AOA How Are Members Chosen
Students:
Election to AOA is a distinction that accompanies a physician throughout their career. Medical students do not apply for a position, but are elected each Spring and Fall from the graduating class by the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine AOA chapter members. Eligibility requirements include scholastic excellence, capacity for leadership, integrity, service to school and the community. Nationally, this eligibility is established as being inclusive of those in the upper quartile of the class expected to graduate. Chapters are permitted to elect up to 16% of the class expected to graduate.
The AOA Chapter for the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine determines the upper quartile based on the same UNR Med rubric established for the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE).
AOA Nevada elects junior and senior members each year. Elections are held in the spring for the junior (MS 3) students and in the fall for the senior (MS 4) students. While the upper quartile of students are eligible overall for election to AOA, the Nevada chapter has established the upper 12.5% as being eligible for election during the junior year. Typically, three students are elected during the junior year, with the balance (an additional eight to nine students) elected during the senior year. Those who were eligible, but not selected during their junior year, are eligible again during their senior year if they remain in the upper quartile.
The election process begins with the Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs (ASA) determining eligibility based on the MSPE criteria outlined above. Those students determined to be eligible for election to AOA are contacted by the Office of Admission and Student Affairs to seek their consent to share their education records CONFIDENTIALLY with the AOA membership for election purposes. Additionally, for those who consent to be included in the process, additional materials such as an up to date cv as well as an essay are requested.
During the spring and fall election meetings, students' educational records and other supporting materials are considered by the current membership. To ensure a fair and unbiased election, this process is done in a blinded fashion. All educational materials, including the students' cv and essay are redacted to remove all references to the person's name. The names of those elected are not revealed to the voting membership until after the election is done.
Faculty, Alumni, Residents:
Members can also nominate faculty, residents and alumni who meet the entrance criteria. Nomination should include a current cv as well as a formal letter of nomination from the current AOA member. Elections for this group are held during the spring meeting.