Student Clubs and Organizations

Founded in 1968, the American Academy of Physician Associates is the national professional society for PAs (physician associates/physician assistants). It represents a profession of more than 150,000 PAs across all medical and surgical specialties in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and the uniformed services. AAPA advocates and educates on behalf of the profession and the patients PAs serve. We work to ensure the professional growth, personal excellence, and recognition of PAs. We also enhance their ability to improve the quality, accessibility, and cost-effectiveness of patient-centered healthcare.

The American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians (ACOEP) exists to support quality emergency medical care, promote interests of osteopathic emergency physicians, support development and implementation of osteopathic emergency medical education, and advance the philosophy and practice of osteopathic medicine through a system of quality and cost-effective healthcare in a distinct, unified profession.

The objective of the undergraduate chapter of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP) is to advance the specialty of family practice in the field of osteopathic medicine and surgery. The organization works toward the advancement of family practice and recognition of the importance of the family practitioner’s role in the context of osteopathic medical services in the community. The chapter advances the role of the family practitioner as the backbone of modern medical practice. Membership in this organization entitles students to benefits such as seminars, educational programs, and financial support to various family practice conferences.

The purpose of the American College of Osteopathic Pediatrics (ACOP) is to foster and stimulate interest among osteopathic medical students in the practice of Pediatrics. National membership includes discounted rates to the National Convention and access to online education and support materials. The local RVU chapter utilizes speakers, community service, public outreach, and cooperation with local clubs and organizations to further the understanding and appreciation of Pediatric Medicine.

American College of Osteopathic Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (ACOPMR) Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR), also referred to as Physiatry (PM) or Rehabilitation Medicine (RM) is the medical specialty concerned with diagnosing, evaluating, and treating persons with physical disabilities. The primary goal of the physiatrist is to achieve maximum restoration of physical, psychosocial, and vocational function through comprehensive multi-disciplinary rehabilitation.

The American College of Osteopathic Surgeons – Medical Student Section welcomes osteopathic medical students interested in surgery or its subspecialties. ACOS-MSS strives to advance the discipline and the knowledge and skills of the individual student with a career interest in surgical fields.

The American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) is a national organization that also functions at the local level to advance women in medicine and improve women’s health. The RVU branch of AMWA is designed to foster female students as leaders in medicine by providing resources to female students, access to networking and mentoring opportunities, and connecting female students with national AMWA initiatives and leadership. Additionally, the AMWA Club seeks to raise awareness of gender equity through outreach and recruitment, by promoting the increased study of women’s health issues, and through funding and education initiatives.

The purpose of the American Osteopathic College of Anesthesiologists (AOCA) is to advance the standards of practice and service in the specialty of Anesthesiology, aid in providing opportunities for study and training in the art and science of Anesthesiology, and maintain and promote the highest moral and ethical standards in the practice of Anesthesiology.

APAMSA seeks to promote the dissemination of information relative to Asian Pacific American issues in the field of medical education; to explore and possibly resolve the unique challenges, obstacles, and responsibilities specific to Asian Pacific American medical students and physicians; and to provide opportunities for Asian Pacific American medical students to give back to their community (i.e.) through service.

The purposes shall conform to those of the Association of Women Surgeons: to inspire, encourage, and enable women surgeons to realize their professional and personal goals.

BNGAP is an organization designed to build and empower leaders in medicine while focusing on underserved, minority, and first-generation populations. This is done through three pillars:

• Mentorship to surrounding undergraduate colleges
• An annual Envision Conference, setting up a national platform for various schools who do not have the opportunity of track learning
• Organizational events – encouraging and equipping students to be culturally competent and skilled physician leaders through partnership with student organizations to host events that raise self and social awareness of diverse populations in healthcare

The purpose of this club is to further cultivate students’ intrigue of the financial and business aspects of medicine and healthcare by allowing students to learn about healthcare economics and personal finance, providing speakers offering guidance regarding the pursuit of financial security and independence, and exposing students to the various opportunities for investing, entrepreneurship, and finance in medicine. 

