Best foreign languages?

[Dr.D-man]

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I need to take a foreign language to satisfy my university requirements for graduation. I was considering Latin because it's the basis of medical terminology and numerous other languages, but it seems like Spanish would be more practical as a doctor. Does anyone know if certain languages are advantagous when applying to med school?

 

[Sarikate]

Spanish. Without one inkling of a doubt. I'm pretty sure my proficiency in Spanish is one reason I got so many interviews (well, considering) despite a low MCAT score. Spanish Spanish Spanish! Do it!

 

[dopaminophile]

Tetun. Everybody speaks Tetun. I've been asked in my interviews to say something in Tetun and I always think... how would they possibly know if I were pulling random noises out of my ass? Then I remember... everybody speaks Tetun.

 

[Reimat]

I've seen it posted here a few times that speaking Spanish is a big bonus when applying to West coast schools- however, I wouldn't know. I took French 🙁

 

[PineappleGirl]

Spanish! For the love of G*d! Spanish! 🙂

Not only extremely useful but IMHO, an incredibly beautiful language and relatively easy for English speakers to learn.
Spanish will still help you with medical terminology too, as well any romance langauge, since many of the roots of Spanish words are derived from Latin.

Enjoy!

 

[Mr PluM]

study spaneesh...it is so beautiful..listen....amor!

also, if you want a good book to study language for med skool and just basic science look at these:

Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining Forms by Donald J. Borror ( very important book, period)

and

The Language of Medicine: A Write-In Text Explaining Medical Terms (Book with CD-ROM) by by Davi-Ellen Chabner, Saunders


mr plum gotz all the secrets....shhhhh

 

[Jeffy]

You'd be an idiot if you didn't take Spanish. Besides, it gives you an excuse to stare at the ridiculous half-dressed hotties on Spanish soap operas. 😍

 

[xela]

Couldn't agree more with Sarikate.

If you want something with practical use, and with the same utility in terms of identifying Latin root words, go for Spanish. Look at the changing demographics -- Spanish remains one of several critical languages of need in all service-oriented professions, including medicine. Arabic may be close and up-and-coming, but I think that the projections would indicate that you have a greater potential to utilize Spanish in your practice than most other non-English languages.

I need to take a foreign language to satisfy my university requirements for graduation. I was considering Latin because it's the basis of medical terminology and numerous other languages, but it seems like Spanish would be more practical as a doctor. Does anyone know if certain languages are advantagous when applying to med school?

 

[rockstar2525]

Spanish. No further questions.

 

[dr.z]

Spanish!

 

[saki0005]

i took latin and i wish i took spanish

 

[45408]

seeing how the US is on track to becoming the third largest hispanic nation by 2050, it's kind of a no-brainer 😉

 

[Sam Fisher]

Plus you'll have an easier time hittin on all those hot spanish chicks. 😀

 

[Quentin Quinn]

I'll throw Chinese out there as another useful option (depending on your location), given that it is the world's most widely spoken language. Not a cakewalk to learn by any means, however.

 

[supersnuffles]

ditto

I'll throw Chinese out there as another useful option (depending on your location), given that it is the world's most widely spoken language. Not a cakewalk to learn by any means, however.

 

[Avenue Q]

If you don't want to take Spanish, a less commonly studied language can also be really helpful, especiallty in urban areas. Things like Vietnamese in Southern California, Hebrew or Yiddish in the New York area (or Boca Raton for that matter!), Arabic, or Sign Language can make you an asset as translators may not be readily available. If you want to be able to talk to a majority of the non-English speakers, learn Spanish. But if you want to be the point person for an occasional zebra language, take something else. Take a language you are interested in, at some point it will help 🙂

 

[doogyhowser]

Cunnilingus

 

[DianaLynne]

Igpay atinlay. Atthay ayway, ouyay ancay oundsay artsmay.

Or Spanish. ASL. Those are useful too in the States. They're all good.

 

[ishaninatte]

Don't take Japanese, it's too difficult and near useless cept in Japan.

 

[bkpa2med]

Greek! This is the language for medical terminology. Sorry to break the news to everyone, but Greeks did begin medicine. Thank Hippocrates 😉

 

[fahimaz7]

Sign for sure. It's the only training that is worth it. Every hospital has translators.

scott

 

[Mr PluM]

In North America, English is a foreign language.. That is why so many american scientists and physicians scribble english don't know how to write. Spanish is more native than english go figure...

 

[wilson04]

I'll throw Chinese out there as another useful option (depending on your location), given that it is the world's most widely spoken language. Not a cakewalk to learn by any means, however.

Chinese is a great language...but, like you said, it's no cakewalk to learn. Unless you can study Chinese separately from your other classes (ie, you don't want to have to get good grades in Chinese at the same time you need to get good grades in another time-intensive class like Orgo), stick with Spanish. I made the mistake of taking Chinese at the same time as orgo - my GPA that semester was 0.7 points lower than my GPA during the other semesters.

