Career choice and professional trajectory of Fifth Pathway students

We have studied the professional trajectory of 177 participants of the Fifth Pathway Program of the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine between July 1973 and June 1987. Eighty six per cent of the students were Puerto Rican. Sixty seven per cent had studied in the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara. Ninety seven per cen of the respondents specialized and 39 per cent subspecialized; sixty nine per cent selected primary care specialties. Eighty three per cent of the fifth pathway participants are licensed to practice medicine in Puerto Rico and 37% are licensed to practice in one or more of 21 states of the Nation. Twenty one per cent held academic positions and 11.4 per cent were department chairpersons or chiefs of sections. The professional trajectory of Fifth Pathway participants is similar to that of medical graduates of the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine.