Hi!

I have visited the school several times and like it. Plus, my wife is from Zacatecas (the neighboring stae to Jalisco), so she likes it. Now my question: After the fifth pathway program, do US students have to go back to mexico for a year? Essentially, are you applying for residency 6 years after you start (assuming no breaks in your education)? Thanks for answering folks--keep up the hard work!

Andy Smith

Fifthpathway counts as your 5th year and your first year of residency as your 6th year. After that you may apply for a mexican degree. This is only if you wish to have the Mexican degree. With Fithpathway, you can apply for residency right after and practice in 46 states.


Uagdoc

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Moderator - UAG Forum

Muchas gracias, doctor! Me ayudastes. estoy listo de llenar la applicacion, pero una cosa. Mi GPA es 3.23, mi GPA para mis dos anos pasados es 3.47, (y incluye todas mis clases de pre-med) pero mi MCAT es un 21. Yo tengo V11, BS05, PS05. Que crees? gracias por tu respuesta

Andres

Just put as much time and effort as you can into your studies and you'll do fine. Once you start classes you will be challenged tremendously so hit your classes running ... stay up with class and don't waste your time on anything other than your classes.

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Andrew,


You should be fine!!! I don't know exactly what the UAG is accepting for MCAT scores but I have seen students with same scores getting in. Study hard and just worry about your classes. If you study hard from day one, you should do fine in your medical career. Good luck!!!


Regards,


UAGDoc

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Moderator - UAG Forum

No, after you do the 5th pathway, you're done with Mexico and can enter the Match (if you have the USMLE exams and CSA). That's if you want to stay in the US and practice here. If you want to go and practice in Mexico, you have to do the year of Internado and year of Social Service (in Mexico).

Actually, if you want to practice in Mexico you ONLY need one year of Social Service performed in Mexico ... you do not need the year of internado performed in Mexico. The year of internado can be performed anywhere Mexico authorizes.

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Correct me if I'm wrong, but with 5th pathway you don't need ECFMG certification, therefore you don't need the CSA--does anyone know for sure?

From fifthpathway.com


The Fifth Pathway program was developed, as mentioned before, to help U.S. students studying abroad to circumvent the social service obligations of a foreign institution and facilitate the return home to continue with their professional education. Instead of the six-year commitment abroad, students complete the four-year course of study at the UAG and one additional year under supervision at an American hospital in the New York area. In order to receive Fifth Pathway certification, the following requirements must be met:

Pass Step 1 and 2 of the USMLE.

Favorable evaluations from Fifth Pathway program supervisors.

Completion of administrative requirements by students.

Fifth Pathway certification grants students eligibility to apply and enter residency programs. It does not confer the degree of M.D.

Actually, since we studied outside of the United States we will still fall under the ECFMG approval process. In other words, our studies abroad will still have to be validated by the ECFMG.

In regards to CSA: CSA used to only be required of IMG/FMG students not attending 5th Pathway. However, recently, the medical education industry has decided to require ALL medical students (regardless of where they attended medical school) to take a new exam called the CSE. So, the CSA is now called the Clinical Skills Exam and everyone has to take it!


*** Excerpt from http://ecfmg.org/reporter/library/iss26.html ***

"A Clinical Skills Examination (CSE) will become part of the United States Medical Licensing Examination™ (USMLE) in mid-2004. The USMLE CSE will assess the clinical and communication skills that are essential to diagnosing and treating patients and communicating with other health care professionals. The new exam will complement the current USMLE Steps, which measure medical knowledge and analytical skills. Students and graduates of both U.S./Canadian and international medical schools will take the CSE."

For more information please check out the official release at http://ecfmg.org/reporter/library/iss26.html

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