The mission of the Rocky Vista University chapter of the Colorado Medical Society (CMS) is to bring the students of medicine in the state of Colorado into one organization; to promote the science and art of medicine, the betterment of the public health and the unity, harmony and welfare of the medical profession; and to unite with county and district medical societies to form and maintain the Colorado Medical Society. 

As a subcommittee of the RVUCOM-SU Chapter of SA-ACOFP, the Community Outreach and Medical Mentors Department is a volunteer-based organization dedicated to providing opportunities for student doctors to serve the community. The COMM is committed to promoting understanding through education, to using experience and knowledge to mentor future student doctors, and to inspiring young minds to pursue careers in science and medicine.

The Dermatology/Pathology ACO is formed of RVU students that are interested in learning more about pathology—a specialty of medicine that is dedicated to the study of disease, the processes of disease, and how departure from the normal inner workings of the body impact the person as a whole. Students will be introduced to the overview of pathology as a medical specialty and learn what pathology will encompass in the academic environment. DERM/PATH endeavors to introduce students to current pathological issues through events, speakers, and journal ACO presentations. DERM/PATH also focuses on bringing to light pathology residency options (with attention to COMLEX and USMLE scores and test differences), potential shadowing experiences, presentations of gross specimens throughout the academic semester, student tutoring, fundraising for humanitarian and research causes, and the delicate balance between the practice of medicine and the pathology behind it. Any current student or entering student is encouraged and welcome to join DERM/PATH if they are considering pathology as a specialty, are interested in delving further into the realms of pathology, or would like to enhance their academic learning!

The Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine – Southern Utah Global Health Club is established in recognition and support of global health outreach programs and the effort to provide primary healthcare to underserved people worldwide. Primarily, GHC promotes and supports global outreach efforts to marginalized and underserved communities, works to expose students to diverse ethnic and cultural groups promoting cultural sensitivity and advocacy, and provides students with global educational learning experiences.

The mission of the Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS) is to recognize individuals who are exemplars of humanistic patient care and who will serve as role models in medicine throughout their careers. The power of the Society brings them together to sustain their own humanism and to inspire and nurture humanism in others. GHHS recognizes, supports and promotes the values of humanism and professionalism in medicine. The Society is committed to working within and beyond medical education to inspire, nurture and sustain lifelong advocates and activists for patient-centered medical care.

The Global Medical Outreach Club (GMO Club) or DOCARE at RVUCOM is established in recognition and support of global health outreach programs and efforts to provide healthcare to underserved people worldwide. This club arranges speakers, events, and programs for students to explore areas of medicine that they ordinarily would not have the ability to access in their university training. This includes service to medically underserved communities abroad, as well as within the United States. It promotes exposure to diverse ethnic and cultural groups and fosters cultural sensitivity and advocacy for vulnerable populations. GMO Club / DOCARE offers insight to student physicians looking to participate in various medical missions.

IAM SIG aims to promote an interdisciplinary, interprofessional discussion of current and future issues relating to licit and illicit drugs in medicine and society, and to brainstorm, create, and engender productive solutions to healthcare barriers in the context of recovery and rehabilitation from addictive substances. Additionally, our goal is to critically examine political, social, and economic landscapes of the opioid crisis –and all drugs- through interprofessional education and collaboration.

Integrative Medicine Club (IMC) club is meant to embody the osteopathic model of viewing the body as a whole and looking through various lenses of treatment. The club provides students with information and opportunities to understand, explore, and pursue various treatment modalities and aid in expanding knowledge on topics such as meditation, yoga, nutrition, Eastern medicine, and functional medicine.

The RVU Internal Medicine Interest Group exists to provide early exposure to students of the many facets of internal medicine. Those involved in the RVUIMC have the opportunity to attend monthly meetings with speakers from general internists, hospitalists, and the different specialties in internal medicine. Some of the internal medicine specialties include Cardiology, Pulmonology, Gastroenterology, Infectious Disease, and Rheumatology. Lunch is provided to club members at these meetings. Additionally, RVUIMC members have the opportunity to attend conferences held by the American College of Physicians (ACP) and the American College of Osteopathic Internists (ACOI). Part of the cost to attend these conferences is reimbursed from club funds.

