Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society (AOA)
Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society (AOA), a professional medical organization, recognizes and advocates for excellence in scholarship and the highest ideals in the profession of medicine. AOA values include honesty, honorable conduct, morality, virtue, unselfishness, ethical ideals, dedication to serving others and leadership. The top 25 percent of a medical school class is eligible for nomination to the society. The honor cord is green, for medicine, with a mixed strand of white and gold, which represent humanities and science respectively.
Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS)
Gold Humanism Honor Society honors medical students, residents, role-model physician teachers and other exemplars recognized for demonstrated excellence in clinical care, leadership, compassion and dedication to service. The top 15 percent of a medical school class is eligible for nomination to the society. Students in the honor society wear a gold honor cord.
Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health
Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health encourages research and scholarship among graduate students of public health and recognizes achievement in the field. Delta Omega elects new student, faculty, alumni and honorary members each year based on high academic standards and outstanding performance in scholarship, teaching, research and community service. Students inducted wear an honor stole which is salmon-colored, the internationally recognized academic color for public health.
Pi Alpha Honor Society
Pi Alpha Honor Society is the national honor society organized for the promotion and recognition of both physician assistant students and graduates. Membership signifies the inductees’ significant academic achievement and honors them for leadership, research, community/professional service and other related activities. The society also encourages a high standard of character and conduct among students and graduates. Students inducted wear a teal cord.
Upsilon Phi Delta Honor Society
Upsilon Phi Delta Honor Society recognizes students, faculty, healthcare executives and administrators, and to those contributing to the healthcare administration profession who meet the national and local standards. Graduate student members must have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 and all members must conduct themselves consistent with the Program’s values of Integrity, Diversity, Inclusiveness, Excellence, and Cultural Sensitivity. Students inducted wear a double honor cord of red and blue knotted together.
Military Cords
EVMS recognizes all military graduates, faculty and platform party members (whether active duty, reserve, guard, veteran or retired) at Commencement by bestowing a military honor cord to be worn with academic regalia. Participants who meet the criteria should indicate so on their registration. The military cord will be issued with academic regalia and may be worn under the hood and in addition to other honor society cords and/or stoles.
Fine Family Academy of Educators Stoles
In 2018, the Fine Family established The Fine Family Academy of Educators to recognize and elevate the status of healthcare educators who have made outstanding contributions to the EVMS community through sustained excellence in teaching, curriculum innovation, scholarship and educational leadership. A professional learning community in on-going pursuit of educational excellence and scholarship, The Fine Family Academy of Educators will be highly regarded in advancing educators – and education – both locally and nationally. Learn more about The Fine Family Academy of Educators.
Current EVMS faculty members in good standing with the Fine Family Academy of Educators are permitted to wear their approved academy stole with their academic regalia. The approved stole may be worn with faculty academic regalia, with stole worn over the hood.
Academic Honor Medallions
At EVMS, academic honors are bestowed upon a faculty member who exemplifies excellence in his or her field, delivering on the promise of EVMS to improve community and global health through education, patient care and research. Each academic honor is supported through a donor-endowed fund with four levels determined by the endowed fund amount: distinguished chair, chair, distinguished professorship, and professorship. A symbol of excellence in academia, the academic honor enables EVMS to invest in the teachers, researchers and care providers at the core of our mission, and bring the best and brightest to Hampton Roads. Thanks to our generous donors, EVMS recognizes 34 outstanding faculty who currently hold endowed chairs and professorships, but most importantly have a love for medicine and humanity. Learn more about EVMS Chairs and Professorships.
EVMS faculty members who hold academic honors (Chair, Distinguished Chair, Professorship and Distinguished Professorship) are permitted to wear the approved academic honors medallions in addition to other approved cords and stoles, with medallions worn over the hood.
For more information refer to the Academic Regalia & Honors Policy.