Salus University Student Organizations

At Salus University you will find a wide range of student organizations that caters to the need of every program offered. From humanitarian based groups to student chapters of national organizations, there is no shortage of how you can impact the profession, the community, and your fellow classmates.

Affinity Groups

American Sign Language Club (ASL)
The American Sign Language (ASL) club is here to promote and provide awareness for the Deaf/HOH community. As future medical professionals, we want to advocate and prepare individuals to interact positively with those in this community. Club members will learn basic conversational ASL, proper etiquette, and everyday phrases. ASL club will hold silent events, have guest signers in the Deaf/HOH community, newsletters, and more.
 
Black Student Union (BSU)

The mission statement of Black Student’s Union (BSU) is to unite Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students across all professional programs. These students will not only actively learn about each other’s professions, but will also promote all professions to the youth in surrounding communities through outreach and regular community service events to provide insight, guidance, and education. Although the organization is predominately for BIPOC, BSU appreciates and accepts all non-BIPOC allies who would like to be members.

Salus Christian Fellowship (SCF)
Salus Christian Fellowship is an organization of Christian students from all programs dedicated to meeting weekly together for worship, studying the Bible, and fellowship. We provide a family community of brothers and sisters in Christ and together seek to know more about God while supporting each other in our respective journeys. We hold hang-out events as well as participate in community outreach events to share our faith and learn more about how we can incorporate our faith into our jobs as future health care providers. If you have any questions or want to reach out, email us.
 
Sisters in Speech Therapy and Audiology (SISTAS)

Audiology

Student Academy of Audiology (SAA)

The Student Academy of Audiology (SAA) at Salus University is a local chapter of the National Student Academy of Audiology. This is the student organization that falls under the professional organization, American Academy of Audiology (AAA). Our members are students who are pursuing a Doctorate of Audiology in the on-campus program. According to our mission, our chapter serves as a collective voice for students within the chapter area and to advance the rights, interests, and welfare of students pursuing careers in audiology. We are involved and participate in various events throughout the year representing Salus University, the Osborne College of Audiology, the Pennsylvania Ear Institute and our profession as a whole. These events include fundraising activities, community hearing screenings, as well as providing information to promote our profession and services. We encourage our members to explore beyond our chapter, and to take advantage of all of the opportunities that the organization has as a whole!

Blindness and Low Vision

Students Promoting Awareness in the Community about Education and Rehabilitation Services for People with Visual Impairments (SPACERS)

SPACERS aims to provide students within the field of blindness and low vision professional resources, community engagement and awareness, and networking opportunities. Students will promote awareness through interprofessional meetings with other Salus student organizations, obtain membership and present at discipline specific conferences, and work with the Northeastern PA LIONS Association in programming and education.

Salus University students will visit high schools and undergraduate institutions to inform students about blindness and low vision professions and the need for them. Through these goals, the organization hopes to aid in filling the national shortage of blindness and low vision professionals. Oftentimes, young people, even those planning to go into similar fields, (such as Occupational Therapy or Education) are unaware of blindness and low vision professionals and what they do. This organization will include education on the following professions: Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapists (CVRT), Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI), Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists (COMS), and Certified Low Vision Rehabilitation Therapists (CLVT).

Honors Society

Beta Sigma Kappa Optometric Honor Society (BSK)
Beta Sigma Kappa is an International Optometric Honor Society. The mission of BSK is to stimulate scientific attainment, academic excellence, and the ethical practice of optometry, as well as to promote and provide financial support for worthy research projects relating to vision care and the eye. Members represent scholastic excellence as honor students in the schools and colleges of optometry, as well as noteworthy professionals in the field of optometry.

To be eligible for BSK membership, a student must attain a grade point average of 3.5 in their first professional year, a cumulative GPA of 3.4 in the first two years, a 3.3 cumulative GPA for the first three years and a 3.2 cumulative GPA for all four professional years. All BSK members are given a Certificate of Membership and an honor cord to wear at commencement.
 
Gold Key International Optometric Honor Society (Gold Key)
In 1965, the Student Council of the Southern College of Optometry recognized the value of honoring student leaders who have contributed significantly to the college and profession by establishing the Gold Key Optometric Honor Society. In 1973, Gold Key became independent of SCO and took on its current form of Gold Key International Optometric Honor Society with many participating schools.

Membership into Gold Key International is one of the highest honors that can be achieved by an optometry student. The society was established to recognize upper-class students who have demonstrated outstanding professional and ethical attitudes. A maximum of 10% of each class may hold membership in Gold Key International Optometric Honor Society.
 
Pi Theta Epsilon Occupational Therapy Honor Society (PTE)
Pi Theta Epsilon (PTE) is an honor society for occupational therapy students and alumni. Its mission is to promote research and scholarship among occupational therapy students. Student members participate in scholarly projects during the fall semester of their second year before beginning Level 2 Fieldwork rotations in the spring semester. 

