On October 13th of 1904, Aaron Brown and eight of his colleagues founded Phi Delta Epsilon at Weill Cornell Medical College. For Aaron Brown and his colleagues, the establishment of Phi Delta Epsilon was critical to their success not only as physicians, but in dispelling antisemitism. 

Prior to the conclusion of World War II, the Jewish community experienced poignant discrimination, its bounds extending into academics and medicine. Professional medical fraternities, which tended to support their members through providing meals and a residency program, established quotas limiting the number of Jewish students.

Guided by our founding principles of Philanthropy, Deity, Education, and Equity, we maintain Aaron Brown's legacy in welcoming a diverse array of students with a passion for medicine. In 1994, Phi Delta Epsilon gained its premedical affiliation, allowing us to charter the chapter we have today at Syracuse University.