what does AOA mean? significance?

[ALTorGT]

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[adude]

AOA is Alpha Omega Alpha, a medical school honor society. It's awarded to medical students generally during their 4th year based mostly on grades but somewhat on other achievements as well. A few students really at the top of the class get it 3rd year. It's helpful for your residency application if you get it.

 

[ALTorGT]

so AOA = Honours???

 

[group_theory]

YES - AOA is usually associated w/ honors

however, some schools don't have AOA (I think Harvard and Stanford but I'm not sure)


AOA also stands for American Osteopathic Association =)
I wonder if any DO students, while applying for residency, would check "YES" when it ask if he/she is a member of the AOA?
Could be an honest mistake

 

[Crusher]

Do you think PDs know that early acceptance to AOA is better than just AOA...can you put that on your app somehow to specify you were an early candidate or whatever?

 

[gas-x]

Originally posted by group_theory
YES - AOA is usually associated w/ honors


AOA also stands for American Osteopathic Association =)
I wonder if any DO students, while applying for residency, would check "YES" when it ask if he/she is a member of the AOA?
Could be an honest mistake

We're not that dumb...

 

[panch]

Do you think PDs know that early acceptance to AOA is better than just AOA...can you put that on your app somehow to specify you were an early candidate or whatever?

the third year vs. fourth year distinction is not made on the ERAS application (unless you decide to put it there yourself), but in the SFMatch application (at least for neurology) there are separate check-off boxes for third year vs fourth year AOA

and yes, many PDs that i met seem to love that stuff, but they may not ask you about it directly. just remember that it's hard to differentiate some of these factors as selection for AOA can depend a lot (or totally on numbers, like at my school, see below)

note: some schools do not grant 3rd year AOA but do grant 4th year. i think the rules are that up to 4% of a class can be awarded AOA during third year, and during fourth year a total of 16% can be AOA in a class (i.e. if the school does 3rd year AOA, then the remaining 'top' 12% during fourth year)

the rules for induction into AOA also depends a lot on the individual school. at our school, it's based solely on numbers (preclinical grades + step 1 for third year, that plus clinical grades for fourth year). there's some convoluted formula that my school applies... and extracurricular (volunteer, class boards, research) is specifically excluded for consideration at my school.

 

[ERMudPhud]

Originally posted by Crusher
Do you think PDs know that early acceptance to AOA is better than just AOA...can you put that on your app somehow to specify you were an early candidate or whatever?

Yeah you could but Geez, how stereotypically hypercompetitive do you really need to be?

 

[Airborne]

AOA is quite an interesting phenomenon....

At my school, there is no Junior AOA. Up to 25% of students are recommended in the beginning of 4th year - these 25% are presented to a committee which looks at all recommended students and picks the "top" 16% - Many students are elected with minimal 3rd year "honors" and many are elected with many honors, but mediocre board scores....

The decision criterion on who ?is AOA? remains elusive, and is many ways circumstantial....

If you are a good (soon to be) physician, you will match in your chosen specialty of your choice, the rest is really inconsequential...

Albeit I, too, would love to be in San Diego or the other fantastic lifestyle oriented places.... You will receive great training regardless of where you match...

And incidentally, I have yet to meet a patient who asks, "yes, but doctor, were you AOA?"...

Airborne