AACOM: American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine- The American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) was founded in 1898 to lend support and assistance to the nation’s osteopathic medical schools, and to serve as a unifying voice for osteopathic medical education. Having grown from a handful of college administrators a century ago, the organization today represents the administration, faculty and students of all of the osteopathic medical colleges in the United States. The association, guided by its Board of Deans and various other member councils and committees, is actively involved in all areas of osteopathic medical education. Source.
AACOMAS: American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service- The application service allows students to submit one primary application that can then be forwarded to any Osteopathic program in the US.
AAMC: Association of American Medical Colleges- The AAMC and the medical schools, teaching hospitals, academic and professional societies, faculty, residents, and students we represent are committed to improving the nation’s health through medical education, research, and high-quality patient care. We are dedicated to the communities we serve, committed to advancing the public good, and steadfast in our desire to earn and keep the public’s trust for the role we are privileged to play in our society. Source .
ACGME: Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education, accredits residency programs- The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) is responsible for the Accreditation of post-MD medical training programs within the United States. Accreditation is accomplished through a peer review process and is based upon established standards and guidelines. Source.
ADCOM: Admission Committee
Affirmative Action: Programs designed to provide increased opportunities for historically under-represented minorities.
AMA: American Medical Association- The American Medical Association (AMA), founded in 1847 and incorporated 1897, is the largest association of physicians and medical students in the United States. The AMA’s mission is to promote the art and science of medicine for the betterment of the public health, to advance the interests of physicians and their patients, to promote public health, to lobby for legislation favorable to physicians and patients, and to raise money for medical education. The Association also publishes the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), which has the largest circulation of any weekly medical journal in the world. Source.
AMA-MSS: Medical Student Section of the AMA
AMCAS: American Medical College Application Service- The American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) is a non-profit, centralized application processing service for applicants to the first-year entering classes at participating U.S. medical schools. For the 2009 entering class, most medical schools are participating in AMCAS. Source.
AMSA: American Medical Student Association, publishes the New Physician-The American Medical Student Association, with a half-century history of medical student activism, is the oldest and largest independent association of physicians-in-training in the United States. Today, AMSA is a student-governed, national organization committed to representing the concerns of physicians-in-training. With a membership of more than 68,000 medical students, premedical students, interns, residents and practicing physicians from across the country, AMSA continues its commitment to improving medical training and the nation’s health. Source.
AMWA: American Medical Writer’s Association- The American Medical Writers Association was founded in 1940 to assist medical authors. The mission of the American Medical Writers Association is to promote excellence in medical communication and to provide educational resources in support of that goal. Through an extensive educational program, various publications, and unparalleled opportunities for networking, AMWA encourages and enables its members to extend their professional expertise. Source.
AMWA: The American Medical Women’s Association – The American Medical Women’s Association empowers women to lead in improving health for all within a model that reflects the unique perspective of women. The American Medical Women’s Association is an organization which functions at the local, national, and international level to advance women in medicine and improve women’s health. We achieve this by providing and developing leadership, advocacy, education, expertise, mentoring, and strategic alliances. Source.
Andrew Taylor Still (A.T. Still): Founder of osteopathic medicine; opened KCOM in Kirksville, Missouri 1892
AOA (AΩA): Alpha Omega Alpha – National Medical School honor society- The Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, commonly called Alpha Omega Alpha, is a national honor society for medical students, residents, scientists and physicians in the United States. Source.
AOA: American Osteopathic Association- The AOA is a member association representing more than 61,000 osteopathic physicians (D.O.s). The AOA serves as the primary certifying body for D.O.s, and is the accrediting agency for all osteopathic medical colleges and health care facilities. The AOA’s mission is to advance the philosophy and practice of osteopathic medicine by promoting excellence in education, research, and the delivery of quality, cost-effective healthcare within a distinct, unified profession. Source.
AOA: The American Optometric Association is the premier authority in the optometric profession. With more than 35,000 members in 6,500 U.S. communities, the AOA leads the way in its mission of improving the quality and availability of eye and vision care everywhere. Founded in 1898, the AOA is a federation of state, student and armed forces optometric associations. Through these affiliations, the AOA serves members consisting of optometrists, students of optometry, paraoptometric assistants and technicians. Source.
AP: Advanced Placement – Advanced courses typically taken in high school. Upon completion of the course and after scoring above a certain grade on the AP Exam students can transfer the credits to most undergraduate institutions. When applying to Medical Schools, this credit can be counted into your GPA if it appears on your academic transcript. Policies regarding AP credit vary.
Attending: A physician who has completed residency and practices in a clinic, hospital, or private practice, in the specialty learned during residency and can supervise fellow residents and medical students.
