Who is eligible for membership in AΩA?
Membership in AΩA is a life-long opportunity. All students, residents, faculty, and alumni of a medical school with an active AΩA Chapter, as well as private practice physicians who are affiliated with a medical school with an active AΩA Chapter, are eligible for membership in AΩA.
How do I become a member of AΩA?
Membership in AΩA is via election through a medical school’s AΩA Chapter. Each school‘s Chapter may elect up to 20% of the graduating class of students, up to 25 residents/fellows, up to 10 faculty, and up to five alumni, who, based on merit, demonstrate the characteristics of excellent physicianship in alignment with AΩA’s mission and values. The characteristics of excellent physicianship will be identified by each school; examples include trustworthiness, character, caring, knowledge, scholarship, proficiency in the doctor-patient relationship, leadership, compassion, empathy, altruism, and servant leadership. Student nominees must be in good academic standing. Nominees for any category – student, resident/fellow, faculty, alumni – must not have any professionalism concerns.
How do international medical school graduates or graduates of an osteopathic medical school become members of AΩA?
Residents, fellows, or faculty of an institution with an affiliation with an AΩA Chapter are eligible to be nominated for membership.
What is AΩA’s stance on diversity, equity, and inclusion?
AΩA is committed to improving diversity based on evidence that inclusion of talented individuals from different backgrounds benefits patient care, population health, education, and scientific discovery.
AΩA is committed to working to overcome bias – implicit/unconscious bias – as well as discrimination at all levels throughout the organization.
AΩA values a diverse, fair, and equitable work and learning environment for all. It supports the medical profession in its work to achieve a welcoming, diverse, inclusive environment in teaching, learning, caring for patients, and collaboration.
AΩA advocates for diversity in all of its forms – identity, cultural, geographic, experiential, race, ethnicity, gender, age, economic and social status, physical abilities, aptitude, and religious beliefs, political beliefs, and other ideologies.
AΩA is committed to working with its members, Chapters, medical schools, residency programs, and health organizations to improve diversity within the organization and throughout the medical profession.
No candidate shall be denied election because of age, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy status, gender, identity or expression, sexual orientation, language, physical or mental disability, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, veteran status, socioeconomic status, religious or political beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by the laws of a state, province, territory, or nation.
What does inactive status mean?
Inactive status is a reflection of a member’s dues status. If a member is up-to-date on their annual dues (collected annually on a calendar year basis), or a lifetime dues member, then they have active membership status. To attain active status a member is only required to pay the current year’s dues.
How do I start an AΩA Chapter at my school?
Once a medical school has provisional LCME accreditation it may begin the process of applying for an AΩA Chapter.
An AΩA Chapter may be chartered at a college or school of medicine that has received LCME accreditation and meets the Society’s requirements. An application signed by the Dean and by at least six members of the Faculty of Medicine who are active members of AΩA must be sent to the AΩA national office along with information about the school’s financial status, admission criteria, curriculum, faculty, and scholarship aid. The AΩA Board Committee on New Chapters will evaluate the application and conduct a site visit at the school. Upon receipt of a favorable report from the Committee on New Chapters, a recommendation will be made to the AΩA Board of Directors. If the application is approved by a majority vote of the Board of Directors, the charter shall be granted, and the school may appoint a Councilor and nominate junior and senior members after the date of the granting of the charter.
What is the role of the AΩA Board of Directors?
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the AΩA Board of Directors has a fiduciary responsibility to ensure that the organization’s assets are used in accordance with members’ and donors’ intent, and in support of AΩA’s mission. Board members embrace the values of accountability and transparency as a matter of ethical leadership, as well as legal compliance.
The AΩA Board of Directors meet semi-annually to discuss the organization’s operations, programs, and finances. Finances are discussed quarterly with the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors.
