Alpha Omega Alpha

Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) is composed of fourth-year medical students who have demonstrated excellence in leadership, research, professionalism, service to the school and community, and clinical acumen.

Information

About

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Induction into the AOA distinguishes students from their peers and 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 and promoting service to others. 

AOA Medical Honor Society Tenet

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“It is the duty of members to foster the scientific and philosophical features of the medical profession, to look beyond self to the welfare of the profession and of the public, to cultivate social mindedness, as well as individualistic attitude toward responsibilities, to show respect for colleagues, especially for elders and teachers, to foster research and in all ways to ennoble the profession of medicine and advance it in public opinion. It is equally a duty to avoid that which is unworthy, including the commercial spirit and all practices injurious to the welfare of patients, the public, or the profession."

Diversity and Inclusion in AOA

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Alpha Omega Alpha values and is committed to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion based on evidence that inclusion of talented individuals from different backgrounds benefits patient care, population health, education, and scientific discovery. 

The Larner College of Medicine is equally committed to promoting inclusive excellence and the selection of diverse members to AOA. The LCOM AOA committee developed the above eligibility criteria, in collaboration with the Office of Medical Student Education and the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) leadership to provide a fair and equitable process for our students.

Selection Process

Overview
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Clerkship level honors grades determine AOA eligibility. LCOM clerkship grades are based on clinical evaluations which include six core competencies including professionalism, a final exam and a clinical skills exam.

Students are selected from the pool of applicants for nomination and induction using the following criteria:

  • Academic performance during their medical education, specifically their academic performance in the clinical clerkship level.
  • Successful research/scholarly activities as documented by formal presentations at national meetings or by publications or other scholarly work.
  • Leadership in school activities and/or community service.
  • Professionalism and humanism.

Clerkship Distinction

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Points for each clerkship will be awarded by:

  1. Top 50% of the Likert scale (ranking a student 1-5 based on clinical work in clerkship)*
  2. Nomination from clerkship director for distinction in clerkship-nomination will identify medical students who demonstrate characteristics of excellent physicianship – trustworthiness, character, caring, knowledge, scholarship, proficiency in the doctor-patient relationship, leadership, compassion, empathy, altruism and service leadership.*

*Application eligibility determined based on grades available at the time of selection (usually in May)

We will use rolled up scores of total number of points in category 1 clerkship points and category 2 clerkship points in the student’s completed clerkships at the time of selection to generate a list of students in the top 25% and these students will be offered the opportunity to apply to AOA.

AOA Application

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The AOA application asks AOA applicants to reflect on their medical school experiences in leadership, service and research. Applicants are asked to reflect on one experience in each category and write about how that experience serves to meet the tenants of AOA and what personal or professional development occurred as a result of the experience.

The selection committee did not support going back to using numerical grades, a cumulative GPA or USMLE scores to determine AOA eligibility. They deemed it in conflict with the goals and objectives of moving to a pass-fail basic science curriculum.

After a careful review of the applications, the LCOM AOA Selection Committee selects up to 20% of the class for AOA induction in late July/early August, and new members are informed early enough to include this information in their residency application.

Current Membership

Current Selection Committee
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  • Gil Allen, MD, Medicine - Division of Pulmonary Disease & Critical Care Medicine, 2010-2026 term (Faculty Advisor 2012-2016)
  • Matthew Barbery, MD, Medicine - Division of Pulmonary Disease & Critical Care Medicine, 2024-2027 term
  • Kim Blake, MD, OB/Gyn - Division of Pulmonary Disease & Critical Gare OB, 2019-2025 term
  • Leah Costello, MD, Pediatrics - Division of Pulmonary Disease & Critical Pare Pediatrics, 2019-2025 term
  • Fuyuki Hirashima, MD. Surgery - Division of Pulmonary Disease & Critical Care Surgery, 2021-2027 term
  • Peter Holoch, MD, Surgery - Division of Pulmonary Disease & Critical oare Surgery, 2019-2025 term
  • Benjamin Lee, MD, Pediatrics - Division of Pulmonary Disease & Critical Iare Pediatrics, 2021-2026 term
  • Jesse Moore, MD, Surgery - Division of Pulmonary Disease & Critical Gare Surgery, 2017-2026 term
  • Mark Pasanen, MD, Medicine - Division of Pulmonary Disease & Critical Hare Medicine, 2015-2026 term
  • Marie Sandoval (CHAIR), MD, Medicine - Division of Pulmonary Disease & Critical Care Medicine, 2015-2025 term (Faculty Advisor 2018 - present)
  • Devika Singh, MD, Medicine - Division of Pulmonary Disease & Critical Iare Medicine, 2021-2027 term
  • Beth Wahlberg, MD, Medicine - Division of Pulmonary Disease & Critical Iare Medicine, 2020-2027 term
  • Patrick Zimmerman, DO, Surgery - Division of Pulmonary Disease & Critical Care Surgery, 2024-2027 term

