Is AOA important?

[BklynWill]

When I say AOA, I mean Alpha Omega Alpha.
I hear having AOA on your r?sum? is great for landing a competitive residency but I've just noticed there isn't a chapter at my school. Is this something to be concerned about?

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[Claymore]

AOA is the allopathic honor society. None of the osteopathic schools have a chapter.

There is a somewhat equivalent chapter at some osteopathic schools, but I don't think it is very well known (can't even think of the name, and we supposedly have it here).

 

[DoctorInSpace]

Sigma Sigma Phi is the Osteopathic Honor Society. I have no idea how much it counts for any residencies or anything like that. I believe the criteria are an overall average of 80 (or the equivalent on a 4.0 scale) and community service. I can tell you how it works at NSU, which I think is the standard---you have an 80, do community service, and get voted in by the current members, and you need 90% of them to approve of you. If you get less than 90% in agreement, you don't get accepted.

In terms of how much it counts for residencies....maybe someone else can comment on it. I'm assuming that it might look really good, but there are so many other things that are more important.

 

[sophiejane]

I don't think Sigma Sigma Phi is going to bear the same weight as AOA. In fact I'm sure of it.

Graduating at or near the top of your class and making pretty much straight A's and scoring in the 90th percentile on your boards and having excellent LORs and doing some research (preferrably published) and impressing the right people on your rotations are the best ways to land competitive residencies, from what I've heard.

Whew. That makes me tired just thinking of it. Glad I'm grossed out by skin and eye disease and don't like spending hours looking at Xrays and CT's...

 

[Molly Maquire]

I thought the national osteopathic honor society was Psi Sigma Alpha. At least it is at NYCOM. Is it possible that there are two osteopathic honor societies?

Anyway, at NYCOM public service or clinical grades don't count for membership. Induction is soley based on grades from the first two years--the top 15% of the class is invited to join.

If you are applying to an osteopathic residency program, it probably will help you. I would guess, however, that most allopathic residency programs haven't even heard of it, the same way most of them don't understand how to evaluate COMLEX.

 

[DRealDrZ]

Just to start out...I'm not in either...but......

Psi Sigma Alpha is the national Osteopathic society that anyone can get into with the grades. The other one Sigma Sigma Phi is at the schools and I'm not sure how well known it is. They way it was described to get into is exactly that...if the people in SSP like you, you get in. If they don't, you don't. The national one you get in with the right grades. That's my understanding of it. I have a friend that didnt get into the Sigma Sigma Phi at our school but because of his grades got into the "national" society. If I'm wrong on this...please correct me. I am also not sure if Sigma Sigma Phi is at all of the schools or not.

 

[cooldreams]

so, a DO student cannot get into Alpha Omega Alpha? their website says md, phd, or equivalent.

 

[cooldreams]

who cares?

well... obviously not you. having a bad day today??

i was just curious. i checked out their website and you do not even have to be a MD to get in... so i was curious if everyone saying that DOs are not allowed actually knew for sure that DO were specifically not allowed because it is not mentioned as such on their website.

 

[BamaAlum]

who cares?

People who want to match into competitive MD residencies, that's who. AOA is a very prestigious honor and only a select few are inducted from each school. Some ultra competitive MD specialties emphasize AOA as part of their selection criteria. I don't know of a DO chapter, but I guess it would be possible. I wouldn't waste my time with the osteopathic honor societies if you are looking to go into a MD residency. They have no idea what they are and it will carry almost no weight. Most DO residencies probably recognize them, but I am not sure it carries the same weight as AOA carries with the MD programs.