Alpha Omega Alpha

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Alpha Omega Alpha
ΑΩΑ
FoundedAugust 2, 1902; 122 years ago (1902-08-02)
University of Illinois College of Medicine
TypeHonor
AffiliationIndependent
Former affiliationACHS
StatusActive
EmphasisMedicine
ScopeNational
MottoTo be worthy to serve the suffering
Member badge
Colors  Green,   Gold and   White
PublicationMedical Professionalism Best Practices (series)
   The Pharos
Chapters132
Members4,000 active
200,000 lifetime
Headquarters12635 E. Montview Blvd.
Suite 270
Aurora, Colorado 80045
United States
Websitewww.alphaomegaalpha.org

Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society (ΑΩΑ) is an honor society in the field of medicine. It has active chapters in 132 LCME-accredited medical schools in the United States and Lebanon. It annually elects over 4,000 new members. A 2021 JAMA article, noted "Alpha Omega Alpha (AΩA) honor society membership is the hallmark of academic achievement in undergraduate medical education, and AΩA membership is associated with future success in academic medicine."[1]

History

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In 1902, third-year medical student William Webster Root founded Alpha Omega Alpha while attending the College of Physicians and Surgeons (now the University of Illinois College of Medicine).[2][3] Alpha Omega Alpha was founded as a coed honor society to recognize scholarly achievement and professional conduct among physicians and medical students.[4][5] Its founding members were Milton Weston Hall, John Eddy Haskell, George Herbert Howard, Ernest Sisson Moore, William H. Moore, William Webster Root, Benjamin Thomas, Charles Lafayette Williams, and Wenzel Matthias Wochos.[6]

The founders held the first organizational meeting on August 2, 1902.[6] Root then drafted a constitution and developed the society's motto.[6] At a meeting at the Bismarck Hotel in Chicago on September 27, 1902, 28 medical students met to ratify the constitution, adopt the society's motto, and to be inducted as Alpha Omega Alpha's first members.[6] A

Alpha Omega Alpha Information Board present at the University of Illinois College of Medicine

Root pitched his idea to nearby schools, and Beta was established at University of Chicago's Pritzker School of Medicine in 1902, followed by Gamma at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine in 1903.[5] Alpha Omega Alpha was incorporated in the State of Illinois in 1903.[6] It inducted its first female member in 1906.[6] By 1912, there were seventeen chapters.[5] As more medical schools became interested, the national organization became more selective in the standards a school needed to meet to be eligible.[6]

In 1930, the society had 37 active chapters and an alumni association.[5] In 1962, that had grown to 85 active chapters and 32,340 total initiates.[3]

Alpha Omega Alpha is a former member of the Association of College Honor Societies.[7] The society's papers were donated to the United States National Library of Medicine in 1973 by John Z. Bowers and in 2000 by Gladys Brill Brampton.[8] Its national headquarters is in Aurora, Colorado.[6]

ΑΩΑ symbol, 1902

Symbols

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Alpha Omega Alpha's motto is "To be worthy to serve the suffering".[2][6] The society's badge is a gold key, shaped like the mannbrium sterni, with the Greek letters ΑΩΑ and the founding date of 1902.[3]

Its honor cord is Kelly green and gold, with white strands.[9] Green represents medicine, gold is for science, and white represents the humanities.[9] Alpha Omega Alpha first published its medical humanities journal, The Pharos, in January 1938; it was named after the Pharos lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.[10][3]

Activities

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Medical students, faculty, and active Alpha Omega Alpha members associated with chapters are eligible to participate in the twelve national programs and society's awards, which are funded from member dues.[11][12]

Membership

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Alpha Omega Alpha elects over 4,000 new members annually. Members are selected based on for their academic performance, leadership, patient care, and service.[1] A 2021 JAMA article, noted "Alpha Omega Alpha (AΩA) honor society membership is the hallmark of academic achievement in undergraduate medical education, and AΩA membership is associated with future success in academic medicine."[1]

