No AOA

[drlard]

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Hello. I unfortunately didn't get nominated to AOA despite what I felt to be a stellar record. Moreover, all of my interviewers expressed their surprise that I was not nominated. My advisors feel the same way. My question is do you think complaining or asking for an appeal would be a good idea? I go to a top-10 school, if that matters. Thank you.

 

[doc_strange2001]

Why complain when you can blow something up..that will get their attention

 

[Galaxian]

F*ck AOA, firebomb the dean's office.

 

[huktonfonix]

Probably didn't kiss enough ass during third year. That was my problem anyway. Something about not enough extracurricular activities or some bull****. (Bitter so bitter). Hey if bar hopping, picking up chicks, basketball, PS2, and pool don't count as activities what does!

 

[Renovar]

Originally posted by drlard
Hello. I unfortunately didn't get nominated to AOA despite what I felt to be a stellar record. Moreover, all of my interviewers expressed their surprise that I was not nominated. My advisors feel the same way. My question is do you think complaining or asking for an appeal would be a good idea? I go to a top-10 school, if that matters. Thank you.

Well, there are usually lots of politics involved in these election things, and random ****s can happen too. In my school, even the junior AOA's are pretty much politics-driven (ie. the class prez, the curriculum committee chair, etc, gets the nod because of their constant smooching of anus) - some of them dont even have straight A's. There is someone in my class, straight A's first 2 years, 270+ step 1 (one of the best scores the school has ever seen) and did not get junior AOA. In his clinical year, he quite frankly outperformed some of the people elected to senior AOA's, and was not nominated himself as a senior. Injustice? Hell yea. Does it matter at the end? Probably not. Despite his non-AOA, he still gets 99% of the interviews he asked for in a competitive surgical subspecialty.

I feel your pain because I was invited to apply as a junior and was not elected myself (not that I expect to be) and perhaps am sourgraping a bit at the politics and the randomness of the process but I guess looking at someone like the person above make me feel a whole lot better.

 

[Hop Toad]

I can tell you exactly why I got Junior AOA over the political crowd. I had NOTHING like that on my CV. High step, all A's, reputation of knowing more than many of the residents with my peers. BUT the difference was that I had 1 teacher that was on the committee that was bound and determined that I belonged there. They lobbied long and hard and I got it over someone else that did not have as strong of a mentor. That's life. I deserved it knowledge and grade wise for sure. But if you think it's the extra curriculars that matter most, I was way down the line.

 

[sanfilippo]

at my school research or extracurriculars are not even factored in. basically it comes down to step 1 scores and grades, which are variable since there are 8 different hospital sites each with different levels of expectations/competitiveness, so playing the sycophant role plays heavily.

i try not to dwell on it. maybe i'll be elected as an attending.
😉
-S.

 

[efh4]

Are AOA members picked by the students already on AOA? (junior AOA picks senior AOA, then they pick next year's junior AOA)

 

[GeddyLee]

bleh bleh bleh...let's go masturbate over our CV's a little more. About a millisecond after everyone has opened their envelopes on match day, no one will ever care about your AOA status ever again.

 

[gomezjl]

At our school, junior AOA is based solely on Year 1 and 2 grades. Extracurriculars are not factored in at all. Senior AOA is picked by a comittee including one attending advisor and all of the junior AOA members. However, it is not arbitrary. Each student receives a ranking number which weighs 3rd year grades 4x as heavy as year 1 and 2 grades. Then they receive a score for extracurricular involvement and clerkship comments. The committee is only allowed to consider the top 25 in the class (beyond the junior AOA members) based on these numerical rankings. From these, 15 are chosen. This year there were some wierd upsets, but people can't complain too much because there is some standardization in the way members are chosen.
It's nice to be chosen. The committee always announces that this honor will follow you throughout your carreer and help open doors. However, we all know that it doesn't make or break you as a physician. Even the worst test takers can be the best physicians.

 

[gwen]

whoever said that you have to have some type of connection with the AOA selection committee is very right. i totally saw that trend at my med school also. there are a lot of a** kissers that got it and a few that truly deserved it. so i guess the goal for first year students who are dying to get AOA is to find out who is on the selection committee and start browning their noses now.

 

[roja]

Originally posted by GeddyLee
bleh bleh bleh...let's go masturbate over our CV's a little more. About a millisecond after everyone has opened their envelopes on match day, no one will ever care about your AOA status ever again.

Excellent quote. I dont even have a clue as to what the procedure was at my school. Still did fine in the match and in the end who gives a damn?

 

[docuw]

I got Junior AOA at my school. Never been a class officer, never served in any leadership role in any of the other school activties. I did participate in a ton of community service projects, and had the grades and board scores to qualify. I don't even know who is on the AOA committee (so ass kissing/lobbying wasnt an issue). The thing that really put me over the top was one of the greatest letter of rec letters (we were allowed to add 2 letters) from the Psychiatry clerkship director (who I worked with in clinic in the first rotatiton of 3rd year). My point is, grades + (plus) extracurricular activities - (minus) ass kissing got me into AOA. I would hope that there are other schools that are similarly "complete and balanced" in their selection. And the post about "(no one will care on match day)" is absolutely right. AOA isnt the end all in the residency application. You can be AOA and not match or get a crappy match, or not be AOA and get into a top program. It just "might" help.

 

[gbv]

is Junior AOA usually based on year 1 and 2 grades along with step 1, or just year 1 & 2 grades alone? just curious..

 

[Hop Toad]

At my school it's 1st, 2nd, and what 3rd year are in, plus Step I. Committee members review CV's and people speak on behalf of candidates. I had no extra curriculars, no community service, but grades and one person on the committee that thought I was "worthy" and pushed for me.