Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) honorary medical society was organized nationally in 1902 and the New Mexico Alpha chapter was chartered in 1968. The aims of the society are the promotion of scholarship and research in medical schools, the encouragement of high standards of character and conduct among students and graduates, and the recognition of high attainment in medical science, practice and related fields. Faculty, house staff, and student AOA members elect students who have demonstrated leadership and academic promise of future achievement.

Membership is limited to no more than one-sixth of any class. Up to one quarter of that number may be elected in the junior year with the remainder elected in the senior year. Elections are generally held in January for Phase II students and in July for Phase III students. All students who rank academically in the top quarter of their class are considered for election. Alpha Omega Alpha also sponsors a Spring Visiting Lecturer on a topic of current interest in the field of medicine. The entire HSC community is invited to this lecture.

Khatali Sponsored Student Awards

Translated from Navajo, "Khatali" means "Healer" or "Medicine Man." The Khatali Medical Alumni Association was founded in 1974 to support the UNM School of Medicine through the efforts of its former students, faculty and house staff. Khatali sponsors the following awards for seniors.

Khatali Alumni Humanitarian Award:

Given to a senior student who has an outstanding record of reaching out to fellow students or community members in humanitarian works and service. This student has gone the extra mile to help others.

Khatali Alumni Award for Leadership:

Given to a senior student who has attained a leadership position either within the School of Medicine or in a community organization and who has used the position to promote community service.

Khatali Alumni Award for Assistance to the Underserved:

Given to a senior student who has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to improving quality of life for the underserved, either in service work or involvement in advocacy or both.

Khatali Alumni Community Service Award:

Given to a senior medical student who has an outstanding record of community service. Student must be in good academic standing, but academic performance is not emphasized.

Max Bennett Service Award:

Given to a senior student who has provided outstanding service to medical education at the SOM.

Faculty Award for Excellence

The Faculty Award for Excellence is given by the faculty of the School of Medicine in recognition of students who have excelled in all three of the following areas: academics, scholarly or research programs, and community service. The award is not necessarily given each year, and is not contingent upon participation in any particular academic, scholarly or community program.

The Faculty Award for Excellence may be given to as many as six students from the senior class. CSPE is responsible for coordination of these awards in September.

HSLIC Excellence in Informatics, Excellence in Information Seeking & Critical Appraisal and Excellence in Teaching Service

The Health Sciences Library and Information Center gives these three awards to medical students who have made the best use of information services in the course of their tutorials, research and teaching activities.

The Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award presented by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation

The Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award presented by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation recognizes one graduating senior student and one faculty member who best demonstrate the Foundation’s ideals of outstanding compassion in the delivery of care, respect for patients, their families and healthcare colleagues, as well as demonstrated clinical excellence. The student winner is chosen by vote of his classmates and the faculty winner is chosen by vote of clinical faculty peers.