AΩA Charter

Organization

William Root was always proud of the fact that, when he founded his honor society to counter the prevailing attitude toward medical students, "such protests arose entirely from the students, not one member of the faculty having been consulted." Today, in order to provide continuity as students graduate, each chapter has a faculty member who also serves on the national governing council. A chapters activities are determined by the councilor and the student members.

A chapter can be as active as its councilor and student members wish it to be. Often, chapters hold monthly meetings and may invite faculty members to discuss curriculum, recent developments in research and health care, and career possibilities. Some chapters also invite distinguished representatives of other scientific disciplines, the humanities, and the arts.

On a national level, the governing council elects a board of directors, which consists off leaders of medical education, a medical student, an intern, a resident, and three councilers. The board, in turn, elects the society's officers-president, vice-president, and secretary and treasurer. In 1977 the society established a central office in Pal Alto, California. This move has greatly improved coordination of programs and communication between chapters and the national governing body.

"Worthy to serve the suffering"