TIFTON – On May 14, Anthony Dove Jr. received this year’s Mason W. Pressly Memorial Medal during PCOM South Georgia’s annual Graduation Celebration held at The Station in Downtown Tifton.

Named for one of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine’s founders, this is the highest award presented to a graduating doctor of osteopathic medicine student on each PCOM campus. This award recognizes a graduate who has demonstrated outstanding achievement and service to the college, the community and the osteopathic profession. The recipient is selected by representatives of the overall college community.

“To me, this award represents more than recognition,” Dove said. “It’s a reflection of the community that raised me, the mentors who guided me, and the patients and peers who have inspired me every step of the way. Coming from a rural town like Kinston, North Carolina, and being the first in my family to become a doctor, this award affirms that purpose and service matter. It reminds me why I started: to bridge gaps in health care, advocate for underserved populations, and uplift others as I climb.”

During the event, Anthony Zarka, DO, a PCOM alumnus and retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, led graduating student Jonica Carlton in the oath of office as she was promoted from second lieutenant to captain in the Air Force followed by a pinning ceremony. After graduation with the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Carlton will enter a first-year training program in general surgery at Travis Air Force Base in Sacramento, California.