National Undergraduate Fellows Association (NUFA)

Who We are

The National Undergraduate Fellows Association (NUFA) was created in 1993 at the urging of several undergraduate fellows from colleges of osteopathic medicine to serve the needs of undergraduate osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) fellows. NUFA is a division of the SAAO that connects and enhances the learning of the undergraduate teaching fellows who are members of the SAAO.

NUFA’s mission is to support, advocate, and seek opportunities for students to advance their practice of osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM). 

What we do

NUFA hopes to deepen students’ understanding of the science, art and philosophy of osteopathic medicine.  NUFA supports opportunities for students to learn and practice OMM skills through workshops and classes. These are designed to expose students to a variety of OMM techniques that supplement the regular curriculum. In turn, NUFA members help to pass along the knowledge and experience that they have gained to the osteopathic students that they serve across the country. Most importantly, the SAAO and NUFA provide unique opportunities for students to interact with their colleagues across the nation as they work together to develop their osteopathic careers.

Being a member of NUFA has several benefits:

• Online instructional videos created by physicians from across the country
• Access to online study groups
• A workshop program specifically for NUFA members on Wednesday at Convocation
• A chance to work with FAAOs during the Magoun Memorial FAAO/NUFA workshop at Convocation
• The option to register for the physician Convocation program
• Networking with other fellowship programs throughout the year and at the NUFA social during Convocation.

Get Involved

Students must be members of the SAAO in order to be a part of NUFA. Students should contact their local SAAO chapters for information on registration. Once a student is a member of SAAO, they are automatically updated to be a NUFA once they begin their fellowship.

Each school selects a Fellow to represent them on the NUFA Council. The NUFA Council meets together every two months to plan Convocation events and to work on increasing opportunities for NUFAs across the country. This council is led by the NUFA Liaison and by the NUFA Advisor. The council consists of NUFA representatives from each school. However, all NUFA members are invited to join the monthly meetings. For a schedule of the meetings or to find out who the NUFA representative is at your school, please contact the SAAO NUFA liaison.  

NUFA Contacts

NUFA Liaison
Jennifer Markwood, OMS V
Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Iowa

NUFA Advisor
Hugh M. Ettlinger, DO, FAAO
NMM/OMM Residency Program Director 
St. Barnabas Hospital, Bronx, New York