Student Osteopathic Medical Association

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 to view available positions o Board of Trustees: 8 positions  Eligibility criteria varies (see  Elections take place at the annual SOMA Fall Convention

Leadership Development Connection to the AOA o SOMA member sits on the AOA Board of Trustees every other year (alternates between SOMA & COSGP) o 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 ***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) o Make it exciting and make students want to join! o Don’t forget, pictures are worth a thousand words! o 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 and log on to take advantage of member-only benefits in our Member Portal! FINANCIAL ADVISORS GL Advisor INSURANCE GEICO Health Insurance Group Term Life Insurance MISC SOMA bookstore Updates coming soon! AOA Member Benefits 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 and MORE to come!!

Thank you to our benefit providers!

Education & Exposure National Conventions: 2014 SOMA Fall Convention Seattle, Washington October 24 th - 25 th, 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!!)

National SOMA Research Poster Presentation (Seattle) Online abstract submission deadline: August 18 th, 2014 Conference: Poster Session TBA Prize: three $500 1st Place Awards six $250 2nd Place Awards JAOA Abstract Publication 16 th Annual BIOMEA International Seminar (Seattle) Online abstract submission deadline: September 5 th, 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 with any questions Research

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

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: o OPAC = Osteopathic Political Actions Committee o 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): Continuous updates on current legislation pertinent to osteopathic students & physicians

Professional Development House of Delegates meetings in Fall & Spring o Resolution Writing o 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

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:

Scholarships ***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 The SOMA New Member Scholarship was developed for new members of SOMA  i.e. students signing up for SOMA during the Fall Membership Drive o Five $500 scholarships will be awarded based on an essay on the topic "Vision of Osteopathic Medicine." o Deadline: September 12 th, 2014 o Application available online at: JUST FOR YOU!!

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 Fill out ALL required fields, and pay your membership dues (which cover your entire 4- year 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. o All payments will be made online at the time of registration. o Payments will be made via PayPal.

Then what? Get involved in your local SOMA Chapter! Use your username & password created during registration to log into 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