The majority of initiates are initiated in the final year of medical school, though the society also inducts distinguished teachers, faculty members, residents, and working physicians.[13] Alpha Omega Alpha has been inclusive of race, color, creed, sex, and social standing from its founding.[6]

Chapters

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Main article: List of Alpha Omega Alpha chapters

In 2025, Alpha Omega Alpha has 135 chapters at American medical schools.[6]

Notable members

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Main article: List of Alpha Omega Alpha members

In 2025, Alpha Omega Alpha had initiated more than 200,000 members.[6] Its membership includes 59 Nobel laureates and eleven Surgeon Generals of the United States.[14][15]

Controversies and member misconduct

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Alpha Omega Alpha elections at some institutions have been influenced by internal political and racial bias. A 2017 publication in JAMA Internal Medicine found that "Black and Asian medical students were less likely than their white counterparts to be members of ΑΩΑ, which may reflect bias in selection. In turn, ΑΩΑ membership selection may affect future opportunities for minority medical students."[16] This pattern persisted despite controlling for other variables, such as extracurricular activities.

Many American medical schools do not have student chapters of Alpha Omega Alpha. For example, Mt. Sinai Icahn School of Medicine decided to completely forgo medical student elections into the society in September 2018.[17] Additionally, there are no Alpha Omega chapters at Harvard, Yale, or Mayo Clinic.[18]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Nguyen, Mytien and Mason, Hyacinth R.C. and , O’Connor Patrick G. et al. "Association of Socioeconomic Status With Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society Membership Among Medical Students". JAMA Netw Open. 2021; vol. 4, no. 6 (June 2, 2021). via JAMA Network. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.10730
  2. ^ a b "Chapter 3- Student Organizations, (2009). Legend and Lore: Jefferson Medical College. Paper 4. p. 109-110. via The Jefferson Digital Commons / Thomas Jefferson University
  3. ^ a b c d Robson, John, ed. (1963). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (17th ed.). Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press, George Banta Company, Inc. pp. 565-566.
  4. ^ "Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society | MD Program". medicine.uiowa.edu. Archived from the original on 2023-11-10. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
  5. ^ a b c d Shepardson, Francis Wayland, ed. Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities, 12th edition. Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press/George Banta Publishing Company, 1930. pp. 374-375. via Hathi Trust.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "AΩA's History". Alpha Omega Alpha. Retrieved 2025-05-19.
  7. ^ Anson, Jack L. and Marchesani Jr. Robert F., eds. Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities, 20th edition. Indianapolis: Baird's Manual Foundation, 1991. ISBN 0-9637159-0-9
  8. ^ "Alpha Omega Alpha Archives 1894–1992". National Library of Medicine.
  9. ^ a b "Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Cord". Alpha Omega Alpha. Retrieved 2025-05-19.
  10. ^ "Alpha Omega Alpha - Latest Issue". Archived from the original on 2016-08-11. Retrieved 2016-08-11.
  11. ^ "National Awards". USU AOA. Archived from the original on 2023-11-05. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
  12. ^ "ΑΩΑ Programs". Alpha Omega Alpha. Archived from the original on 2023-11-05. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
  13. ^ "How Members Are Chosen". Alpha Omega Alpha. Retrieved 2025-05-19.
  14. ^ "Nobel Laureates". Alpha Omega Alpha. Retrieved 2025-05-19.
  15. ^ Byyny, Richard L.; Martinez, Dee (Winter 2022). "120 years of being worthy to serve the suffering" (PDF). The Pharos: 6 – via Alpha Omega Alpha.
  16. ^ Boatright, Dowin; Ross, David; O'Connor, Patrick; Moore, Edward; Nunez-Smith, Maricella (1 May 2017). "Racial Disparities in Medical Student Membership in the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society". JAMA Intern Med. 177 (5): 659–665. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.9623. PMC 5818775. PMID 28264091. Archived from the original on 2 October 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  17. ^ Gordon, Mara (5 September 2018). "A Medical School Tradition Comes Under Fire For Racism". NPR. Archived from the original on 10 April 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  18. ^ "Chapters". Alpha Omega Alpha. Retrieved 2022-08-26.
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