AOA HONOR MEDICAL SOCIETY

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AOA HONOR MEDICAL SOCIETY
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ESTABLISHED 1902

• WILLIAM WEBSTER ROOT AND FIVE OTHER MEDICAL
  STUDENTS AT THE COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND
  SURGEONS IN CHICAGO ORGANIZED ALPHA OMEGA ALPHA
  IN 1902, WHEN "EXCELLENCE" WAS HARDLY THE WORD
  THAT WOULD DESCRIBE AMERICAN MEDICAL EDUCATION.
• INDEED, THE FOUNDER VIEWED THE SOCIETY AS A
  PROTEST AGAINST "A CONDITION WHICH ASSOCIATED THE
  NAME MEDICAL STUDENT WITH ROWDYISM, BOORISHNESS,
  IMMORALITY, AND LOW EDUCATIONAL IDEALS."

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CRITERIA FOR ELECTION

• SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENT SHOULD BE THE PRIMARY BUT
  NOT SOLE BASIS FOR ELECTION OF A STUDENT.
  LEADERSHIP CAPABILITIES, ETHICAL STANDARDS,
  FAIRNESS IN DEALING WITH COLLEAGUES, POTENTIAL
  FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN MEDICINE, AND A RECORD OF
  SERVICE TO THE SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY AT LARGE
  SHOULD BE CRITERIA IN ADDITION TO THE ACADEMIC
  RECORD. THESE ADDITIONAL ATTRIBUTES WILL BE
  WEIGHTED IN THE SELECTION PROCESS BY POLICIES
  ESTABLISHED WITHIN EACH CHAPTER

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METHOD OF ELECTION

• TOP 25 CLASS ACADEMICALLY ARE ELIGIBLE.
• ELECTION REQUIRES MORE!
• NOT ALL WILL BE CHOSEN.
• UP TO 1/6 OF TOTAL GRADUATING CLASS MAY BE
  ELECTED.
• OTHER CRITERIA ARE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED AND
  DISCUSSED HERE AT DAVIS. SUPERB ACCOMPLISHMENT IN
  THESE MAY TAKE A CANDIDATE OF A LOWER GPA ( BUT
  STILL IN THE TOP 25) OVER ONE OF A HIGHER.

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MEMBERS MEETINGS 2xYEAR

• SPRINGJUNIOR AOA
• FALLSENIOR AOA
• WHETHER JR OR SR ELECTION MAY DEPEND ON CLERKSHIP
  ORDER ONE IS NOT BETTER THAN THE OTHER.

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AOA AND RESIDENCY SELECTION..

• AOA ELECTION IS NOT INTENDED BY THE SOCIETY TO BE
  A DEVICE TO ENHANCE ONES CANDIDACY FOR
  RESIDENCY.
• A CANDIDATES MOTIVE FOR DESIRED ELECTION TO
  AOA IS IMMATERIAL.
• IT IS THE TOTALITY OF A CANDIDATES
  ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN SCHOLARSHIP, LEADERSHIP,
  SERVICE, AND CHARACTER WHICH IS DETERMINATIVE.

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ELECTIONS AND CONFIDENTIALITY

• IN ORDER TO ALLOW AOA MEMBERS TO BE AS HONEST AND
  CANDID AS POSSIBLE IN ASSESSING THE CHARACTER AND
  CONDUCT OF CANDIDATES, WE REQUIRE THEM TO REFUSE
  TO DISCUSS THE DETAILS OF THE ELECTION MEETINGS.
• AOA ELECTION IS NOT A POPULARITY CONTEST, BUT
  PEOPLE WHO ARE ADMIRED BY THEIR TEACHERS AND
  CLASSMATES FOR THEIR HIGH ACHIEVEMENTS MAY
  INDEED BE POPULAR.

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WORTHY TO SERVE THE SUFFERING

• AOA MEMBERSHIP IS AN HONOR, BUT IT IS PRIMARILY
  AN OBLIGATION.
• WHAT THE INITIALS IN GREEK (???) STAND FOR.

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ROOT SAID

• "IT IS THE DUTY OF MEMBERS TO FOSTER THE
  SCIENTIFIC AND PHILOSOPHICAL FEATURES OF THE
  MEDICAL PROFESSION, TO LOOK BEYOND SELF TO THE
  WELFARE OF THE PROFESSION AND OF THE PUBLIC, TO
  CULTIVATE SOCIAL MINDEDNESS, AS WELL AS
  INDIVIDUALISTIC ATTITUDE TOWARD RESPONSIBILITIES,
  TO SHOW RESPECT FOR COLLEAGUES, ESPECIALLY FOR
  ELDERS AND TEACHERS, TO FOSTER RESEARCH AND IN
  ALL WAYS TO ENNOBLE THE PROFESSION OF MEDICINE
  AND ADVANCE IT IN PUBLIC OPINION. IT IS EQUALLY A
  DUTY TO AVOID THAT WHICH IS UNWORTHY, INCLUDING
  THE COMMERCIAL SPIRIT AND ALL PRACTICES INJURIOUS
  TO THE WELFARE OF PATIENTS, THE PUBLIC, OR THE
  PROFESSION."

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THE BEST WAY TO GET INTO AOA?

• IS TO BE THE VERY BEST MEDICAL STUDENT AND
  DOCTOR THAT YOU CAN BEIN ALL THE WAYS THAT
  BEST REQUIRES.
• TO BE, IN SHORT, WORTHY TO SERVE THE SUFFERING.