AOA - Really THAT important?

[Jmish1035]

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Simply put, is it very unfavorable to go to a school without AOA? I am in the process of narrowing down my choices, and a couple of the schools I have been accepted to - schools that I like very much - do not have AOA. They both have impressive match lists.
Will I be at a disadvantage and compared to people with it? I would assume that going to a school with AOA and not receiving it would be a different story. Maybe I'm wrong?

Thoughts?

 

[ERDOC555]

Simply put, is it very unfavorable to go to a school without AOA? I am in the process of narrowing down my choices, and a couple of the schools I have been accepted to - schools that I like very much - do not have AOA. They both have impressive match lists.
Will I be at a disadvantage and compared to people with it? I would assume that going to a school with AOA and not receiving it would be a different story. Maybe I'm wrong?

Thoughts?

Most schools without AOA tend to be top schools in which case not having AOA doesn't matter. No one is looking down on Harvard students even though none of them have AOA.

I think AOA is a major boost in competitive specialties (especially Plastics and Derm) but plenty of people match without it.

At the end of the day you don't even know if you're going to make AOA at all, let alone whether you'll even be applying for a specialty where it matters.

I would not make my school choice all or in part because of presence of AOA, there are far more important factors.

 

[Redpancreas]

I am in the process of narrowing down my choices, and a couple of the schools I have been accepted to - schools that I like very much - do not have AOA. They both have impressive match lists. Thoughts?

 

[Jmish1035]

Yeah... I don't think I'll be making my decision based on this factor alone. I'd like to think that I know better 😛
Just a curious future med student here asking from those who I think have probably come across this situation already.

Again, just out of curiosity, why do some schools have AOA while others don't if it's a big deal when it comes to specialties?

 

[Lawpy]

Again, just out of curiosity, why do some schools have AOA while others don't if it's a big deal when it comes to specialties?

Most schools without AOA tend to be top schools in which case not having AOA doesn't matter. No one is looking down on Harvard students even though none of them have AOA.

Already answered 😉

 

[mw18]

I think top schools don't have it or don't have it until after the match to lessen competition and as a nod to the theoretical possibility that people who they considered top applicants would have to beat out 90% (or whatever AOA requires) of other top applicants. The real reason they don't have it is because their students match well without it, so why invite a measure that may disadvantage people coming from their school that wouldn't qualify.

Edit: Not having AOA is an advantage, in my opinion.

 

[Anti-PD1]

At my school you don't get AOA unless you're also heavily involved in community service etc. I wouldn't sweat it. Chances are AOA helps only statistically, because in reality AOA people tend to have their ish together anyways.

 

[Treebeard]

My school has no AOA and I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[GoSpursGo]

Moving to pre-allo. As many have said, this should literally not matter at all in your decision. If your school has AOA then you want it, if it doesn't then undoubtedly they have ways to differentiate their rockstar students.

 

[Pepe18]

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[Jmish1035]

Thank you all for your opinions. I did know that AOA was based on more than just rank and grades. And yes, and definitely agree that less competition and more of a focus on learning and enjoyment are ideal in med school.
I just wanted to understand whether or not coming from a school without it is disadvantageous when applying for residency. (i.e would PDs look at two students and say, well they both have great scores, letters, activities etc...oh but this one went to a school without AOA and the other has AOA, we'll take the latter.)
Obviously, I have no idea how things work at that level which is why I'm asking you all. Again, not basing my decision on this factor.
Looks like I'm better off without AOA if the school doesn't offer it. Many thanks!

 

[ed*26]

I sincerely doubt that a PD will ever consider going to a non-AOA school as anything other than neutral. The PDs know what's going on with their top applicants. My school does not have AOA, and at worst you politely explain that during your interview. Doesn't stop our graduates from matching well in competitive specialties, and at the end of the day we aren't fighting over who gets it and who doesn't and can just focus on being competitive for residency.