Student Osteopathic
Medical Association
www.StudentDO.com
What is SOMA?
The purpose of the Student Osteopathic Medical
Association, an affiliate of the AOA, is to promote
Osteopathic ideals and unity within the profession, to
educate future Osteopathic Physicians, and to
establish and maintain lines of communication among
healthcare professionals in an ongoing effort to
improve the quality of healthcare.
•
Why Join?
SOMA offers endless Opportunities!!
Leadership Development
Resources
Free Gilroy Atlas!
SOMA Benefits
Education & Exposure
Research
Mentoring
Networking & Support
Political Action
Professional Development
Volunteer Opportunities
Leadership Development
Improve your leadership skills, and leave your mark on the
Osteopathic profession!
• National Leadership Positions
o
National Board: 13 positions
 ANY SOMA member is eligible to apply during the SOMA
Spring Convention in Washington, D.C.
 Visit www.studentdo.com to view available positions
o
Board of Trustees: 8 positions
 Eligibility criteria varies (see www.studentdo.com)
 Elections take place at the annual SOMA Fall Convention
Leadership Development
Connection to the AOA
o
o
SOMA member sits on the AOA Board of Trustees every
other year (alternates between SOMA & COSGP)
Student positions on AOA Committees
• SOMA is the only student organization with delegation
seating at the House of Delegation
• Relationship with the AOA allows for exceptional mentorship
and guidance and a greater opportunity to let your voice be
heard within the greater Osteopathic community!
Leadership Development
• Local Positions
o
o
o
o
***Chapter Leaders…Insert your own local positions
including the Executive Board Positions, Committees,
and anything else you want them to know about
leadership positions at your Chapter!! (Don’t just limit it
to one slide)
Make it exciting and make students want to join!
Don’t forget, pictures are worth a thousand words!
Another idea is to insert pictures of your Chapter
attending SOMA events (Conventions, DO Day on the
Hill) throughout the PowerPoint.
SOMA Benefits
Join SOMA at www.studentdo.com/join, and log on to take
advantage of member-only benefits in our Member Portal!
TEST PREPARATION
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
COMBANK
COMQUEST
Doctors in Training
Thieme products including a FREE
Gilroy's Atlas of Anatomy (courtesy of
the AOA!)
Dr. Smarts
Boards Boot Camp
Kaplan
TRAVEL
•
•
•
•
International Service Learning
Car Rentals
Software
Family Practice Notebook
•
•
FINANCIAL ADVISORS
GL Advisor
INSURANCE
•
•
•
GEICO
Health Insurance
Group Term Life Insurance
MISC
•
SOMA bookstore
•
•
Updates coming soon!
AOA Member Benefits
and MORE to come!!
Thank you to our benefit
providers!
Education & Exposure
National Conventions:
2014 SOMA Fall Convention
Seattle, Washington
October 24th - 25th, 2014
2015 SOMA Spring Convention
Washington, D.C.
March 2015
Education & Exposure
National Conventions:
• Speakers:
o Leaders in the Osteopathic Profession, Exceptional
educators from all medical disciplines, Military Physicians,
Representatives of the AOA, AACOM, NBOME, AAOA,
OPAC, ACOFP and other professional organizations.
• Workshops:
o
OMT, Medical Spanish, CV writing, Public Health Forum,
Suture Workshop, Interview skills, Specialty selection, and
Mentorship (and the list keeps growing!!)
Research
National SOMA Research Poster Presentation (Seattle)
Online abstract submission deadline: August 18th, 2014
Conference: Poster Session TBA
Prize: three $500 1st Place Awards
six $250 2nd Place Awards
JAOA Abstract Publication
16th Annual BIOMEA International Seminar (Seattle)
Online abstract submission deadline: September 5th, 2014
Conference: Poster Session TBA
Prize: Monetary and presentation on their work at the Seminar
Fellowship Program for Research Pursuits
Application & poster submission at OMED
Applications due mid spring each year
4 winners. $2000/each
Contact Shoja Rahimian, OMS-III - Director of Research & Development
at RD@studentDO.com with any questions
Mentoring
• SOMA is the student affiliate organization of the AOA!!
o
This means incredible opportunities for networking with AOA
members and benefiting from their invaluable wisdom and
experience!
• Guidance & advice from thousands of SOMA members who
can relate to your concerns and struggles as an osteopathic
medical student.
• Students can also serve as Pre-SOMA liaisons at their
Chapter to assist pre-medical students
SOMA’s Network
AOA = American Osteopathic Association
AACOM = American Assoc. of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine
OPAC = Osteopathic Political Action Committee
AAOA / SAA = Advocates of the AOA / Student Advocate Association
COSGP / SGA = Council of Osteopathic Student Government Presidents / Student
Government Association
NBOME = National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners
AMSA = American Medical Student Association
ACOFP = American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians
Joint conventions, regular correspondence & collaboration on
key issues affecting our profession
Political Action
D.O. Day on Capitol Hill:
Annual event where students, physicians and leaders of the
osteopathic profession come to Washington, D.C. to lobby legislators
on issues important to the osteopathic profession, physicians,
students, and patients. It is an amazing opportunity for members of the
osteopathic community to join together and lobby federal legislators
and their staff members face-to-face.
