A message to our members

AΩA is committed to improving diversity throughout its Chapters, as a diverse, fair, and equitable working and learning environment strengthens the scientific discovery and medical profession.

AΩA advocates for diversity in all its forms – identity, cultural, geographic, experiential, sexual orientation, ancestry, ethnicity, gender, age, economic and social status, physical abilities, and religious beliefs – through its Chapters, production of a medical professionalism monograph that is distributed for free to all interested parties, and editorials and articles published in its medical humanities journal The Pharos.

The AΩA student, resident, fellow, faculty, and alumni nomination and election process provides each school’s Dean the latitude to identify a pool of candidates using five primary criteria – scholastic qualifications, professionalism, leadership, community service, and research – as qualifications in the selection of candidates. Scholastic qualifications refers to the qualities of becoming and being an excellent doctor with a holistic evaluation of knowledge, skills, attitude, care of the patient, medical decision making, compassion, empathy, altruism, and teamwork. Each Chapter may develop its own metrics/rubric to weight the criteria as best fits its local environment, and then select 16 percent of its graduating class, 25 residents/fellows, three faculty, and three alumni as new members of AΩA. This 16 percent is realized using a holistic evaluation with a further emphasis on scholastic achievement, leadership capabilities, ethical standards, fairness in dealing with colleagues, demonstrated potential for achievement in medicine, and a record of service to the school and community.

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has had one of the most active and participatory AΩA Chapters with excellent Chapter Councilors. In April, we learned from concerned Mount Sinai medical students, their parents, faculty, and alumni that their school was not going to elect AΩA medical students. We immediately began working with the school and its AΩA Chapter, and encouraged the school to continue to nominate and elect residents/fellows, faculty, and alumni, and to continue their participation in the AΩA fellowships, grants, and awards for medical students, residents, faculty, and the medical community. We are committed to continuing to work with the students and administration at Mount Sinai to help them find a way to reinstate student elections at their school.

Inclusion is a core value of medical professionalism. We are committed to working with medical schools, AΩA Chapters, and the medical profession as a whole to achieve an inclusive environment embracing diverse colleagues in teaching, learning, scientific discovery, and caring for patients. "Be worthy to serve the suffering" is our commitment to our profession and the patients we serve.