Inductees pose at the ceremony with Dr. Gregory Schneider (far left), faculty advisor.
2026 Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society Induction
Twenty-three medical students from the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine have been inducted into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha (AΩA) Honor Medical Society.
Founded in 1902, AΩA derives its name from the Greek words Axios, Opheleo, and Algos, which are essential to the organization’s guiding motto: ‘Be worthy to serve the suffering.’
The lifelong honor recognizes medical students who have shown great commitment to professionalism, leadership and service. Only 20% of the graduating class can be nominated.
See photos from the 2026 AΩA Induction Ceremony
AΩA has 138 Chapters in medical schools across the country, with more than 200,000 members, including 55 Nobel Prize winners and more than 75% of medical school deans.
The college also honored Dr. I. Anthony Cardella with the AΩA Volunteer Clinical Teaching Award for his dedication to teaching and mentoring FIU medical students. Cardella is a board-certified OB/GYN with a private practice in South Florida and is affiliated with Baptist Health and Mercy Hospital.
Meet the newest members of AΩA:
Class of 2026 inductees
Sophia Artamendi
Joshua Batista
Shannan Berzack
Jesus Cervantes
Barbara Chiu
Dustin Epstein
Melissa Fernandez
Grayson Gigliotti
Jatin Goyal
Pedro Igorra
Tarlan Kehtari
Sheena Mathai
Teresita Mendez
Hope Morales
Luke Myers
Valentina Roa Forster
Adam Roitman
Karla Santoyo
Timothy Skerry
Julia Steger
Class of 2027 inductees
Kassandra Jade
Ana Lop
Brayden Tolman