previously mentioned as well as Carey A. Gray and Walker B. Gossett.

On November 5, 1894, a committee was appointed to draft a constitution and not until November 17, was the first officers elected: Presiding Senior, McClung; Presiding Junior, Gossett; Secretary, Kennedy, and Powers, Treasurer (Judge Advocate and the minor officers had not been provided for). Wedding, Chapman and Shacklett were elected to membership and included with Gossett and Gray in the charter listing of members. The First Regular Meeting was held on Saturday, December 8, 1894. On December 29, 1894, D.A. Garrison, O. K. Harris, E. Rea Norris and A.P. Campbell were to complete the charter members.

Beta and Gamma chapters are installed in December 1896.

On February 26, 1897, the first Grand Chapter Convention of Southern Phi Chi Chapters (A, B, Γ, Δ) is called; this date later becomes Founder’s Day.

In 1898 Phi Chi expands out of the Louisville, KY.

The first volume of "The Phi Chi Quarterly", the name of the official fraternal publication, is published on April 1, 1904 (the name is changed to "The Phi Chi Chronicles" in 1989).

Phi Chi Medical Fraternity

On March 5, 1905, Phi Chi Medical Fraternity (Southern Phi Chi) and Phi Chi Society (Eastern Phi Chi) are joined in Baltimore, MD, making Phi Chi the largest medical fraternity in America. Chapter names which conflicted during the joining were resolved by allowing the older chapter to retain its single name and the second chapter to have its name duplicated (Alpha, University of Vermont, 1889; Alpha Alpha, Louisville Medical College, 1894).

On July 1, 1910, the first history of Phi Chi is published. In 1915 the first "Phi Chi Directory" is published with 37 active chapter (some chapters had been consolidated) and 6,790 initiated members.

1922 saw the merger of Pi Mu Honor Society and Phi Chi as well as the chartering of Beta Mu Chapter at McGill University, Phi Chi’s first Canadian Chapter, on May 15.

December 1925, 24th Grand Chapter Convention is held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. There are 54 chapters and 12,169 members.

In 1927, the Student Loan Fund was created which was run by the Welfare Association after its creation in 1947, to provide emergency loans for members in need.

On February 21, 1948, Phi Alpha Gamma and Phi Chi merge.

In 1949, the Phi Chi Welfare Association is incorporated. On August 20, Irvin Abell, the first Grand Presiding Senior of Phi Chi, dies.

Eden J. Carey, MD, Memorial Award in Anatomy plaques are created in May 1950.

February 26, 1960, Omega Chapter of Phi Chi is chartered at National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, the first chapter south of the border. The Michael J. Carey, MD, Senior Service Award is first presented.

May 21, 1962, ΥB Chapter of Phi Chi is chartered at University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR.

At the XL Grand Chapter Convention in 1973, women medical students are allowed membership.

September 1989, AA and AB Alumni Chapters are chartered.

Sigma Chi Mu Chapter is chartered on October 19, 2001, at American University of the Caribbean, St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles, making it the first Caribbean chapter.

August 4, 2002, Sigma Tau Chi Chapter of St. Christopher’s College of Medicine in Luton, England is chartered making it the first European chapter of Phi Chi.

Current Active Chapters

USA Chapters

Alpha Beta - University of Tennessee;Chartered- April 4, 1914

Upsilon Nu - University of Nebraska;Chartered- November 7, 1916

Epsilon Kappa - University of Washington;Chartered- February 26, 1948

Phi Rho - St. Louis University;Chartered- December 10, 1930

Zeta - University of Texas;Chartered- April 29, 1903 (By Phi Chi South)

Chi - Jefferson Medical College;Chartered- December 9, 1903 (By Phi Chi South)

Kappa Chi - University of Minnesota;Chartered- May 22, 1920

Chi Upsilon - Creighton;Chartered- January 15, 1916

Omicron - Tulane University;Chartered- December 21, 1905 (By Phi Chi South)

Psi - University of Michigan;Chartered- December 16, 1905 (By Phi Chi South)

Sigma Kappa – Medical University of South Carolina;Chartered- June 2, 1927

International Chapters

Iota Mu- St. George's, Grenada, West Indies;Chartered- April 20, 2007 Sigma Tau Chi – St. Christopher’s College of Medicine;
Luton, England;Chartered- August 4, 2002 Nu Sigma - Dalhousie University;
Halifax, NS Canada;Chartered- December 15, 1928 Sigma Chi Mu - American University of the Caribbean;
St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles;Chartered- October 19, 2001

[http://www.phichimed.org/ Phi Chi Medical Fraternity, Inc. National Page]