SOMA International Health Program Director, Reneeta Basu

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 communities’ 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.  This webpage brings attention to all ongoing projects related to the field of international health.

Call for International Experiences!

If you have participated in medically related work abroad and would like to share your experience with others, please send a short synopsis of your work and any accompanying photos from your international experience.  Include details about the name of the organization or hospital you worked with, important contacts, and a summary of your experience, specifying what you enjoyed the most and why you would recommend this type of experience to others.  Submit information and photos to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Better World Books

Donating books is now easier than ever!  Just contact your local Better World Books representative regarding how you can conduct a simple but rewarding book drive at your school.  Better World Books makes the book drive easy for you by providing all advertising materials, including fliers and boxes to collect books.  Your chapter can even earn money for each collected book!  Contact Mary Murphy at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit their website at http://www.betterworldbooks.com/

2009 International Seminar Poster Session and Student Competition

The American Osteopathic Association’s Bureau on International Osteopathic Medical Education and Affairs (BIOMEA) is holding their 11^th Annual International Seminar, “Redefining Osteopathic Medicine Globally,” in conjunction with the AOA’s 114th Annual Osteopathic Medical Conference & Exposition (OMED) in New Orleans, Louisiana.  During the International Seminar, taking place Sunday, November 1, 2009, BIOMEA will co-host a poster session with the Student Osteopathic Medical Association (SOMA), focusing on the international medical experiences of osteopathic students and physicians.  Experience can be in the form of research, training, volunteer medical work, or any other medicine-related work overseas.  Please note: this program is independent from the Research Poster Exhibition that will also take place at the Convention.

To enter the competition an applicant should submit, along with a completed Poster Presentation Application, an abstract of no more than 500 words summarizing their international experience or research and their presentation.  BIOMEA & SOMA will determine and notify the top two entries in each category in September; the winners will be invited to the Seminar to discuss their posters and international experiences/research.  All poster entries will be displayed at the Seminar and will be placed on the Convention floor in New Orleans.

Poster Presentation Applications and 500-word abstracts must be submitted by Friday, September 23, 2009, to ensure that BIOMEA and SOMA has ample time to select the top student submissions for the panel.  No applications will be accepted after this date. If you have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact Joshua Kerr, Assistant Director of International Affairs, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Click here to access application.

Scholarship Information: The International Health Program offers two scholarships yearly.  Details regarding each scholarship are provided on the scholarships page.