Curriculum Vitae Workshops: Promoting Transparency in Alpha Omega Alpha While Serving Student Needs.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Medical Professionalism
• Student Development

Background:

• The Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society selection process requires clear communication of eligibility criteria to ensure equity.
• Medical students need professional development skills, including effective curriculum vitae (CV) creation, for future academic and residency applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe and assess a novel method for enhancing transparency in the AOA selection process.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of CV workshops in educating students about AOA criteria and improving their CV development skills.

Main Methods:

• Three CV workshops were conducted between 2019 and 2020 for first- and second-year medical students.
• Workshops covered AOA eligibility and selection criteria, alongside CV building techniques.
• Student participants completed a post-workshop survey to assess effectiveness.

Main Results:

• High student interest was observed, with 15-30 participants per workshop.
• 100% of surveyed students (n=10) reported improved understanding of AOA eligibility and selection.
• 100% of surveyed students (n=10) gained valuable CV development skills.

Conclusions:

• CV workshops offer a novel and effective strategy for disseminating AOA eligibility criteria and promoting selection process transparency.
• These workshops equip students with essential CV crafting skills, better preparing them for residency and other academic pursuits.
• Medical schools and AOA chapters should consider implementing this model to enhance student preparedness and equity.