Alpha Epsilon Delta () is a

U.S. The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

health preprofessional honor society. The organization currently has more than 144,000 members within 186 chapters at universities throughout the United States, making it the world's largest Honor Society serving all students from different backgrounds in the pursuit of a career in healthcare.

History

On April 28, 1926, fifteen premedical students at the

University of Alabama The University of Alabama (informally known as Alabama, UA, or Bama) is a public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of Alabama is the oldest and largest of the publi ...

met with Dr. Jack Montgomery, premedical adviser and professor of organic chemistry, to formalize the organization of a new premedical honor society.

Baylor University Baylor University is a private Baptist Christian research university in Waco, Texas. Baylor was chartered in 1845 by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas. Baylor is the oldest continuously operating university in Texas and one of the ...

, Samford University, The

University of Texas The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public research university in Austin, Texas. It was founded in 1883 and is the oldest institution in the University of Texas System. With 40,916 undergraduate students, 11,075 ...

, and the University of South Carolina established chapters in 1928/29. At the first national convention at the University of Alabama on April 18, 1930, ten members representing five chapters and one petitioning group were in attendance. In February 1929 the first two women were initiated as members, making Alpha Epsilon Delta one of the earliest co-educational honor societies established. In 1949, AED was incorporated in the State of

Michigan Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...

. In February 1962, the Society was reincorporated in the

District of Columbia ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

as a nonprofit, educational organization. The business of the Society is conducted by the National Officers, Regional Directors, and active chapters, with authorization of the national convention, held biennially. Alpha Epsilon Delta (AED) has today become the world's largest Honor Society exclusively serving premedical education, with a membership exceeding 144,000 in 186 chapters.Current statistics per th
Alpha Epsilon Delta website
accessed 4 Sept 2020.

Mission statement

''"Alpha Epsilon Delta is the National Health Pre-professional Honor Society dedicated to the encouragement and recognition of excellence in preprofessional health scholarship, including medicine, dentistry, veterinary, and others. The Society welcomes ALL students engaged in the pursuit of a professional healthcare career. AED offers opportunities for intellectual and professional development, provides a forum for students with common interests, and extends a program of service to benefit the college/university community.'' "

Membership

Membership is open to undergraduate students with a major interest in medicine and who meet the minimum requirements. Some chapters offer an Associate membership for those who have yet to meet these requirements. *Achievement of 3.2 or higher (on a 4.0 scale) science and overall GPA *Complete at least three semesters (five quarters) of college credit/preprofessional health work *Good standing with your University's chapter *A certain number of volunteer hours may be required as well

Traditions and insignia

The badge consists of a hexagonal key or pin on the face of which in inscribed ΑΕΔ in a longitudinal column. The key is reminiscent of the benzene ring, while the border is emblematic of the continuity of premedical science. Baird's Manual had originally listed the society's colors as ultraviolet and infrared; the current Constitution notes them as red and violet. The official magazine, ''The Scalpel'', is published at least two times per year, the ''AED Newsletter'' at least four times per year, as well as ''Notes to Alumni.''

Notable chapters

Chapters may be formed at four-year accredited institutions. There are over 180 active chapters today, including: *California Delta Chapter - University of San Diego *Michigan Iota Chapter -

Western Michigan University Western Michigan University (Western Michigan, Western or WMU) is a public research university in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was initially established as Western State Normal School in 1903 by Governor Aaron T. Bliss for the training of teachers ...

*Kansas Alpha Chapter - Kansas State University *Texas Nu Chapter -

University of Texas at Dallas The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD or UT Dallas) is a public research university in Richardson, Texas. It is one of the largest public universities in the Dallas area and the northernmost institution of the University of Texas system. It w ...

*Texas Zeta chapter -

Texas Christian University Texas Christian University (TCU) is a private research university in Fort Worth, Texas. It was established in 1873 by brothers Addison and Randolph Clark as the Add-Ran Male & Female College. It is affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciple ...

(AED national headquarters) *Florida Alpha chapter -

University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...

