| Delta Omicron Alpha | |
| Letters: | Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ΔΟΑ |
| Crest: | File:The_crest_of_Delta_Omicron_Alpha.png |
| Birthplace: | Tulane University |
| Affiliation: | Independent |
| Status: | Merged |
| Successor: | Kappa Psi |
| Type: | Professional |
| Emphasis: | Medical |
| Scope: | National |
| Chapters: | 8 |
| Lifetime: | 1,063 |
| Colors: | Gold and White |
| Flower: | White rose |
| Publication: | Delta Alpha Omicron Quarterly |
| City: | New Orleans |
| State: | Louisiana |
| Country: | United States |
Delta Omicron Alpha (Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ΔΟΑ) was an American medical fraternity that operated from 1907 to 1917.[1] This national professional fraternity was established at Tulane University and merged with Kappa Psi in 1917.[2]
Delta Omicron Alpha was established in 1907 at the College of Medicine of Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. It created by-laws and a constitution, along with a ritual.[3] The fraternity was managed through a Grand Chapter and held annual conventions.
The fraternity expanded to Columbia University by creating its Beta chapter in 1908. In 1910, the Gamma chapter and Delta chapter were established at the University of Tennessee and Southwestern University, respectively. Four additional chapters were added between 1911 and 1914. However, several medical schools closed or merged around 1915 because of a reduction in the number of students, resulting in two chapters closing and others struggling.[4]
Delta Omicron Alpha merged with the medical and pharmaceutical fraternity Kappa Psi on November 17, 1917. Before the merger, the fraternity had initiated 1,063 members.
The fraternity's badge was a black enameled triangle, margined in jewels. It was decorated with gold Greek letters in the center. A gold star was above the letters, with a gold serpent below the letters. Its colors were gold and white, and the flower was a white rose. The fraternity's publication was the Delta Omicron Alpha Quarterly.[5]
Following is a list of the chapters of Delta Omicron Alpha. Inactive chapters and institutions are indicated in italics.
| Chapter | Chartered date and range | Institution | Location | Status | References | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha | – December 1, 1917 | Tulane University College of Medicine | New Orleans, Louisiana | Merged | ||
| Beta | – November 17, 1917 | Columbia University | New York City, New York | Merged | ||
| Gamma | – 191x ? | University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Tennessee | Inactive | ||
| Delta | –1915 | Southwestern University College of Medicine | Georgetown, Texas | Inactive | ||
| Epsilon | – November 29, 1917 | University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, Alabama | Merged | ||
| Zeta | –1915 | Birmingham Medical College | Birmingham, Alabama | Inactive | [6] | |
| Eta | – December 15, 1917 | Fort Worth School of Medicine | Fort Worth, Texas | Merged | [7] | |
| Theta | – November 17, 1917 | Chicago College of Medicine and Surgery | Valparaiso, Indiana | Merged | [8] |