Sigma Sigma Phi ( or SSP), is the national

osteopathic medicine Osteopathy () is a type of alternative medicine that emphasizes physical manipulation of the body's muscle tissue and bones. Practitioners of osteopathy are referred to as osteopaths. Osteopathic manipulation is the core set of techniques in ...

honors fraternity for medical students training to be Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.). The National Osteopathic Medicine Honors Fraternity is a group united in the interest of preserving the highest class of medical scholastic excellence and includes community service. Sigma Sigma Phi was founded in 1921, and the fraternity's goal is to directly impact the student bodies by encouraging the highest class of academic excellence. Criteria for membership into Sigma Sigma Phi include scholastic achievement, such as class rank and dedication to community service and the highest class of academic excellence.

History

Sigma Sigma Phi was founded by seven students representing the fraternal organizations and the student body in October 1921 in

Kirksville, Missouri Kirksville is the county seat and most populous city in Adair County, Missouri. Located in Benton Township, its population was 17,530 at the 2020 census. Kirksville is home to two colleges: Truman State University and A.T. Still University. ...

at what is currently

A.T. Still University A.T. Still University (ATSU) is a private medical school based in Kirksville, Missouri, with a second campus in Arizona and third campus in Santa Maria, California. It was founded in 1892 by Andrew Taylor Still and was the world's first osteopa ...

(originally named American School of Osteopathy). These seven students constituted the original charter members, one from each fraternity and one from the nonfraternal body, and drew up the organization's constitution and by-laws. The fraternity was officially chartered on May 16, 1925, at

Des Moines University Des Moines University (DMU) is a private medical school in Des Moines, Iowa. Founded in 1898, Des Moines University is the second oldest osteopathic medical school and the fifteenth largest medical school in the United States. DMU's three colleg ...

College of Osteopathic Medicine by three men. Thus, there were ten charter members. Over the years, most osteopathic medical schools have added a local chapter. Currently, there are 22 active chapters at 24 osteopathic medical school campuses in the United States.

Fraternity objectives

* To further the science of Osteopathic Medicine and its standards of practice. * To preserve the meaning of and encourage scholastic excellence. * To continue a high degree of fellowship among its students. * To cultivate relationships and understanding between the student bodies and officials, such as Faculty members of our Colleges. * To foster allegiance to the

American Osteopathic Association The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) is the representative member organization for the more than 176,000 osteopathic medical doctors (D.O.s) and osteopathic medical students in the United States. The AOA is headquartered in Chicago, Illinoi ...

. * To perpetuate Sigma Sigma Phi by preserving the principles and objectives of the organization.

Criteria for admission

Minimum criteria set by the grand chapter include: # Student chapter membership shall not exceed 25% of the total of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, & 4th year classes. # Must be an osteopathic medical student (a D.O. student). # Must have successfully completed at least one semester of classroom work with high standards. # Must believe in a high degree of scholarship and service to college and/or profession. However, each chapter is free to set their own, more stringent, requirements for admission. Many chapters have implemented a GPA requirement of at least a 3.5 or 90 average. Additionally, applicants must have a demonstrated commitment to community service. Once initiated, members must fulfill their chapters community services requirements or risk expulsion from the fraternity. There are approximately 3,600 members.

Activities

The e-board has conducted four main activities since its election in March 2017: hosting a free neighborhood health fair; teaching CPR and first aid to boy scouts; holding a culinary party to collect funds for charity; and getting in a sign-language interpreter to introduce sign-language medical terms to the pupils.

Symbols

*Colors:crimson red and royal blue representing virility and loyalty *Flower:the red

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Chapters

Chapters of Sigma Sigma Phi *Alpha chapter - A. T. Still University:

Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine A.T. Still University (ATSU) is a Private university, private medical school based in Kirksville, Missouri, with a A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona, second campus in Arizona and third campus in Santa Maria, Californ ...

(1921) *Alpha Alpha chapter -

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) is a private medical school in Erie, Pennsylvania, Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Bradenton, Florida, DeFuniak Springs, Florida and Elmira, New York. Founded in 1992, LECOM confers medical (D.O.) ...

Bradenton *Alpha Beta chapter - Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine (June 2015) *Alpha Mu chapter -

William Carey University William Carey University (also known as Carey, William Carey, or WCU) is a private Christian university in Mississippi, affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention and the Mississippi Baptist Convention. The main campus is in Hattiesbur ...

College of Osteopathic Medicine (October 2012) *Alpha Omega chapter -

Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine (LUCOM) is a private graduate medical school located in Lynchburg, Virginia. It is one of the 17 colleges and schools located in Liberty University. LUCOM was the second osteopathic medical schoo ...

(February 2015) *Alpha Rho chapter -

Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine The Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine (ARCOM) is a private medical school in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Founded in 2014 as a division of the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education, the school is accredited by the American Osteopathic Association ...

(September 2018) *Beta chapter - Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine (1925) *Beta Chi chapter -

Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine The Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine at New Mexico State University is a private, for-profit medical school on the New Mexico State University campus in Las Cruces, New Mexico. It is accredited by the American Osteopathic Association's C ...

(November 2017) *Chi chapter -

Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine The Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) is a private medical school on the campus of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia (VCOM-Virginia), with branch campuses in Spartanburg, South Carolina (VCOM-Carolinas), Auburn, Alabama (VCOM ...

