Should I join AOA (osteopathic) as an intern? For $60, is it worth it?

[Informer]

I just got the renewal in the mail, i guess it was free as a med student, but as a resident, I have to pay $60/year.

What are the benefits of joining?

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Members don't see this ad.

 

[sddoc]

bump...

I'd like to know the answer to this too. I don't want to waste $60, and I can't think of a thing that the AOA did for me during med school. However, I don't want to burn any bridges with the AOA, since I am not currently in one of their residencies!

 

[Faebinder]

*Chopped Off For Irrelavant Content*

 

[kalico]

Faebinder, are you in the right thread? The OP is ALREADY a resident and wants to know if it's worth renewing membership in the American Osteopathic Association... not to help his/her application.

I'd actually like to know the answer to the question myself. Are there benefits?

-K

picture yourself as a program director.... you got patients and residents to worry about... your spouse is driving you nuts about the kids... You just filtered 80-100 applicants (a lot more for bigger programs) by their step 1 and 2 scores and now you have to read each one's 3+ LoRs, transcripts, dean's letter (several pages), CAF and Personal Statments....


Hmmm..... I'm definitely not an expert but my guess is the impact is soooo low that the chance of this making a difference between you and the next guy is negligable..... save the money and use it to apply to 3 more programs.. increase the chances of an interview.

 

[Faebinder]

Faebinder, are you in the right thread? The OP is ALREADY a resident and wants to know if it's worth renewing membership in the American Osteopathic Association... not to help his/her application.

I'd actually like to know the answer to the question myself. Are there benefits?

-K

DUH! I was asked the similar question by a med student a couple of weeks back who wanted to join the AOA to boost her app residency (yes she was not a member of the AOA but I was not clear why she wasn't a member). I must have intermixed the scenario. No more posting late night for me.

 

[TUCOMSam]

oops, wrong thread...

 

[DOtobe]

I joined, and I haven't seen any of the benefits of my $60 yet. I can't remember if I renewed for this year or not.

If anything, I can put that I am a member of the AOA on my resume when I am looking for a job in a couple years.

 

[hermione]

You mean the AOA took our money then didn't do a damn thing to help us out?? Come on now, not the AOA... =)
My program made me join but they paid for it. Otherwise, no way it was happening. Just more junk mail, imho.

 

[DOCTORSAIB]

I could see the benefits of being an AOA member as a DO student, especially if you're applying to competitive allopathic residency programs.

The PD will assume you were in the top 10% of your med school class and invite you for an interview. During the interview, he/she will commend you for your hardcore work and prestigious AOA membership.

You will assume you were invited b/c you bring so much more to the table than the next guy/girl. Obviously, you will be flattered when they compliment you...

Everybody goes to sleep happy.

Moral of the story: Being a member of the AOA is a great thing!

(Disclaimer: please note the sarcasm!)

 

[Taus]

I could see the benefits of being an AOA member as a DO student, especially if you're applying to competitive allopathic residency programs.

The PD will assume you were in the top 10% of your med school class and invite you for an interview. During the interview, he/she will commend you for your hardcore work and prestigious AOA membership.

You will assume you were invited b/c you bring so much more to the table than the next guy/girl. Obviously, you will be flattered when they compliment you...

Everybody goes to sleep happy.

Moral of the story: Being a member of the AOA is a great thing!

(Disclaimer: please note the sarcasm!)

You mean all of those hot-shot docs who brag about being AOA aren't all DO's??!!

 

[group_theory]

As DO students, you are automatically members of the AOA. Hence why you get all those mailings about how much the AOA can do for you

As such, I don't see how being in the AOA will help with residency programs since all DO students are in the AOA already.

And alas, ERAS is smart enough to ask "Alpha Omega Alpha" instead of just using AOA - so you just have to check "my school doesn't offer one just like stanford and harvard"

but the AOA shirt is cool ... the same symbol used by Alpha Omega Alpha is used by the AOA. You can use the shirt to get the attention of 1st year medical students

 

[Dr JPH]

Ask not what the AOA can do for you but what you can do for your AOA.

 

[hermione]

...because my backside and wallet are still sore from the beating they both took participating in TWO applications, TWO rankings, and TWO matches...thanks to MY AOAs refusal to consider a combined match. Thanks, AOA!! And hey...heres ANOTHER $60.00!! I almost wanted to make an issue of it with my program, but I was too damn tired from being an DO intern. Just in case I ever want to go to live in one of the five states.

 

[sddoc]

Considering moving back to PA hermione???

 

[McDoctor]

There are a some journals for which you can recieve a complimentary subscription if you are in the AOA.(not just JAOA or The D.O., but some genuinely useful ones as well). Some are Journal of Family Practice, Postgraduate Medicine, Consultant, Hospital Physician, probably others as well. You have to go online to individual websites to request them, but this tends to make the $60 worthwhile.

 

[DOtobe]

but the AOA shirt is cool ... the same symbol used by Alpha Omega Alpha is used by the AOA. You can use the shirt to get the attention of 1st year medical students

Hey, I never got a shirt!