Please note:

Some scholarships require you to have your AOA number. If you do not have your AOA number there are three ways to obtain it:

1. On the mailing labels for The DO and the JAOA —your AOA number is the first six of the seven numbers listed above the addressee.
2. On your AOA membership card.
3. By calling the Member Service Center — (800) 621-1773 (press "1") or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . On evenings and weekends, you can get your AOA number by e-mailing the DO-Online Support Center at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

• Humanism in Medicine Scholarship

The Osteopathic medical student that receives the Humanism in Medicine Scholarship should reflect the benevolent character exemplified by those members of our osteopathic family who perished on October 19, 2004. The eight members were flying to Kirksville, Missouri to explore ways of improving and developing a "Compassionate Campus" at the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine. The applicants will be judged on how well they demonstrate in their character the philosophy of Osteopathic medicine, unconditional love for their community and peers, leadership and dedication, compassion and empathy, spirit and enthusiasm. One OMS-III or OMS-IV SOMA member will be awarded a $1,000 scholarship.

Deadline: September 22, 2008
Application: Humanism in Medicine Scholarship

Congratulations to the 2008-2009 SOMA Humanism in Medicine winner:

• Jane Chun-wen Teng - PCOM OMS-III

All winners will be notified by email. Please check your email for instructions on how to receive your scholarship money.

We had many amazing submissions for this scholarship, and picking one winner was very difficult for the Selection Committee. Everyone had unique experiences and great applications! We look forward to seeing you apply for the upcoming scholarships. If you have any questions, you can reach the Scholarship Chair at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

• Marvin H. and Kathleen G. Teget Leadership Scholarship

Marvin H. and Kathleen G. Teget have graciously established two scholarships on behalf of their grandson, Paul Teget, D.O., Kirksville Class of 2004, to benefit students pursuing a career in specialty medicine. The selection is based on the students demonstrating leadership in a specialty field. Students are to be evaluated by a third party and the awards given based on a personal statement. Two SOMA members will be awarded a $500 scholarship.

Deadline: January 20, 2009
Application: Marvin H. and Kathleen G. Teget Leadership Scholarship

• SOMA Fellowship & Research

This fellowship is provided by the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation and the Osteopathic Research Center for osteopathic medical students who are currently or will be starting a research project in the field of osteopathy. The fellowship itself is a cash prize of $2000 provided to an individual or group of students pursuing research particularly during (but not limited to) the summer semester of 2008. Information regarding guidelines for qualifying applicants and the application itself can be downloaded from this website. The deadline for the application is January 19, 2009. Applicants will be notified by early March and should receive the funding by the end of May. Applicants are requested to present abstracts the following fall during the Annual AOA/SOMA Research Symposium. All questions or comments regarding this fellowship should be directed towards the National SOMA Research and Development Director at the following e-mail address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

SOMA Research & Fellowship Application

• Andrew Taylor Still Memorial Scholarship

The Andrew Taylor Still Memorial Scholarship provides a $500 stipend to select third and fourth year osteopathic medical students who utilize OMT in clinical practice. It is offered to those students who have completed, under the supervision of an Osteopathic Physician, a clinical rotation which included an emphasis on the use of OMT. The purpose of this scholarship is to encourage students to employ OMM as an integral component of patient care. Applicants may describe any clinical experience where they utilized OMT during the current academic year. Eight OMS-III or OMS-IV SOMA members will be awarded a $500 scholarship each.

Deadline: February 1, 2009
Application: A.T. Still Memorial Scholarship

• SOMA New Member Scholarship Application

The SOMA New Member Scholarship was developed for new members of SOMA (i.e. students signing up for SOMA during the Fall membership drive). Five $500 scholarships will be awarded based on an essay on the topic. "Vision of Osteopathic Medicine." Five new SOMA members, per Fall registration, will be awarded a $500 scholarship each.

Deadline: September 22, 2008
Application: SOMA New Member Sholarship

Congratulations to the 2008-2009 SOMA New Member scholarship winners:

• Alex Voldman, NYCOM, OMS-I
• Chirag Vora, Western, OMS-I
• Darren Hall, AZCOM, OMS-I
• Jacqui O'Kane, PCOM GA, OMS-I
• Jennifer Luo, UMNDJ, OMS-I

All winners will be notified by email. Please check your email for instructions on how to receive your scholarship money.

We had many amazing submissions for this scholarship, and picking one winner was very difficult for the Selection Committee. Everyone had unique experiences and great applications! We look forward to seeing you apply for the upcoming scholarships. If you have any questions, you can reach the Scholarship Chair at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

• The Ed and Melissa Loniewski Medically Underserved Scholarship

Due to the great generosity of Ed Loniewski, DO and his wife, Melissa, it is possible for students to receive up to $1000 to cover transportation, room, board and essential expenses while doing an elective rotation in a medically underserved location. Rotation sites are selected by the student and approved by the Office of Clinical Education. Students may be able to find, but are not limited to choosing, health professional shortage area (HPSA) sites by searching the following website http://ask.hrsa.gov/pc/ . The completion of this rotation must be during the student's 3 rd or 4 th year of study only and in the academic year of the initial application.

A student who wishes to apply must complete and submit an application form, verification form and curriculum vitae to National SOMA. Recipients will be selected at the discretion of the Public Health Director, and approved by the Board of Trustees of National SOMA. Any questions should be brought to the Public Health Director at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis for the current academic year. Scholarships will be awarded to the extent that funding permits.

Note: All paperwork with regard to reimbursement of the scholarship award is due within 30 days of completion of the medical rotation and is to be sent to:
National SOMA
Program for the Medically Underserved
142 East Ontario Street
Chicago, IL 60611

Reimbursement is only for personal expenses applicable toward the rotation (i.e. rent, airfare,etc.) and not expenses of family members.