(October 2006) **Chi chapter - Auburn branch - Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Auburn Campus (Fall 2015) **Chi chapter - Spartansburg branch - Edward Via Virginia of Osteopathic Medicine, Carolinas Campus (October 2012) *Chi Upsilon chapter - Campbell University Jerry M Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine (August 2017) *Delta chapter - Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences College of Osteopathic Medicine (1932) **Delta chapter - Joplin Additional Site - Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences Joplin (May 2018) *Epsilon chapter -

Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

of Midwestern University (1939) *Eta chapter -

University of North Texas Health Science Center The University of North Texas Health Science Center (UNTHSC, UNT Health Science Center, or hsc) is a public academic health science center in Fort Worth, Texas. It is part of the University of North Texas System and was founded in 1970 as the T ...

- Ft. Worth *Gamma chapter -

(2002) **Gamma chapter - Seton Hill Additional Site - LECOM at Seton Hill (October 2016) **Gamma chapter- Lakewood Ranch Additional Site - LECOM at Bradenton (February 2012) *Gamma Delta chapter - Pacific Northwest University College of Osteopathic Medicine (April 2011) *Iota chapter -

Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine The Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSUCOM) is one of the two public medical schools of Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. The college grants the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree, as well ...

*Kappa chapter -

University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine The University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNECOM) is a private medical school in Biddeford, Maine. Founded in 1978, the college is part of the University of New England and grants two degrees: the Doctor of Osteopathic Medici ...

*Lambda chapter - Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine *Lambda chapter - Cleveland Additional Site- Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Cleveland (September 2019) *Lambda chapter - Dublin Additional Site - Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dublin (September 2016) *Mu chapter -

Western University of Health Sciences Western University of Health Sciences (WesternU) is a private medical school and health sciences university with its main campus in Pomona, California, with an additional osteopathic medical school in Lebanon, Oregon. With an enrollment of 3,81 ...

College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific The College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific (COMP) is a private, non-profit medical school for osteopathic medicine located in downtown Pomona, in the U.S. state of California. The college opened in 1977 as the only osteopathic medical s ...

**Mu chapter - Lebanon Additional Site Western University of Health Sciences

College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific Northwest The College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Northwest, also known as COMP Northwest, is a non-profit, private medical school for osteopathic medicine located in Lebanon, in the U.S. state of Oregon. Opened in 2011, the school is a branch c ...

*Mu Upsilon chapter -

Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine The Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine is the medical school of Marian University in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was the first osteopathic medical school to open at a Roman Catholic university. Founded in 2010, the college is accred ...

(December 2014) *Nu chapter -

West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) is a public medical school located in Lewisburg, West Virginia. Founded in 1974, WVSOM is one of three medical schools in West Virginia and the sole institution that grants the Doctor of Os ...

*Omega chapter - New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York College of Osteopathic Medicine of the New York Institute of Technology (reactivated February 16, 2008) **Omega Chapter -Jonesboro Additional Site- New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York College of Osteopathic Medicine of the New York Institute of Technology Jonesboro Arkansas (Spring 2019) *Omicron chapter Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine *Omicron Theta chapter Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine (September 2011) **Omicron Theta - Ivins Additional Site - Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine , Ivins Utah Campus (September 2019) *Phi chapter Lincoln Memorial University - DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (February 2008) *Pi chapter - Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nevada *Psi chapter - Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York **Psi chapter - Miiddleton Additional Site - Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine-Middletown (February 2017) *Rho chapter -

Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine (AZCOM) is a school of osteopathic medicine in Glendale, Arizona, part of Midwestern University. It grants the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree. AZCOM was established in 1995 when the Board of ...

of Midwestern University *Sigma chapter -

University of Pikeville Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine The University of Pikeville - Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine (UP-KYCOM) is the medical school of University of Pikeville in Pikeville, Kentucky. UP-KYCOM was established in 1997, grants the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree. It is a ...

(October 2003) *Tau chapter -

Touro University California Touro University California is a private graduate school focused primarily on health professions and located on Mare Island in Vallejo, California. It is part of the Touro College and University System and is jointly administered with its sis ...

College of Osteopathic Medicine (October 2006) **Tau chapter - Henderson Additional Site -

College of Osteopathic Medicine, Henderson (October 2009) *Theta chapter - Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine *Upsilon chapter - A.T. Still University: School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona *Xi chapter - Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine *Zeta chapter -

Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) is a private medical school with its main campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and additional locations in Suwanee, Georgia (PCOM Georgia) and Moultrie, Georgia (PCOM South Georgia). Founded ...

*Zeta Alpha chapter -

, Georgia Campus

Similar organizations

Alpha Omega Alpha Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society () is an honor society in the field of medicine. Alpha Omega Alpha currently has active Chapters in 132 LCME- accredited medical schools in the United States and Lebanon. It annually elects over 4,000 new ...

, abbreviated "AOA", is the counterpart honor society for

Doctor of Medicine Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated M.D., from the Latin language, Latin ''Medicinae Doctor'') is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the M.D. denotes a profes ...

(M.D.) medical students, residents, and physicians in the United States. "AOA" is also the abbreviation used by the

, which is the medical association for osteopathic medical students, residents, and physicians. Omega Beta Iota, abbreviated “ΩΒΙ,” is the National Osteopathic Political Action Honor Society founded in 2007 to emphasize the importance of the work osteopathic medical students do for the political system. A distinction is made when referring to the National Osteopathic Medicine Honors Fraternity in that Sigma Sigma Phi, abbreviated "ΣΣΦ", is a group united in the interest of preserving the highest class of scholastic excellence and includes community service.

Gold Humanism Honor Society The Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS) is a national honor society that honors senior medical students, residents, role-model physician teachers and other exemplars recognized for excellence in clinical care, leadership, compassion and dedication ...

, abbreviated "GHHS."

References

External links

ΣΣΦ national website
{{authority control Honor societies Medical education in the United States Osteopathic medical associations in the United States Des Moines University 1921 establishments in Missouri Student organizations established in 1921