Fifth Pathway

Physician education and training in the United States

Stages

Pre-medical Med school Sub-internship Internship Residency Fellowship Board certification Licensure Continuing medical education

Pathways

Allopathic (MD) Osteopathic (DO) Int'l medical graduate Fifth Pathway

Degrees

Doctor of Medicine Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine MD/PhD or DO/PhD Comparison

Exams

MCAT COMLEX Step 1, 2CE, 2PE, 3 USMLE Step 1, 2CK, 2CS, 3

Regulatory bodies

Association of American Medical Colleges American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine National Resident Matching Program National Matching Service Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Liaison Committee on Medical Education Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education American Osteopathic Association American Medical Association

Student groups

American Medical Student Association Alpha Omega Alpha Sigma Sigma Phi Student National Medical Association

Lists

Medical schools Specialty colleges

The fifth pathway is a method of obtaining a physician license to practice medicine in the United States. According to the American Medical Association, the fifth pathway is "an avenue by which students who have attended four years at a foreign medical school may complete their supervised clinical work at a U.S. medical school, become eligible for entry to U.S. residency training, and ultimately obtain a license to practice in the U.S." Unlike International medical graduates in the United States, participants in the Fifth Pathway are issued an M.D. by a domestic, U.S. medical college. The Fifth Pathaway program is being discontinued by the AMA as of June 30, 2009.