Requirements for consideration:

Upon completion of the qualifying rotation, the recipient must complete the following:

Deadline for a rotation to be completed Fall 2008: May 31, 2008
Deadline for a rotation to be completed Spring 2009: November 31, 2009
Application: The Ed and Melissa Loniewski Medically Underserved Scholarship
Additional Files:
Verification Form
Preceptor Evaluation Form
Student Evaluation Form
Student Reimbursement Form

• Medical Education Scholarship and Corporate Education Scholarship

Each year the SOMA Foundation, the philanthropic organization of SOMA, offers scholarships to many deserving osteopathic medical students. There is one universal application for two separate scholarships: Medical Education Scholarship and Corporate Grant Scholarship. For both awards, students are evaluated based on SOMA leadership positions, a personal statement, local chapter involvement and financial need. The applications are graded by a third party, and awards are then given based on the above criteria at the Spring SOMA convention.

Deadline: January 30, 2009
Application: Medical Education Scholarship and Corporate Education Scholarship

• The SOMA Award for Commitment to Diversity in Medical Education

The Minority Affairs Department of the Student Osteopathic Medical Association is proud to present this award to recognize those students who demonstrate initiatives pertaining to minority issues and its relationship to professional medical education. Two recipients will each receive a $250 award.

Deadline: February 5, 2009
Application: The SOMA Award for Commitment to Diversity in Medical Education

• SOMA Minority Leadership Award

The Minority Affairs Department of the Student Osteopathic Medical Association established this award to recognize those students who demonstrate initiatives pertaining to minority issues and its relationship to professional medical education. The department of Minority Affairs is committed to increasing the awareness of pre-medical and current osteopathic medical students about diversity. The committee addresses minority student issues such as recruitment and retention. In addition to developing programs targeted toward minority high schools students, undergraduate minority premedical students and various osteopathic medical colleges, it is also a source of education to all osteopathic students about diversity and related issues. Two recipients will each receive a $250 award.

Deadline: February 5, 2009
Application: The SOMA Minority Leadership Award

• SOMA International Health Program Scholarship

Mission: The mission of the Student Osteopathic Medical Association's International Health Program is to promote international medicine and to develop an awareness of other cultures medical practice via direct student interaction. It is the desire of this program to provide resources to students interested in international health and to encourage osteopathic medical students to incorporate an international elective experience into their medical school curriculum.

Scholarship Information: General International Health Programs Scholarship: Each student selected for the scholarship will receive up to $500 to cover transportation, room, board and essential expenses related to an international medicine elective rotation. Rotation sites are selected by the student and approved by the respective Office of Clinical Education or equivalent at the osteopathic medical school prior to application. The completion of this rotation must take place during the student's 3rd or 4th year of study only.

Requirements for consideration:
1) Membership in National SOMA.
2) Entering the 3rd or 4th year of training.
3) Demonstrate a strong interest in international medicine.
4) Verification Form, signed and stamped by the school registrar, or similar, which affirms that the experience meets the schools requirements for an elective rotation.
5) The externship should be at least one month in length and must take place in a country outside of the United States.
6) Once chosen for the scholarship, the training site may not be changed without verbal and/or written consent of the IHP Director.

• International Medical Relief / Medical Missions Scholarship

We are excited to introduce a new scholarship for this spring designed to meet the needs of those students who participate in international medical missions and relief trips. It is specifically designed for those trips of a short-term basis that do not meet the requirements for the general scholarship. Each student selected for the scholarship will receive up to $250 to cover transportation, room, board and essential expenses related to an international medicine missions/relief trip. The completion of this trip may take place during any part of the four years of study. This scholarship comes at the request of so many of you who take international relief trips each year and are looking for another source of financial support. I encourage anyone who may qualify to apply as soon as possible.

Requirements for consideration:
1) Membership in National SOMA.
2) Demonstrate a strong interest in international medicine.
3) The trip does not have a length requirement but must take place in a country outside of the United States.
4) Once chosen for the scholarship, the site may not be changed without verbal and/or written consent of the IHP Director.

The applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and awards will be distributed each year at the annual spring SOMA convention in Washington D.C. Awards may be applied to rotations that have previously occurred or are yet to occur as long as the applicant is still a student at an accredited college of osteopathic medicine at the time the scholarship is awarded. Scholarships will be awarded to the extent that funding permits.

A student who wishes to apply must complete and submit an application form and verification form (for the general scholarship only) to National SOMA. Recipients will be selected at the discretion of the scholarship selection committee. Any questions should be brought to your local SOMA International Health representative or to the National Health Programs Director.

Upon completion of the qualifying international experience, the recipient must complete the following:

1. An essay of 1000 words or less describing the student?s experiences during the trip. This essay may be used on the SOMA website to promote the International Health Scholarship program.
2. A completed reimbursement form with all original receipts, reflecting actual travel, room, board, and ancillary expenses, upon which the scholarship disbursement will be based.

International Health Scholarship Application

International Health Scholarship Verification Form

International Health/Missions Scholarship Application Form

• Pre-SOMA D.O. Day on the Hill Scholarship Award

All Pre-SOMA members are eligible to apply for this scholarship, designed to cover the student's travel expenses to attend D.O. Day on Capitol Hill which takes place each Spring in conjunction with the Spring SOMA Convention in Washington, DC.

This scholarship is awarded to a Pre-SOMA member that demonstrates dedication to the osteopathic profession and a genuine interest in political activism to impact current legislation related to healthcare.

The completed application should be submitted via email to the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Deadline: December 15, 2008
Application: Pre-SOMA D.O. Day Scholarship