2025 Inductees
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Faculty Inductees: TBA May 2025

Resident Inductees: TBA May 2025

Class of 2026 Student Inductees: TBA in August 2025

2024 Inductees
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Faculty Inductees:

  • Justin DeAngelis, MD, Obstetrics & Gynecology, UVMHN
  • Katherine "Katie" W. Dolbec, MD, Emergency Medicine, UVMHN
  • Andrew Hale, MD, Infectious Disease, UVMHN
  • Patrick Zimmerman, DO, Surgery, NuvanceHN

Resident Inductees:

  • Robin Alsher, MD, Internal Medicine, UVMHN
  • Akshee Batra, MD, Internal Medicine, UVMHN
  • Gnendy Indig, MD, Obstetrics & Gynecology, UVMHN
  • Kristine McLaughlin, MD, Internal Medicine, UVMHN
  • Shaidy Moronta, DO, Surgery, NuvanceHN
  • Sienna Searles, MD, Internal Medicine, UVMHN

Class of 2025 Student Inductees:

  • Anupama Balasubramanian
  • Audree Sue Baroni
  • Shea Alexandra Bellino
  • Ty Edward Bever
  • Jacob Patrick Cappiello
  • Jamie Alexandra Cyr
  • Katelynn Michelle Giroux
  • Justin Paul Henningsen
  • Jharna Jahnavi
  • Elizabeth Parsons Kelley
  • Ryan Patrick Kelly, President
  • Kelly Jean Knight
  • Kadi Tra Mi Nguyen
  • Kenny Nguyen
  • Elizabeth Marie O'Neill, Secretary-Treasurer
  • Brittney Jean Palermo
  • Madeline Yvette Powell
  • Anthony Quach
  • Ashwini Sarathy
  • Gabriela Fernanda Sarriera Valentin
  • Paige Song, Vice President
  • Jennifer Marie Reslier Toner
  • Tyler V. VanDyk
  • Hannah Catherine White

2023 Inductees
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Faculty Inductees:

  • Matthew T. Barbery, MD
  • Lee-Anna K. Burgess, MD
  • Skyler A. Lentz, MD
  • Anamaria C. Mihu, MD
  • Bridget M. Marroquin, MD

Resident Inductees:

  • Faiz Jaspar Abu-Jaber, MD
  • Solomon Feuerwerker, MD
  • Yu-Lin Hsieh, MD
  • Ali Jandal, MD
  • Kramer Wahlberg, MD

Class of 2024 Student Inductees:

  • Rachel Bombardier
  • Nicholas Brunette
  • Sydney Cardozo
  • Sadie Casale
  • Amy Chang
  • Christina Cobb
  • Andrew DesLauriers (inducted in 2022)
  • Arley Donovan
  • Jake Ermolovich
  • Amanda Galenkamp, President
  • Heather Giguere
  • Mohamad Hamze
  • Kiana Heredia
  • Alex Jenkins (inducted in 2022)
  • Simran Kalsi, Treasurer
  • Anneliese Lapides
  • Jack Mangan
  • Colleen McCarthy
  • Than Moore
  • Izabella Ostrowski
  • Finlay Pilcher
  • Rebecca Rawlings
  • Brian Shaw
  • Noah Sorkow
  • Jack Steinharter, Vice President
  • Rachel Wayne 

2022 Inductees
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Faculty Inductees:

  • Jesse Ritvo, MD, Department of Psychiatry, Central Vermont Medical Center
  • Katie Wells, MD, MPH Department of Surgery, Division of Emergency Medicine, UVM Medical Center

Resident Inductees:

  • Ali Jandal, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, UVM Medical Center
  • David Steinmetz, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, UVM Medical Center

Class of 2023 Student Inductees:

  • Victor Abraham
  • Niv Badrinarayanan
  • Brittany Ann Botticelli
  • Sandi Caus
  • Sydney Elizabeth Chatfield
  • Andrew DesLauriers
  • Kevin Christopher DiBona, Secretary-Treasurer
  • Emma Cooper Dunne
  • Grace Eisenbiegler
  • Negar Esfandiari
  • Joel Stephen Feier
  • Brad Fiske
  • Alex Jenkins
  • Kisha Kalra
  • Naomi Koliba
  • Michael Jacob Lawler
  • Sean Muniz, President
  • Maegan Neilson
  • Alexandra Novelli
  • Mark Alexander Oet
  • Michela Marit Salusti Simpson
  • McKenna Schimmel
  • Samantha Schuetz
  • Cyrus Neal Thomas Walker, Vice President 

Additional Resources

Faculty Advisor

Marie B. Sandoval, M.D.

Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics • UVM Larner College of Medicine AOA Chapter Faculty Councilor

Marie.Sandoval@uvm.edu