Alpha Omega Alpha (AΩA) is a medical honors society that was founded in 1902. The society recognizes, advocates for, and inspires physicians in the care of patients and the promotion of health. It has 132 chapters throughout the United States with nearly 200,000 members inducted since its founding. More than 4,000 students, residents/fellows, faculty, and alumni are elected each year. The medical community has long recognized Alpha Omega Alpha as the “Phi Beta Kappa” of medicine.

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AΩA is dedicated to the belief that in the profession of medicine we will improve care for all by:

• Recognizing high educational achievement

• Honoring gifted teaching

• Encouraging the development of leaders in academia and the community

• Supporting the ideals of humanism

• Promoting service to others

 

Election to AΩA is an honor signifying a lasting commitment to professionalism, leadership, scholarship, research, and community service. Members may be elected throughout their career and epitomize professionalism, leadership, academic and clinical excellence, research, community service, and “being worthy to serve the suffering.” A lifelong honor, membership in the society confers recognition for a physician's dedication to the profession and art of healing. 

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AΩA supports several annual fellowships, grants, programs, and awards for medical students and physicians at its 132 Chapters. It also publishes a quarterly peer-reviewed, medical humanities journal (The Pharos) which contains articles on nontechnical medical subjects, including history, ethics, national issues, personal essays, and poetry.

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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. It recognizes the value of a diverse, fair, and equitable work and learning environment for all and 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.