Questions & Answers

What is a pathway?

Where are the Fifth Pathway Programs?

What are the requirements for applying to a Fifth Pathway?

What type of degree do I acquire from Fifth Pathway?

Which states accept the Fifth Pathway for licensure?

Is there a housing list available for Fifth Pathway?

What are the start dates?

Is there an application fee?

Are loans available?

Which hospitals are associated with Fifth Pathway?

Do I need to take the USMLE Step 2 before I go to Fifth Pathway?

When will I be notified of an interview?

What is the tuition and projected budgets?

Can we use Stafford loans for Fifth Pathway? When should we apply for them?

Does NYMC allow students from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut to select Fifth Pathway spots close to home?

Is it possible to apply for Fifth Pathway while my USMLE scores are still pending?

Do you have any information on the UAG Off-Campus programs prior to Fifth Pathway?

What is the USMLE Step 2 CK, CS?

Where have Fifth Pathway graduates acquired residencies?

 

 

 

 

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What is a pathway?
The AMA defines a pathway as an approved avenue to residency training at a U.S. hospital that completes a medical student’s education. There are five pathways:
1) Graduation from a U.S. medical school
2) Certification by the ECFMG – Educational Council for Foreign Medical Graduates
3) Full and unrestricted licensure by a U.s. licensing jurisdiction
4) Passing the Spanish language licensing examination in Puerto Rico
5) Fifth Pathway program – as of 1971.

Where are the Fifth Pathway Programs?
Presently there are only two Fifth Pathway programs officially opened –
a) New York Medical College which has the longest continuous program since 1974
b) Ponce School of Medicine – Ponce, Puerto Rico
c) Mt. Sinai Hospital – New York – will open in January 2007.

What are the requirements for applying to a Fifth Pathway?
1) Students must have graduated from an accredited American college or universit; successsful completion of undergraduate premedical work acceptable for matriculation in an accredited United States medical school.
2) Students must have studied at a medical school located outside the United States that is listed in the World Health Organization’s World Directory of Medical Schools and which requires a year or more of internship and social service before receiving a medical degree.
3) Students must have completed all formal requirements of their foreign medical school except the final years of internship and social service.
4) Any additional requirements that each Fifth Pathway program school require.
a) New York Medical College (www.nymc.edu) has these additional requirements:

a) U.S. residents Canadians and US citizens are accepted
* Fifth Pathway Program must be started within 5 (five) years after successful completion of medical school studies
* A passing score on the USMLE Step 1
* Academic records acceptable to New York Medical College and its affiliated hospitals.

b) Ponce School of Medicine ( www.psm.edu) has these additional requirements:
* Must be a U.S. citizen
* Must be bilingual in English and Spanish
* Minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.5
* Must have taken the MCAT

c) Mt. Sinai School of Medicine (www.mssm.edu/medschool/fifth_pathway/) has these additional requirements:

• Successful completion, with a passing score, of USMLE Steps 1. Having already passed Step 2 is not required but will be considered advantageous. These examinations may be taken after submitting an application to the Program, but results must be received before acceptance can be made.
  
• After acceptance students are required to pass a Toxicology screening.

What type of degree do I acquire from Fifth Pathway?

Students do not acquire a “degree” from a Fifth Pathway program. A student receives a Fifth Pathway certification of completion, which is in lieu of the ECFMG certification.

Which states accept the Fifth Pathway for licensure?

All 50 states accept the Fifth Pathway for licensure.

Is there a housing list available for Fifth Pathway?

For NYMC housing list, contact Regina Damon at (914) 594-4490.
For Ponce housing, contact them directly at admissions@psm.edu
For Mt. Sinai housing, contact Amy S. Hoffman, MD at (718) 334 – 3268 or by email at HOFFMANA@nychhc.org

What are the start dates?

For New York Medical College - January and July (12 months each).
For Ponce School of Medicine – February and July
For Mt. Sinai – January 2007 – July 2007

Is there an application fee?

Yes - Please check with each program.

Are loans available?

Yes. You are still technically a student and should check the box students (not intern) on your loan applications. Students need to contact the respective Financial Aid departments. Remember that around this time or at the end of Fifth Pathway is when you should consolidate all your loans.

Which hospitals are associated with Fifth Pathway?

Each program has various hospitals with which they are affiliated and through which their Fifth Pathway students rotate.

For more information, contact each program.

Do I need to take the USMLE Step 2 before I go to Fifth Pathway?

No, you can take it during your Fifth Pathway year: however, you do need it to start a residency. What has been recommended, is that you have Step II when you apply for residency. So be aware of the time line it takes to get scores back and submitted to the residency programs.
NYMC looks favorably on students that have passed Step II when applying for their 5th pathway. They also offer a preparation course for the Step II CK,CS.
Mt. Sinai does not require it but states that “having already passed Step 2 …..will be considered advantageous”.

When will I be notified of an interview?

You should hear about interview results a month or so after the completion of the application. At Mt. Sinai, applicants for the July course will be notified in April.

What is the tuition and projected budgets?

It is important to contact each program’s financial aid department to discuss tuition and other expenses, which need to be taken into consideration. Other expenses include, health insurance, living expenses which include supplies, food, housing, utilities, transportation and miscellaneous. Budgets are different for single and families.

Can we use Stafford loans for Fifth Pathway? When should we apply for them?

Yes, you are eligible for a Stafford Loan (both Subsidized and Unsubsidized). These loans may not cover the full tuition, nor your living expenses. For the remainder of your tuition health insurance and living expenses, you may apply for an alternative loan (This loan may require a credit check or a co-signer prior to approval).

Does NYMC allow students from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut to select Fifth Pathway spots close to home?

You should discuss your preference during the interview. They will try to place you close to your preference. Candidates to Mt. Sinai will be asked to specify their preferences.

Is it possible to apply for Fifth Pathway while my USMLE scores are still pending?

Yes - but the application will not be reviewed until it is complete.

Do you have any information on the UAG Off-Campus programs prior to Fifth Pathway?

You must apply for the Off-Campus programs during the fifth semester at UAG. Students are advised of their eligibility during the sixth semester. The requirements include a GPA of no less than an 8.0 and no more than 3 extraordinary exams.

NOTE: Placements are based on availability and class rank for Off-Campus Electives, Coop, and pre-internados.

What is the USMLE Step 2 CK,CS?

According to the ECFMG website (www.ecfmg.org) among other requirements international medical graduates must pass a medical science examination. Step 1 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (Step 2 CK) of the United States Medical Licensing Examination™ (USMLE) are the exams currently administered that meet the medical science examination requirement for ECFMG Certification. To meet the medical science examination requirement for ECFMG Certification, you must pass both Step 1 and Step 2 CK. You can take Step 1 or Step 2 CK in either order, provided you meet the eligibility requirements for these exams.

For more information on Step 1 and Step 2 CK check the USMLE Bulletin of Information. For additional information on the USMLE, refer to the USMLE website.
For detailed information on taking Step 1 and Step 2 CK for ECFMG Certification, refer to the ECFMG Information Booklet.
You can apply on-line using ECFMG's Interactive Web Application or you can download paper application materials.

Where have Fifth Pathway graduates acquired residencies?

You can see where some of the Fifth Pathway graduates have acquired residencies for the past years at www.uag.edu then click on School of Medicine.