Primary Contact: Teresa Cook [email protected]

Selections for awards are made in accordance with individual awards’ established deadlines; therefore, academic determinations will be based on student achievement officially recorded at the time of the award deadline.

Keck School of Medicine Award for Academic Excellence – Presented to the top senior medical student based on performance during the four years of medical school.

Academic Distinction – Awarded for consistent excellence in clerkships to students who demonstrate the qualities most valued in a physician. Students must achieve a specified percent of Honors during the Year III/IV Continuum to receive this award.

Alpha Omega Alpha National Honor Society – The major consideration for election is the, “promise of future leadership in medicine,” either as a practitioner or academician as reflected in a student’s academic record in medical school and other achievements. The selection committee considers student academic per-formance, professionalism, service, leadership and research and scholarship in making its determinations.

New members are selected in August/September of the senior year.

The overall score for determination of eligibility is calculated based on student academic achievement, defined as passing all system exams on the first attempt and overall class ranking based on the percentage of Honors received in the core clerkships (Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Neurology, Obstetrics/ Gynecology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Surgery). The top 50% of the class are eligible to apply for selection. Once deemed eligible, the academic metrics are removed, the applications blinded, and the selection is based on leadership, service, and research and scholarship. No more than 20% of the class may ultimately be selected for AOA

Distinction in Community Service – Primary Contact: Maite Villareal-Rodriguez, maite.villarealrodri-[email protected]

This award is given to students who have exemplary accomplishments in the areas of community service, health system enhancement, and/or social justice. A Selection Committee organized by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion will review applications twice a year to determine recipients based on the criteria listed below. To be considered, applications must be submitted by established deadlines. Students may only receive this award once.

Students (Years I-IV) must meet the following criteria:

• Be in good standing (including professionalism) at the Keck School of
• Provide a one-page statement describing the student’s advocacy and contributions to health sys-tem enhancements and/or work with community service organizations for the betterment of the community and/or patients’ lives while in medical school.
• Provide a curriculum vitae highlighting the aforementioned advocacy and
• Provide a letter of support from a faculty or community organization member with whom the student has worked supporting the student’s application for “Distinction in Community ”

Dr. George Herron, M.D., Memorial Award – Primary Contact: Teresa Cook [email protected]
An award given to the graduating senior who, in the opinion of the senior class, has given the most to the class during the four years of medical school. The recipient is selected by a vote of the class.

The Order of Arête – Primary Contact: Greg Harlan [email protected]
Graduating seniors who have distinguished themselves through campus or community leadership roles beyond those required for their programs of study, often making notable contributions to the university, academic discipline, community or world at large as nominated by the associated dean for student affairs. To be nominated, students must have demonstrated significant depth and scope of responsibility in their leadership roles and be recognized as upholding value and meaning in their efforts over individual achievement. The final selection is made by a university committee.

Eric Cohen, M.D., Introduction to Clinical Medicine Award – Primary Contact: Angelica Galan, angelica.[email protected]

Recognizes the one student who best exemplifies the goals and objectives of the ICM program. Students are nominated by their ICM faculty and a selection committee makes the final determination. Award is presented at the end of Year II.

Gold Humanism Honor Society – Primary Contact: Monique Abeyta [email protected]
The GHHS recognizes students who exemplify humanistic attributes and will serve as leaders and role models who enhance the culture of support and compassion for patients and health care providers. Stu-dents must be in the top 25% of the ranked Peer Nomination Survey results and in good standing to be considered for membership. A maximum of 15% of the class are elected each year. A selection committee considers a student’s peer nomination ranking, humanistic activities and essay response in making its de-terminations. New members are elected after completion of the clerkship phase.

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

Primary Contact: Teresa Cook, [email protected]

Given to one senior student who, by class vote, is felt to consistently demonstrate compassion and empathy with peers and patients.

Dean’s Research Scholars Award – Primary Contact: Fiaba Zakarian, [email protected] Awarded to the top senior medical student who has conducted the most outstanding research as a Dean’s Research Scholar as determined by the DRS director and the Medical Student Research Committee.

Distinction in Research – This award is given to students who have first authosrship on a publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

Students (Years I-IV) must meet the following criteria:

• Be in good standing (including professionalism) at the Keck School of Medicine. MD/PhD students are excluded from consideration.
• If special circumstances prevented first or second authorship, documentation and evidence of significant student contribution to a publication must be provided from the mentor and the student. Case reports may be Review articles are not eligible. Exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Provide a summary of the student’s contributions to the published work with an associated time
• Provide a letter from the research mentor supporting the student’s application for “Distinction in ”

The Medical Student Research Committee will review applications twice a year to determine recipients based on the criteria listed above. To be considered, applications must be submitted by established dead-lines. Students may only receive this award once.

Irving I. Lasky, M.D. Memorial Award – Recognizes the most outstanding research during the four years of medical school. Dean’s Research Scholars and M.D./Ph.D. students are excluded from consideration as determined by the Medical Student Research Committee.

We work in conjunction with the University’s Office of Financial Aid to provide our students with information that will help them navigate the nuances of financing their medical school educations. Visit the MD Program Financial Literacy & Scholarship site for more information.

Melissa Orozco-Garcia, MD Financial Aid Advisor

(323) 442-0945

[email protected]

The USC Financial Aid Office and Keck School of Medicine are dedicated to ensuring that all eligible students have the financial resources necessary to pay for educational expenses. Counselors are available to help students complete applications, prepare loan repayment strategies and receive information on student financial planning.

They can be reached at (323) 442-1016 or [email protected]

Associated Students of the School of Medicine (ASSM) is the medical school’s student government and is charged with representing the needs and interests of the medical student community to Keck School and University leadership. ASSM is the umbrella organization of the University’s Graduate Student Govern-ment (GSG) and is responsible for managing the student programming fees allotted to the medical student body. https://www.usckeckassm.org/

Each phase of the curriculum is represented by a group of their classmates. Student councils represent the interest and concerns of the students in their class to the Keck School’s administration; primarily by serving as liaisons to the Offices in Medical Education including Curriculum, Diversity and Inclusion and Student Affairs.

Although students who hold these positions are elected by their peers, they serve with the approval of the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. If at any time it is determined that they are not acting in a professional manner, not maintaining satisfactory academic progress, on Academic or Professional Behavior probation, and/or performing the duties of their position they will be removed from their office.

The Graduate Student Government (GSG) mission is to enhance the University of Southern California graduate and professional student experience by serving as the face of the student body. To accomplish this, GSG is responsible for managing student resources efficiently, providing a voice for the student community, building a community that fosters interdisciplinary exchanges, and informing students about their rights, resources, and opportunities. Elected officers, senators who represent all schools and departments, and special interest committees tackle issues specific to graduate and professional students and provide venues for interaction beyond the academic realm. https://gsg.usc.edu/

Keck students lead many diverse organizations. Whether you want to explore a medical specialty, get in-volved in mentoring local teens, or join a weekend ski trip, you have a way to pursue your passion.

For a list of opportunities, check out the Student Group Directory to learn more.