March, 2015
Washington, D.C.
If you have any questions, please direct them to Matthew Smith,
National SOMA Director of Political Affairs
at politicalaffairs@studentdo.com
Political Action
ΩΒΙ Political Action Honor Society
• Omega Beta Iota, the National Osteopathic
Political Action Honor Society, emphasizes the
importance of the work osteopathic medical
students do for our political system.
o
Induction into OBI requires the completion of several
requirements, including membership in various organizations,
grassroots political activism, and participation in politics at the
national level.
Political Action
• OPAC/AOIA: www.osteopathicpac.org
o
o
OPAC = Osteopathic Political Actions Committee
Two prestigious scholarships offered by OPAC.


$1000 for the most politically active chapter.
$1000 for the most politically active student.
• Political Action Training Course
• OHPI Program (Osteopathic Health Policy Internship):
http://www.aacom.org/events/intern/Pages/default.aspx
• Continuous updates on current legislation pertinent to
osteopathic students & physicians
Professional Development
• House of Delegates meetings in Fall & Spring
o
o
Resolution Writing
Parliamentary Procedure
• Resources for choosing a specialty
• Medical Ethics resources
• Interview skills assistance
• Assistance in matching for a residency program
Volunteering
Unity Project
• Since 2005, SOMA has hosted an annual “Unity” project in
which osteopathic medical students from across the nation
come and generously volunteer their time and efforts toward
a charitable community service.
• This project allows students to take part in an unforgettable
experience to help enrich the lives of others, while
simultaneously promoting “Unity” amongst the osteopathic
medical schools.
• Previous Unity Projects Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort, Homeless
Shelter Outreach Program in New York City, Give Kids the World,
Habitat for Humanity, Access Life EXPO, etc.
Unity Projects 2013-2014
Volunteering
• Local Service Projects at each fall & spring convention
•
•
Promotion & support of local SOMA chapter community
service projects
American Osteopathic Foundation (AOF) Human
Touch Project
SOMA Foundation
•
Philanthropic entity of SOMA
•
Provides financial support for SOMA’s
charitable and outreach endeavors
•
Offers Scholarships & Grants to SOMA
members
•
For more information and details about SOMA
Foundation please visit: www.somafoundation.org
Scholarships
http://www.somafoundation.org/scholarships_and_grants.htm
• ***New Member Scholarship $500 ***
•
Humanism in Medicine Scholarship
•
Marvin H. and Kathleen G. Teget Leadership Scholarship
•
Andrew Taylor Still Memorial Scholarship
•
The Ed and Melissa Loniewski Medically Underserved Scholarship
•
Medical Education Scholarship
•
Corporate Education Scholarship
•
Minority Leadership Award
•
International Health Program Scholarship
•
International Medical Relief / Medical Missions Scholarship
•
Chapter Grant Program for funding an Osteopathic Promotional Event
Scholarships
SOMA New Member Scholarship
o
JUST FOR
o
YOU!!
The SOMA New Member Scholarship was developed for
new members of SOMA
 i.e. students signing up for SOMA during the Fall
Membership Drive
Five $500 scholarships will be awarded based on an essay on
the topic "Vision of Osteopathic Medicine."
o
Deadline: September 12th, 2014
o
Application available online at:
http://www.somafoundation.org/new-member-scholarship.html
Chapter Recognition
• SOMA recognizes great work on the local level by awarding
several honors each spring, including:
GOLDEN FEMUR
(Chapter of the Year)
GOLDEN TIBIA
(Young Chapter of the
Year)
**Golden Tibia is available to
chapter <5years old
Chapters are also recognized via region for their excellence in various fields
that facilitate the SOMA mission.
Join SOMA Today!
• Visit www.studentdo.com/join
• Fill out ALL required fields, and pay your
membership dues (which cover your entire 4year SOMA membership)!
o
SOMA Membership Dues: $***(Chapter Leaders please
insert your chapter dues)
o
Online registration is now the ONLY way to sign-up for SOMA.
All payments will be made online at the time of registration.
Payments will be made via PayPal.
o
o
Then what?
•
Get involved in your local SOMA
Chapter!
• Use your username & password
created during registration to log into
www.studentdo.com to access all of
the wonderful benefits that SOMA
membership has to offer.
Questions?
Ask your local Chapter Leaders or contact
Mary Mamut,
Membership and Benefits Coordinator
at membershipandbenefits@StudentDO.com!