Question on AOA

[Transformers]

Can you still get senior AOA even if you were not at the top of your class? Like would a high pass (third year) and solid involvement in the community and class voting help with the process? Or do grades need to meet a certain cutoff? Our school is 40% CV/personal statement 40% grades and 20% vote

Additionally, if you take a year off btwn 3rd and 4th year, do you compete with your classmates or the class below you for Senior AOA?

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[WaylonS]

Can you still get senior AOA even if you were not at the top of your class? Like would a high pass (third year) and solid involvement in the community and class voting help with the process? Or do grades need to meet a certain cutoff? Our school is 40% CV/personal statement 40% grades and 20% vote

Additionally, if you take a year off btwn 3rd and 4th year, do you compete with your classmates or the class below you for Senior AOA?

https://www.alphaomegaalpha.org/how.html

The criteria are school dependent, but it looks like AOA is limited to te top-quarter

N=1, but I was eligible for senior AOA and was asked to submit my CV, but I was disqualified because I am currently taking a research year. At least at my school, if you are eligible for AOA, you are only eligible the year you will graduate. So, basically, I'll go through te senior AOA process again (hopefully) when I return (my class rank has to be recalculated into the class I will be joining)

 

[Transformers]

Got it...well my school sends out this general email for all of us to apply. So I assumed everyone was eligible..I'm at a top 20 so not sure if grades are the end all and anyone can apply.

https://www.alphaomegaalpha.org/how.html

The criteria are school dependent, but it looks like AOA is limited to te top-quarter

N=1, but I was eligible for senior AOA and was asked to submit my CV, but I was disqualified because I am currently taking a research year. At least at my school, if you are eligible for AOA, you are only eligible the year you will graduate. So, basically, I'll go through te senior AOA process again (hopefully) when I return (my class rank has to be recalculated into the class I will be joining)

 

[mvenus929]

Got it...well my school sends out this general email for all of us to apply. So I assumed everyone was eligible..I'm at a top 20 so not sure if grades are the end all and anyone can apply.

I'm pretty sure you have to be in the top quartile or quintile to be considered for AOA, but at least at my school, they accepted nominations from the whole class so as not to publish class rank. Only after nominations were completed was the list culled to those who met the academic criteria.

 

[username456789]

Got it...well my school sends out this general email for all of us to apply. So I assumed everyone was eligible..I'm at a top 20 so not sure if grades are the end all and anyone can apply.

It is a national requirement that you be in the top 25% to even be considered for AOA.

Any school that is "true Pass/Fail" and awards AOA is lying to you and of course ranks you.

 

[dyspareunia]

Got it...well my school sends out this general email for all of us to apply. So I assumed everyone was eligible..I'm at a top 20 so not sure if grades are the end all and anyone can apply.

It's just to remind the bottom 75% that they're still special flowers for being a good enough premed to go to a top 20.

AOA requires only two things (nationally) as far as I know. Top quartile and no more than 16% of a class elected.

 

[mcloaf]

It is a national requirement that you be in the top 25% to even be considered for AOA.

Any school that is "true Pass/Fail" and awards AOA is lying to you and of course ranks you.

Does it specify how they determine that top quartile? Which really is to ask can't they just rank you by board scores and clinical grades?

 

[Daodejing]

Does it specify how they determine that top quartile? Which really is to ask can't they just rank you by board scores and clinical grades?

it's school-dependent, even for those who have preclinical P/F

 

[Stellar Clouds]

Does it specify how they determine that top quartile? Which really is to ask can't they just rank you by board scores and clinical grades?

They can pretty much do it however they choose.

 

[notbobtrustme]

top 25%, **** yea, im still in the running baby

 

[dyspareunia]

Does it specify how they determine that top quartile? Which really is to ask can't they just rank you by board scores and clinical grades?

I know of one school that's switching to step 1 and clerkships only. Currently they use preclinical grades.

 

[mcloaf]

I know of one school that's switching to step 1 and clerkships only. Currently they use preclinical grades.

I'm at one.

 

[dyspareunia]

I'm at one.

slusom?

 

[mcloaf]

slusom?

Nope.

 

[DermViser]

It is a national requirement that you be in the top 25% to even be considered for AOA.

Any school that is "true Pass/Fail" and awards AOA is lying to you and of course ranks you.

Schools that are "true P/F" in the first 2 years rely on OTHER metrics for AOA consideration: clinical grades, Step scores, etc. The key is finding out what is used for AOA consideration. Schools, unfortunately aren't very transparent with this.

 

[DermViser]

Got it...well my school sends out this general email for all of us to apply. So I assumed everyone was eligible..I'm at a top 20 so not sure if grades are the end all and anyone can apply.

It's not just grades necessarily.

Those students chosen from the top quartile for election are picked not only for their high academic standing, but as well for leadership among their peers, professionalism and a firm sense of ethics, promise of future success in medicine, and a commitment to service in the school and community.

 

[DermViser]

It's just to remind the bottom 75% that they're still special flowers for being a good enough premed to go to a top 20.

AOA requires only two things (nationally) as far as I know. Top quartile and no more than 16% of a class elected.

Ironically enough, many of those who were in the bottom 75% at a top 20 medical school would have been top 25% at a non-top 20 medical medical school or their state school. Big Fish, Little Pond and all.

 

[Transformers]

Got it thanks...silly question but aside from a screening filter

Ironically enough, many of those who were in the bottom 75% at a top 20 medical school would have been top 25% at a non-top 20 medical medical school or their state school. Big Fish, Little Pond and all.

Lol, I hope residencies directors think the same way...I feel super super dumb compared to my peers

 

[DermViser]

Got it thanks...silly question but aside from a screening filter


Lol, I hope residencies directors think the same way...I feel super super dumb compared to my peers

I think residency program directors sometimes realize this. Hence why the prestige of your medical school can play more of a role here than in other fields. Hence the competition at say, Meharry, will be way different than at Vanderbilt.

 

[dr zaius]

We are true P/F for MS1-2. It's all based on MS3 grades and an application here.

 

[redpanda]

Well, at my program, at least for junior election, it's straight-up preclinical grades on a de-identified spreadsheet and the top X% get selected. Everyone is on the spreadsheet unless they opt out. I assume for senior election, it's similar except it then includes a Step 1 score and clerkship grades. If you take a year off, you're considered with whatever class you are slated to graduate with.

 

[dyspareunia]

Well, at my program, at least for junior election, it's straight-up preclinical grades on a de-identified spreadsheet and the top X% get selected. Everyone is on the spreadsheet unless they opt out. I assume for senior election, it's similar except it then includes a Step 1 score and clerkship grades. If you take a year off, you're considered with whatever class you are slated to graduate with.

That's interesting. Everywhere I've heard of senior AOA is based on pre-clinical grades (the top 2-3%) and then junior AOA includes the rest of the top 25%, but takes into account other activities.

 

[username456789]

That's interesting. Everywhere I've heard of senior AOA is based on pre-clinical grades (the top 2-3%) and then junior AOA includes the rest of the top 25%, but takes into account other activities.

Usually it's the reverse.