The mission of the Latino/a Medical Student Association at the Rocky Vista School of Osteopathic Medicine is to promote the advancement of Latinx medical and MSBS students and unify with other students who are interested in Latinx culture though service, education, mentorship for the purpose of advocating for Latinx community and healthcare rights. Latinx hosts events to advocate for social change and to build community.

The LMC is affiliated with the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) and strives to provide information to medical students about the specialty of Lifestyle Medicine. Additionally, LMC works to educate members about the evidence-based practice of helping individuals and families adopt and sustain healthy lifestyle behaviors that affect health and the quality of life. 

The purpose of the Medical Spanish Club is to enhance Rocky Vista University Students’ Spanish speaking skills to proficiently communicate with patients in the Spanish speaking communities. The primary goals and objectives of the Medical Spanish Club are to increase fluency in medical Spanish by creating a space for students to collaborate in the learning process, provide opportunities for Spanish practice via Spanish speaking standardized patients and community outreach, and to spread awareness of Spanish cultures to RVU students.

The Medical Research Club’s focus is to provide opportunities for students to engage in medical research while in medical school through attending medical research lectures and conducting clinical/benchtop research. This club allows students to learn about and participate in graduate level research and provides speakers who offer guidance regarding the pursuit of medical research opportunities.

The Medical Student Pride Alliance (MSPA) is a social organization committed to empowering sexual and gender minority medical students, other health professional students, and allies through activism to increase the number of physicians and other health care providers trained in LGBTQ+-inclusive healthcare, while also addressing the unique needs of LGBTQ+ communities through research, advocacy, and service.

Medical Students Advocates for Underserved Populations (MSAUP) is a club that focuses on assessing the needs of underserved populations within the community, creating projects to help meet those needs, collecting and interpreting data based on the identified underserved population and developing partnerships with like-minded organizations in the community. We currently partner with Youth Futures and Switchpoint, local homeless shelters, for various projects. We also host Naloxone training, participate in an annual Giving Tree activity for the holidays, and co-sponsor several other events through- out the year.

The purpose of Neurology Club shall be to: Provide an outlet for students interested in neurology to learn about this specialty from qualified practitioners and to provide a club for like-minded students to connect with one another.

The Obstetrics & Gynecology Club (OB/GYN) is passionately committed to excellence in women’s health. With integrity, OB/GYN seeks to educate and support osteopathic healthcare professionals to improve the quality of life for women. In doing so, OB/GYN provides opportunities for fellowship and joy in our profession.

The OMSC promotes the public health and art and science of osteopathic medicine by bringing into one organization the students of medicine enrolled at fully accredited institutions granting Doctorates of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) in the state of Colorado. The OMSC aims to encourage active participation in the legislative process to advocate for our patients and our profession, advance the professional knowledge of surgery, obstetrics and the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease in general, and encourage the establishment and expansion of the training and education of osteopathic physicians within the State of Colorado. Additionally, the OMSC aims to unite with county and district medical societies to form and maintain the Colorado Society of Osteopathic Medicine, hereafter also referred to as CSOM; and, ensure that the evolution of the osteopathic principles shall be an ever-growing tribute to Andrew Taylor Still, M.D., D.O. who made possible osteopathy as a science.

SIGN (Student Interest Group in Neurology) / PsychSIGN (Psychiatry Student Interest Group Network) aim to provide opportunities for RVU students to learn more about the fields of Neurology and Psychiatry as well as the role of allied health professions that support Neurologists and Psychiatrists. SIGN/PsychSIGN develops programs and events that allow students to participate in lecture-based learning, service-based activities, and hands-on clinical exposure activities.

The purpose of this organization is to further cultivate students’ intrigue of the field of radiology, ophthalmology, anesthesia, & dermatology through speaker lectures and the learning of techniques via experience professionally guided labs.

The Rotary Community Corps of Rocky Vista University was formed in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Parker. The RCC/RVU is involved in service projects within the community and also supports projects sponsored by the Rotary Club of Parker.

Sigma Sigma Phi is the National Osteopathic Honor society for Osteopathic Medical Students. Rocky Vista University’s Chapter is Omicron Theta, and membership is by invitation only. To be eligible to apply for membership, students must rank within the top 25% of their class, have a cumulative GPA of at least 80.0%, and have no honor code violations. Eligible students will receive an invitation to apply. Invitations are sent out at the end of each semester.