AWPA: Acceptance when place available; used when a medical school or college desires to admit a student but lacks a spot to accommodate that student
BA/MD: A combined program where a Bachelors of Arts and Doctor of Medicine degree are conferred over 6-8 years depending on the program
BCPM: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics
BS/MD: A combined program where a Bachelors of Sciences and Doctor of Medicine degree are conferred over 6-8 years depending on the program
CAM: complementary and alternative medicine – Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is an umbrella term for complementary medicine and alternative medicine. The term also incorporates integrative medicine. Typical examples of CAM approaches are herbalism, meditation, chiropractic, yoga, body work and diet-based therapies. Definitions of CAM vary with culture and time and can change with scientific evidence. Source.
Carribean Med Schools: Popular alternative to those not attending school in the US- needs more
CC: Community college – Typically two year institutions that offer associates and technical degrees. This requires a transfer to a four year college or university to finish a bachelor’s degree program.
Chief Resident: a senior-level resident who has been assigned administrative and training responsibilities within the residency training program.
COMLEX: Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (the Osteopathic equivalent of the USMLE), a 3 step medical licensing test all DO’s must take. Step I is taken after the 2nd year of medical school and is a major determining factor in residency placement, Step II is taken prior to graduation and Step III is taken following your first year of residency.
Committee Letter : composite letter of LOR’s which is submitted by the school’s pre-professional advising committee
CSS: College Scholarship Service
Curricula Vitae: Document that focuses on ones education, publications, and other accomplishments.
D1, D2, D3, D4 : Dental student year 1, 2, 3, 4.
DDS/DMD: Doctor of Dental Surgery/ Doctor or Dental Medicine- The DDS degree, referring to Doctor of Dental Surgery, denotes one of a few degrees that are awarded to dentists, the others being Doctor of Dental Medicine ( DMD ), Bachelor of Dentistry (BDent), or Bachelor of Dental Surgery/Chirurgiae (BDS) or (BChD), all of which are equivalent degrees for the practice of Dentistry. Source.
DO: Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine- Osteopathic Physicians (D.O.) are fully-licensed to prescribe medicine and practice in all specialty areas including surgery. D.O.s are trained to consider the health of the whole person and use their hands to help diagnose and treat patients. Source.
DPM: Doctor of Podiatric Medicine-A podiatrist is a podiatric professional, a person devoted to the study and medical treatment of disorders of the foot, ankle and lower extremity. The term originated in the United States but has now become the accepted term in the English speaking world for all graduates of podiatric medical schools who have earned one of the following degrees: D.P.M., D.P., B.Pod., Pod.B, or Pod.D. Source.
DPT: Doctor of Physical Therapy-The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) is a postbaccalaureate degree that is a first professional degree for entry into the profession of physical therapy. The specific nomenclature “DPT” is not a substitute or alternative for the physical therapist clinical designator “PT.” The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree serves as a credential. It signifies completion of the current requirements needed to enter the profession and represents the completion of a comprehensive program and the fulfillment of high standards of clinical performance in professional preparation. It does not, however, signify advanced preparation or specialization. Source.
Dual Enrollment/Concurrent Enrollment: In education, dual enrollment is where a student is enrolled in two separate, academically related institutions. Source.
DVM: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine-US graduates are awarded either a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or the less common Veterinariae Medicinae Doctoris (VMD) degree, the latter if they are a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. A veterinarian (North American English) or a veterinary surgeon (British English), often shortened to vet, is a physician for animals and a practitioner of veterinary medicine. Source.
EC: Extra-curricular activities- Activities students partake in away from academics. These cover a broad range of activities from athletics, to volunteer work, to research.
EDP: Early Decision Program- Program in which you apply to one school through AMCAS EDP. If not accepted you are then allowed to enter the pool of all applicants. More information can be found here.
EK: ExamKrackers, test preparation course materials for the MCAT examination.
FAFSA: Free Application for Federal Student Aid- Government document that is filled out yearly to be eligible for financial aid. More info here.
Fellowship: Post residency training in specialized fields
FMG: Foreign Medical Graduate
Gold Standard: Test preparation review course materials.
GPA: Grade Point Average; BCPM is the science GPA; AO is the GPA for all other courses
Gunner: slang for an anxious premed student who will do anything to get good grades.
HBCU: Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Hospitalist: a physician who specializes in treating hospitalized patients; a specialist in inpatient medicine.
HCP: Health Care Provider
House Staff: The physicians and surgeons in specialty training at a hospital who care for patients under the direction and responsibility of attending staff.
II: Interview Invite
IMG: International Medical Graduate
Internship: First year of medical residency training for physicians
IS: In-state
JAMA: Journal of the American Medical Association
Kaplan: Test preparation review materials and service
LCME: Liaison Committee on Medical Education, accredits medical schools
Legacy: A student whose parents or grandparents have attended and/or heavily contributed to the school
LOI: Letter of intent/interest- Letters sent to a prospective school to tell them you are interested in their school.
LOR: Letter of recommendation- Letter sent to schools from a professor or other professional contant in which they lay out your qualifications, and why they think you should be accepted to a school.