*Florida Epsilon chapter -

Florida International University Florida International University (FIU) is a public research university with its main campus in Miami-Dade County. Founded in 1965, the school opened its doors to students in 1972. FIU has grown to become the third-largest university in Florid ...

*Texas Beta chapter -

*Arizona Beta chapter - the

University of Arizona The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it was the first university in the Arizona Territory. T ...

*Alabama Zeta chapter - the

University of South Alabama The University of South Alabama (USA) is a public research university in Mobile, Alabama. It was created by the Alabama Legislature in May, 1963, and replaced existing extension programs operated in Mobile by the University of Alabama. The first ...

*Alabama Delta chapter -

University of Alabama, Birmingham The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is a public research university in Birmingham, Alabama. Developed from an academic extension center established in 1936, the institution became a four-year campus in 1966 and a fully autonomous univ ...

*Georgia Alpha chapter -

University of Georgia , mottoeng = "To teach, to serve, and to inquire into the nature of things.""To serve" was later added to the motto without changing the seal; the Latin motto directly translates as "To teach and to inquire into the nature of things." , establ ...

*Illinois Zeta chapter -

Elmhurst College Elmhurst University is a private university in Elmhurst, Illinois. It has a tradition of service-oriented learning and an affiliation with the United Church of Christ. The university changed its name from Elmhurst College on July 1, 2020. Hist ...

*Texas Alpha chapter -

University of Texas - Austin The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public research university in Austin, Texas. It was founded in 1883 and is the oldest institution in the University of Texas System. With 40,916 undergraduate students, 11,075 ...

*South Carolina Alpha chapter - University of South Carolina *Ohio Beta chapter -

University of Toledo The University of Toledo (UToledo or UT) is a public research university in Toledo, Ohio. It is the northernmost campus of the University System of Ohio. The university also operates a Health Science campus, which includes the University of ...

*Missouri Beta chapter - Saint Louis University *Pennsylvania Beta chapter - Pennsylvania State University *New York Alpha chapter -

Cornell University Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to tea ...

*Washington Beta chapter -

University of Washington, Seattle The University of Washington (UW, simply Washington, or informally U-Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1861, Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast; it was established in Seattle ...

*Michigan Epsilon chapter -

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

*Ohio Alpha chapter -

Ohio State University The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best publ ...

*Minnesota Alpha chapter -

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public land-grant research university in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. ...

*Louisiana Alpha chapter -

Tulane University Tulane University, officially the Tulane University of Louisiana, is a private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by seven young medical doctors, it turned into a comprehensive pub ...

*California Theta chapter -

University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California S ...

*Nevada Beta chapter -

University of Nevada, Las Vegas The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) is a public land-grant research university in Paradise, Nevada. The campus is about east of the Las Vegas Strip. It was formerly part of the University of Nevada from 1957 to 1969. It includes th ...

*Michigan Gamma chapter - Michigan State University *Texas Lambda chapter -

University of Texas, San Antonio The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) is a public research university in San Antonio, Texas. With over 34,000 students across its four campuses spanning 758 acres, UTSA is the largest university in San Antonio and the eighth-largest by ...

*North Carolina Beta chapter - University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill *North Carolina Epsilon chapter - East Carolina University *Kentucky Gamma chapter -

Western Kentucky University Western Kentucky University is a public university in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It was founded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1906, though its roots reach back a quarter-century earlier. It operates regional campuses in Glasgow, Elizabethtow ...

*Massachusetts Zeta chapter - Northeastern University *Colorado Alpha chapter -

University of Colorado Boulder The University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder, CU, or Colorado) is a public research university in Boulder, Colorado. Founded in 1876, five months before Colorado became a state, it is the flagship university of the University of Colorado sy ...

*North Carolina Delta chapter - North Carolina State University

References

External links

National Office Website ACHS Alpha Epsilon Delta entry Alpha Epsilon Delta chapter list at ACHS
{{Authority control Association of College Honor Societies Student organizations established in 1926 Medical and health organizations based in Texas 1926 establishments in Alabama University of Alabama