The SIMS Clubs mission is to facilitate realistic learning environments for medical students to practice and develop teamwork, communication, and technical skills that will be fundamental to their future clinical safety and success. This is accomplished through simulation events in surgical, emergency, and obstetrics labs while accompanied by physicians from the medical community who offer guidance and constructive feedback on how to handle the presented cases.

The purpose of the Sports Medicine (SMC) is to advance a mutually respectful relation- ship among dedicated, competent sports medicine specialists and to provide a quality educational resource for AOASM members, allied health sports medicine professionals, and the general public.

The Student American Academy of Osteopathy (SAAO) is a professional organization dedicated to serving osteopathic medical students. It is the COM’s extension of the American Academy of Osteopathy (AAO), a national association established in 1937. The academy maintains the goal of developing the science and art of total healthcare, with an emphasis on palpatory diagnosis and the use of osteopathic manipulative medicine. Membership in SAAO allows students to receive AAO publications and to attend the annual convocation, both at reduced prices.

The mission of the Student American Osteopathic Association of Orthopedics (SAOAO) is to form a bridge between Osteopathic Medicine and Orthopedic Surgery, in order to create a holistic functioning system to provide all members with the opportunity to change the future of Osteopathic Orthopedic medicine by being well-educated and experienced healthcare practitioners.

Student Association of Military Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons (SAMOPS), the student chapter of this national organization, is open to all College of Osteopathic Medicine students in the military or public health service. The chapter serves as liaison between on-campus military students and those on externships or military alumni.

The purpose of STIGMA shall be to promote awareness of mental health within all branches of medicine, provide opportunities for students to learn about Psychiatry as a specialty, and host events, allowing students to improve their knowledge and skill sets in addressing mental health concerns both in their private and professional life.

The Student Osteopathic Medical Association (SOMA) is the official organization for osteopathic medical students and the affiliated student organization of the American Osteopathic Association. Its purpose is to advance the osteopathic profession, advocate for public health and welfare, and to represent the views and opinions of osteopathic medical students. SOMA national affiliations with similar groups at other schools provide the largest network for information exchange and interaction available today. Membership in SOMA brings many benefits, including free subscriptions to Student Doctors and Medical Students and discount prices on diagnostic equipment, the Preceptorship Program, SOMA scholarships, life insurance programs, and more. Locally, SOMA is involved in the school, hospital, and citizen communities through various service projects and socials. 

The purpose of the SNMA is to support current and future underrepresented minority students, addressing the needs of underserved communities, and increasing the number of clinically excellent, culturally competent, and socially conscious providers. SNMA aims to equip, support and create a safe space at RVU for underrepresented students, to advocate and represent underrepresented students, and to help guide and support the development of medical education that is sensitive to the needs of diverse populations to mold socially conscious providers. We also strive to educate RVU and the surrounding community regarding current healthcare disparities in the U.S, with a focus on minority affairs.

The Collegium Aesculapium is an internal organization for LDS and non-LDS, faith-centered medical professionals. The objective of Collegium Aesculapium Foundation, Inc. is to assist members in balancing professional, scientific, personal, and spiritual aspects of their life. The purpose of the Student Chapter of Collegium Aesculapium at Rocky Vista University is to accomplish the Collegium’s objective in the lives of students entering the field of medicine.

The Ultrasound Society Club is designed to build leadership in the use and understanding of ultrasound technology, specifically at the patient bedside or point-of-care. Through education, the main goal is to teach and encourage proper use of this tool in the clinical setting. The USIG is a mentorship program open to all students at RVUCOM. Students will have the opportunity to learn, practice, and hone their ultrasound skills during monthly workshops.

The Wilderness Medical Society Student Interest Group (WMSIG) is a sub-committee under ACOEP with the purpose of advancing, healthcare, research, and education related to wilderness medicine. This group promotes the preparation for participants to become more adept at rendering emergency medical care in remote and austere environments.

The Christian Medical and Dental Society (CMDA) is a national organization that began in 1931. The chapter is composed of healthcare professionals and students who are committed to living out their faith through their profession. Benefits of the club include seminars, journals, and newsletters.