History

Puerto Rico Gamma Chapter, was installed in 1992, by the initiative of the past school president, Dr. Raúl Marcial Rojas, prominent pathologist in our island. He was motivated by the excellence of UCC students, and because he thinks that UCC contribution to medicine and to Puerto Rico, must be enhanced by this distinction. Dr. Marcial Rojas presided the first inauguration dinner, in which he expressed confidence that the ideals and percept of this Honor Society would be maintained by the UCC Students, and he shows pride about the impact in medicine, in US and PR, of our Physicians. As a our school's president, he achieve many things such as a research center, improvement in the medical curricula and was involved in the remarkable development of our medical center within the cultural environment that distinguish our school, which would contribute to the advancement of medical service in Puerto Rico by training competent and excellent physicians and actively supporting medical research with emphasis on preventive medicine and community service. The first councilor of Gamma, Puerto Rico was Dr. Stanley Ascencio- first OBGYN, in achieved and intrauterine transfusion in PR. Nowadays; chapter councilor is Dr. José G. Rodriguez, important Pediatrician, who also is the Dean of the UCCSM.

Mission

Alpha Omega Alpha is the only national honor medical society in the world. Its raison d'étre can be expressed in a phrase: to recognize and perpetuate excellence in the medical profession. As stated in the society's constitution, "Alpha Omega Alpha is organized for educational purposes exclusively and not for profit, and its aims shall be the promotion of scholarship and research in medical schools, the encouragement of a high standard of character and conduct among medical students and graduates, and the recognition of high attainment in medical science, practice, and related fields"

Criteria for election

• Top one-sixth of the total number of the class expected to graduate may be elected to membership.
• Scholastic achievement should be the primary but not sole basis for election of a student. Leadership capabilities, ethical standards, fairness in dealing with colleagues, potential for achievement in medicine, and a record of service to the school and community at large should be criteria in addition to the academic record.

Method of election

The following documents are required when invited to apply:

• Transcript
• USMLE Scores
• Curriculum Vitae
• Letters of Recommendation
• Essay
• Community Project Proposal