Students are invited to apply for membership after completing their first two terms of a master’s degree program. Eligible students rank within the top 35% of their class in scholarship and have a GPA of at least 3.5 on a scale of 4.0. PTE members participate in an induction ceremony and may wear an honor cord to signify their accomplishments at commencement.  
 

Interprofessional Organizations

National Perinatal Association Student Society (NPASS)

Salus is home to the third National Perinatal Association Student Society (NPASS) chapter in the U.S. NPASS was founded by three Occupational Therapy (OT) students while on their level II fieldwork placements at the Breastfeeding Resource Center, a local nonprofit organization.  NPASS hopes to create a greater awareness and understanding of how each of the University’s disciplines can work together to learn the importance of interdisciplinary practice to support families. NPASS plans on hosting tabling and awareness events for topics like perinatal mental health or prematurity, journal club, documentary viewing, and having guest speakers. NPASS will also be writing a newsletter every semester with information about projects and accomplishments which is sent to the National Perinatal Association. 

Preventing Avoidable Cardiac Episodes (PACE)
The purpose of this organization is to promote awareness about sudden cardiac arrhythmia death syndromes in children and adults. In order to fulfill the purpose, activities will include outreach to youth sports leagues to educate them about what to do if they have a player with a sudden arrhythmia death syndrome (SADS), educating parents about warning signs of SADS conditions, educating the public about cardiac arrest and promoting general awareness about the importance of heart health in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
 
White Coat for Black Lives (WC4BL)

The Salus chapter of White Coats for Black Lives (WC4BL) was started by a recent graduate, Madison Dastis, as a result of our efforts to engage in awareness, education, and activism via our informal PA Students for Change group. This group was formed in the spring of 2020 in response to the ongoing radical injustices in our country and WC4BL is a well-established organization that allows students to engage with other medical professional students across the country. The mission of WC4BL is to dismantle racism in medicine and promote the health, well-being, and self-determination of people of color. Having a chapter of this club at Salus will allow students to come together to engage in discussion about racism in healthcare, work towards improving medical education and preparing students to be advocates for their patients of color, and serve communities of color in our area.

Occupational Therapy

Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity (COTAD)
Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA)
The purpose of the Student Occupational Therapy Association is twofold. First, SOTA will increase campus and community awareness of the occupational therapy profession, as well as facilitate interaction between occupational therapy classes. SOTA encourages interdisciplinary participation from the student body by hosting charity events, social gatherings, and fostering a strong sense of belonging among fellow colleagues. 

The Student Occupational Therapy Association of Salus University is affiliated with the American Occupational Therapy Association.
 

Optometry 

American Optometric Student Association (AOSA)
“Empowering students to thrive as doctors of optometry.”

The American Optometric Student Association (AOSA) is the student organization branch of the American Optometric Association (AOA) representing over 7,000 optometry students in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. AOSA is committed to advocating for the optometric profession, enhancing the education of all optometry students, and improving the vision and ocular health of the public. As a PCO student, you will be automatically enrolled as an AOSA member. Membership benefits begin as a first year and continue through graduation. A few of the AOSA’s events at PCO include the annual AOSA Quiz Bowl, Candy Grams, Info Night, Legucate-Me, Optometry Cares 5K walk/run fundraiser, and attending Optometry’s Meeting. Contact the current AOSA PCO Trustee or Trustee-Elect for more information, and visit our website to learn more!
 
College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD) & Optometric Extension Program Foundation (OEPF)
The College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD) is a non-profit international membership association of eye care professionals. Members include optometrists, optometry students, and vision therapists. Established in 1971, COVD provides board certification for optometrists and vision therapists who specialize in vision therapy and vision rehabilitation. The SALUS University COVD chapter aims to bring awareness about vision developmental disorders to the student body. We hold various events throughout the year including COVD board-certified optometrists office visits, TEI resident-led pediatric workshops, as well as, collaborations with other student organizations to promote interprofessionalism. Each April we travel to the annual COVD conference where we network and attend educational lectures. 
 
National Optometric Student Association (NOSA)
NOSA is the student organization of the National Optometric Association (NOA). Our focus is to increase the number of  minority optometrists available to deliver eye and vision care to urban and minority communities. We participate in the annual Dr. Martin Luther King day screening and host biannual blood drives with the American Red Cross.
 
Private Practice Club (PPC)

We promote private practice optometry by educating students on practice management, business principles, and financial strategies. Our events feature guest speakers and mentors, who provide excellent perspectives about optometry after school and offer valuable networking opportunities. 

