- Joined
- Jun 22, 2006
- Messages
- 19
- Reaction score
- 0
How are recipients of the alpha omega alpha medical student honor society determined in a pass/fail grading system?
Alpha Omega Alpha on P/F system
- Thread starter UCSFnerd
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2005
- Messages
- 1,076
- Reaction score
- 5
Probably by class rank, which the administration may or may not keep secret from the rest of the class.
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2004
- Messages
- 30,873
- Reaction score
- 10,063
Yes. With the exception of one or two schools, P/F is really just a facade, and there are still underlying numerical stats people will use to evaluate you.
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2004
- Messages
- 860
- Reaction score
- 61
yeah, the administration usually will have a class rank on you, even though this info is not on your transcript and usually doesn't leave the med school.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2002
- Messages
- 1,187
- Reaction score
- 7
p/f/h here and we have aoa. don't know how they figure it though.
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2004
- Messages
- 120
- Reaction score
- 2
I was asking this same question when figuring out where to go to school. Just ask the administration and do some digging. If I recall correctly, NYU for example has P/F/H but keeps a secret class rank that they factor into AOA. Einstein on the other hand is also P/F/H, but only years 3 and 4 count at all towards AOA, with the first two years not playing any role whatsoever. Of course I ended up at Maryland where we do have grades, so at least I already KNOW that I'm not making the cut 
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2006
- Messages
- 1,313
- Reaction score
- 6
So the school will nominate you if you meet a certain benchmark, or do you still have to make your interest known?
I was asking this same question when figuring out where to go to school. Just ask the administration and do some digging. If I recall correctly, NYU for example has P/F/H but keeps a secret class rank that they factor into AOA. Einstein on the other hand is also P/F/H, but only years 3 and 4 count at all towards AOA, with the first two years not playing any role whatsoever. Of course I ended up at Maryland where we do have grades, so at least I already KNOW that I'm not making the cut
D
deleted77919
I think interest is assumed.
Me ~ "Well, I'd rather not have the stigma of AOA on my residency app . . . could you guys please give it to someone else?"
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2006
- Messages
- 1,313
- Reaction score
- 6
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2005
- Messages
- 369
- Reaction score
- 0
My school is P/F and I guess they have us vote for who we think should be in it. I've heard its somewhat more of a popularity contest than class rank situation. The top nominations get their scores reviewed by the school and are also selected according to their 3rd and 4th year scores and I guess the number of nominations has some factor as well.
- Joined
- May 23, 2005
- Messages
- 597
- Reaction score
- 1
I had wondered about this. Fortunately, I got accepted to schools that have grades so I won't worry anymore.
Sailcrazy, is that a Jboat on your avatar? J boats are wicked. I race down here in FL in a J 24, once in a while, although, mostly sail for fun on the weekends on a McGregor 26.
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2004
- Messages
- 1,922
- Reaction score
- 10
Good eyes! It's a J/35. Picture taken at the Chicago NOODs a couple years back. Med school hasn't totally killed my sailing... I'm planning to catch a few decent regattas this summer. My family used to have an old Ranger 28 that we'd take out for fun, but it became old and a bit structurally suspect, so I stick to the J now!
And back on topic, I'm really glad not to worry about AOA now. I still feel like everyone is learning the material really well, but we're not stressing over who got the few very awkwardly-questions/exam correct and who didn't.
I can handle having 3rd year be pretty much all or nothing for AOA.
And back on topic, I'm really glad not to worry about AOA now. I still feel like everyone is learning the material really well, but we're not stressing over who got the few very awkwardly-questions/exam correct and who didn't.
I can handle having 3rd year be pretty much all or nothing for AOA.
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2005
- Messages
- 651
- Reaction score
- 2
Is AOA really that special and important? Right now I'm inclined not to care, but I don't want to have any regrets 4th year. Maybe all the envious rejects can form their own honors organization, like DOA or something.
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2006
- Messages
- 5,253
- Reaction score
- 72
What stigma?
The stigma is that the kind of people who get AOA have no sense of humor, don't "get" jokes and are, in general, no fun to be around.
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2006
- Messages
- 958
- Reaction score
- 4
AOA is the medical school version of the scarlet letter.
You walk around for the rest of your career with the shame of having AOA burned into your forehead with a scalding iron. (This depends on the school. My school is a bit more progressive and they just give you a patch that says AOA to hold onto. The old school institutions still perform branding)
If I were to liken AOA to a disease, I would say it's a lot like hemorrhagic syphilis of the face.
I'd avoid it if I were you
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2006
- Messages
- 47
- Reaction score
- 0
Not having grades is a physcological comfort blanklet for those that cant/choose not/whatever compete. You are still being ranked (in most cases anyway). Its just not as out in the open. Our school is pass/fail, but AoA is based on the numerical grades that you recieve in your classes. So guy/girl that passes with 99% in all his classes gets the prize, while guy/girl who passes with 71% doesn't. If you want to go derm/rads/competitive thing then you should still aspire to do your best.
D
deleted77919
In case the other replies hadn't cleared things up, I was being sarcastic in order to make the point that it isn't necessary to request AOA consideration.
