Thread: How imp is 5th Pathway

Hello everybody! So I just recently started researching about foreign medical schools. Then I came across this thread and about the problems with 5th pathway. I am curious about how important fifth pathway is.
Is it more about getting your foot in US hospital and hence, enhance the chance of getting into good residency program?

No, it is really more than that. This school is a Mexican school that has an international program within it. This mean that to graduate here, you need 7&8th grade transcriptes, and high school diploma. If you do not have the 2 years of transcripts (as some do not) or if you have a GED, you cannot graduate here. Furthermore, you will be here for 6 years, not 4.

The 5th pathway is a lateral move after the 4th year here that allows you to attend here without the need to graduate Mexican-style. Thus, you go back to the USA for a year, and "graduate" (legally practice medice) by way of the 5th pathway school.

To some, the 5th pathway is more important and vital that to other students. Almost no one in the international program goes the 6-year Mexican route.

Originally Posted by brainteazer07

Hello everybody! So I just recently started researching about foreign medical schools. Then I came across this thread and about the problems with 5th pathway. I am curious about how important fifth pathway is.
Is it more about getting your foot in US hospital and hence, enhance the chance of getting into good residency program?

thanks for awnsering my question, i was not clear on what exactly the 7th and 8th grade transcripts or lack their of, really ment for a student not going the FP route

Oh wow! Got it! Thank you very much for clarifying this...any good news about 5th Pathway?

Not yet, but we will post any new news when it is available. Also, look back on Monday for a new thread linking to reliable information.

Originally Posted by brainteazer07

Oh wow! Got it! Thank you very much for clarifying this...any good news about 5th Pathway?

Ok, the FPW drama is so ubiquitous I just couldn't help myself. Yesterday I emailed my former doctor-boss-UAG-alumni-friend (yes he means THAT much to me ) and just wanted to let him know of the politics, and he responded with something very inspirational that I'll now share (these are the exact contents of his email):

Nice to hear from you. We have been very busy in the office the past two weeks, with weather changes and flu spin-off infectious complications. We are always proud to tell patients you are attending medical school when asked. I would agree not to worry about changing politics, as you move on in your medical education and exposure to the real world. What does not change is the challenge to stay motivated and effective and always educated. Take care, Dr.F

Originally Posted by acgtacgtacgt

The 5th pathway is a lateral move after the 4th year here that allows you to attend here without the need to graduate Mexican-style. Thus, you go back to the USA for a year, and "graduate" (legally practice medice) by way of the 5th pathway school.

Just a small correction from my esteemed colleague's post. Upon completion of the program, certificate in hand, 5PW students are NOT able to legally practice medicine any more than newly-graduated USmed students are. Even though it's a 5th year, it is not the "intern" year (1st year of residency) that allows a US med grad to be license-eligible (pending Step3). Consider it repeating 4th year but as a sub-intern in the US--that at the end, you would be eligible to participate in the match for residencies just like every other 4th year student in the US (assuming having passed the Step 2s). Every state in the US requires one year of post-graduate training in the US at a minimum to be considered for basic licensure; most require the full completion of a residency program for FMGs. (FMGs almost always have tougher reqs. in every way regarding obtaining a permanent license)

In this time, you are being supervised, etc. but from your POV, you are learning the US system of doing things, protocols, certifications (ACLS, etc.), that the average UAG "graduate" not having done rotations in the US would be clueless about in practice. You essentially are catching up with what 3rd year students in the US are doing at the beginning, with increasing responsibility, etc. as your proficiency allows as the year progresses.

HTH.

thank you very much for the info. makes sense now. so US students would be done in 4 years...UAG students have one extra year ....after 5th year...or during 5th year UAG students apply for residency and go thru the whole process...right?

P.S.: I like ur username..lol

Originally Posted by brainteazer07

thank you very much for the info. makes sense now. so US students would be done in 4 years...UAG students have one extra year ....after 5th year...or during 5th year UAG students apply for residency and go thru the whole process...right?

Remember we're talking w/in the context of 5PW--yes, UAG students would have one more "fifth" year (the 5PW year) to eventually be "on par" with US grads in their 4th year (not academically, just procedurally/legally) in terms of participating in the match and going on to residency.

Remember that Fifth Pathway is going away (something I will say emphatically since there is absolutely zero verifiable evidence to the contrary in spite of the well-meaning optimism by deservedly frustrated classmates), so I'd investigate the 6 year ECFMG route outlined on UAG's web site (somewhere) because unless something drastic changes, that's going to be your scholastic option here

P.S.: I like ur username..lol

Thanks! It was shorter than phosphofructokinase at least!

5th Pathway maybe going away as a route for licensure in the United States but as of today this is not true. The decision of the AMA only affects the admnistration and sponsorship of the program. AMA doesn't have any legislation over 5th Pathway. You may be right if ACGME decides to accepts the AMA recomendations over the summer but the decision has not been made yet. They tried to kill the program in the 80's and they came back on their decision. This time may be permanent but we never know. I think being optimistic is a good thing if you keep all your options opened. Nothing wrong in looking into the 6 years route if you are currently considering going to the UAG.

Originally Posted by hexokinase

Remember we're talking w/in the context of 5PW--yes, UAG students would have one more "fifth" year (the 5PW year) to eventually be "on par" with US grads in their 4th year (not academically, just procedurally/legally) in terms of participating in the match and going on to residency.

Remember that Fifth Pathway is going away (something I will say emphatically since there is absolutely zero verifiable evidence to the contrary in spite of the well-meaning optimism by deservedly frustrated classmates), so I'd investigate the 6 year ECFMG route outlined on UAG's web site (somewhere) because unless something drastic changes, that's going to be your scholastic option here

Thanks! It was shorter than phosphofructokinase at least!