Student American Academy of Optometry (SAAO)
The overall mission of SAAO (Student American Academy of Optometry) is to promote awareness of the American Academy of Optometry, educate students on becoming Fellows of the AAO, increase student participation and attendance at the annual national meetings, and to cultivate students' passion for vision research and exceptional clinical practice.
 
Contact Lens Club (Contact Lens)
The Contact Lens Club focuses on giving students additional information and resources on contact lenses and related products so that students can better serve their patients as they transition into optometrists in the field. This club plans and organizes workshops, which provides hands-on experience with specialty lenses on real patients. Additionally, the Contact Lens Club provides “Lunch and Learn” events, where students can network with optometric company representatives such as Alcon, Bausch & Lomb, Vistakon and several other companies, as well as learn about their upcoming contact lens products.
 

Orthotics & Prosthetics

Salus Orthotics & Prosthetics Association (SOPA)

Physician Assistant

Student Academy of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (SAAAPA)
SAAAPA is a national student organization that every Physician Assistant school across the country has for their students. Each Physician Assistant student becomes a member of SAAAPA when they are enrolled in their program. At Salus, SAAAPA is mainly a fundraising organization for sending our second year students to the annual challenge bowl at the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) conference. The mission statement of SAAAPA is to continue the ongoing mission of the physician assistant profession in serving others at Salus University and promoting positive well-being for all members of our community. Our goal as a group is to integrate our profession into the Salus community, increase awareness about our profession, actively participate in AAPA conferences and the national medical challenge bowl, raise funds for local and global charities, and continuously strive to impact the future of the PA profession.
 

Regional Optometric Organizations

Delaware, Maryland, Virginia Optometric Student Associations (DMVOSA)
More information to come.
Pennsylvania Optometric Student Association (POSA)
The Pennsylvania Optometric Student Association provides students with information about practicing optometry in the state of Pennsylvania. We offer networking opportunities with local doctors, provide meeting dates of the local Pennsylvania optometric societies that students may attend, and host several on campus events in conjunction with the American Student Optometric Association (AOSA). Each year the POSA gathers a group of students to go to Capitol Hill in Harrisburg, PA to stand alongside current Pennsylvania Optometric Association (POA) members in advocating for the progression of the optometric profession at the state level. 

POSA collaborates with its parent organization, the POA, which is in turn an affiliate of the American Optometric Association (AOA). This allows students the opportunity to attend the POA Spring Congress yearly to begin their engagement and networking before graduation. 
 
New Jersey Student Society of Optometric Physicians (NJSSOP)
NJSSOP is an organization that is dedicated to furthering the knowledge base of current optometric students through Interactive and informative lectures with current practicing optometric physicians. We hold one to two meetings a semester on the Salus Elkins Park campus. All students from across the country and profession are welcome to join.
 

Service Organizations

Hearts in Motion (HIM)

The Salus Hearts in Motion Club is an organization that partners with Hearts in Motion, Indiana to provide medical care and education to improve health outcomes for the people of communities in Zacapa, Guatemala. Volunteers in this organization have the opportunity to travel to Guatemala to provide needed medical education and care, participate in nutrition programs, and integrate didactic education in a clinical setting in a medically underserved area. Throughout the year, fundraising events are organized to support the mission and offset travel expenses. Annual trips to Guatemala occur in August.

Lions Club (Lions)
The Lions Club is an international organization aimed at providing volunteer health services, primarily vision and sight, to those in need, all the while building community and a sense of unity. As a club on the Salus University campus our goal is to use our skills to reach those goals through screening, community service, and educating the community within Elkins Park and Philadelphia. Our club also collects many eyeglass donations reads the prescription on them and then donates them to the SOSH club where they are then taken on the annual service trip.
 
Student Optometric Service to Humanity (SOSH)
Student Optometric Service to Humanity (SOSH) is an optometric service club. Each year, SOSH travels to a third-world or developing country to provide free eye exams, glasses, ophthalmic medications, and when permitting, referrals for surgery to those who would otherwise not receive them. First and second-year optometry students must fundraise and/or attend SOSH fundraisers to reach 80 service hours by the end of their second-year in order to attend the service trip in August of their third year. SOSH students travel with 2+ optometrists, donated glasses and medications, and optometric equipment to provide the best care possible to those in need. SOSH is affiliated with the national optometric service group VOSH (Volunteer Optometric Service to Humanity) and works closely with the Lions Club as well as corporations such as Allergan, CooperVision, and National Vision to name a few. Some past trip locations include: Haiti, Panama, California, El Salvador, and Belize.
 

Speech-Language Pathology

National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA)
The National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) is the only national student organization for pre-professionals recognized by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Our mission is to create a community among students by being a source of information about the field and providing opportunities to gain experience. Through volunteering, fundraising, and information sharing, NSSLHA strives to be a resource for students pursuing speech-language pathology.