Of course, though, speaking Mandarin now allows me to flirt with about 500 million more girls than before. ;-)

 

[JEWmongous]

Japanese is a pretty sweet language that I'm taking at my college. It's really not too hard at all. Only 13 kids in the class and the teacher is hot... 😀

 

[pushkin]

Danish! (Den dansk sprog er verdens bedste!) I cannot tell you how many doors this language has opened for me. Seriously, it is really fun and super easy. For example, the word for knife is: "knive."

Or if you absolutely must be practical, then as an alternative to the aforementioned Spanish, how about Russian?

 

[CanuckRazorback]

I need to take a foreign language to satisfy my university requirements for graduation. I was considering Latin because it's the basis of medical terminology and numerous other languages, but it seems like Spanish would be more practical as a doctor. Does anyone know if certain languages are advantagous when applying to med school?

Don't take Latin! I had to take it for 2 years in HS, no help. My vote is for Spanish!

 

[DrThom]

I've taken both Spanish and French.

Spanish is easier to learn but I thought that French was more fun.

 

[SaginawPremed]

Chinese is a great language...but, like you said, it's no cakewalk to learn. Unless you can study Chinese separately from your other classes (ie, you don't want to have to get good grades in Chinese at the same time you need to get good grades in another time-intensive class like Orgo), stick with Spanish. I made the mistake of taking Chinese at the same time as orgo - my GPA that semester was 0.7 points lower than my GPA during the other semesters.

Of course, though, speaking Mandarin now allows me to flirt with about 500 million more girls than before. ;-)

Dear lord... I'm in Chinese I now with Gen Chem II. It's working out... but this fall will be Cellular and Molecular Bio, Calcbased Physics II, Orgo and Mandarin Chinese II... East Asian Civ. Hm, that might be the better choice...

 

[RangerD]

That is a little Western-centric. Do you not remember to which sources Hipporcrates turned to learn what he knew? Middle Eastern/African medicine antedates allopathic medicine by a considerable chunk of time. With that, I dont recommend that you go out and learn arabic etc., or for that much Greek or Latin. Then again, Asian medicine goes back quite a bit as well. Spanish is the most practical, second most practical is Chinese, or if your in the south Hick is fairly popular and some cities still recommend Jive and Ebonics.
Cheers!

1st choice: Ebonics
2nd choice: Spanish

 

[maia]

Igpay atinlay. Atthay ayway, ouyay ancay oundsay artsmay.

Or Spanish. ASL. Those are useful too in the States. They're all good.

aw. kataw-anan jud ni. daghan kaayo ga pangutana kung unsang linguahe.
Español? mas maayo ang Sign Language--this will be very helpful for the hearing impaired.
I plan to study sign language. I had this experience once, in premed--we were receiving a (probably homeless) woman who was in labor into the delivery room and everyone had a hard time communicating to her since she was deaf... 🙁

 

[MedDreamer]

Definitly Spanish or French. If you learn one, the other is very easy to learn later on. And they are both useful in North America (Spanish in the US and Mexico and French in Canada).

 

[moogy]

I'm taking Japanese too, but I find it to be a really tough language to learn...so many kanji and particles 😱 I've taken some Chinese in college and Spanish in high school, and I'd say Japanese is looking to be the most difficult out of them all (though I like it the most, and my TA is kawaii). 🙂

Taking practicality into account, I recommend Spanish since it's easy to learn and is by far the most useful foreign language in the US. I hope you can roll your tongue for those 'r' pronuciations. Good luck 👍

Japanese is a pretty sweet language that I'm taking at my college. It's really not too hard at all. Only 13 kids in the class and the teacher is hot... 😀

 

[Geronimo]

Spanish!!!

 

[durak]

Russian is a good one to know - you'd be surprised at how many russki's there are out there. Not as practical as spanish, but it sounds way cooler!

 

[FrauBlucher]

I'd say Spanish is the most helpful, though it's also the language that most other doctors/nurses will speak. So "zebra" languages have their merits! I took sign language, and interviewers thought it was pretty interesting. Plus there are hardly any hospital staff (including interpreters) that know SL, and it's actually a pretty common language. Oh, plus it's fun and beautiful and awesome. Just my 2 cents 🙂

 

[UnskinnyBop]

Russian is a good one to know - you'd be surprised at how many russki's there are out there. Not as practical as spanish, but it sounds way cooler!

Hehehe, I took Russian all through college, and man, it was funny. I would just stare at weird little letters and laugh. I suck so bad at it, too. If my interviewer were to ask me to say something in Russian, all I can say is, "Can I go to the bathroom?" and "No thanks; I don't like herring." Seriously, my nightmare is to have an interviewer who speaks Russian and starts talking that mumbo-jumbo at me. I'll just be like, "Can I go to the bathroom?" 👍

 

[Biscuit799]

Take French. It's beautiful and girls love it. Besides, we all know the real point of taking a foreign language is to impress girls at restaurants. Seriously though, take whatever language turns you on. In reality you'll forget it in a year or two unless you really use it all the time (i.e. you have a lot of Spanish speaking friends). And everyone is fluent in Spanish, if you're fluent in something else, you'll stick out to adcoms more!

 

[RisingSun]

"Don't take Japanese, it's too difficult and near useless cept in Japan." quote by ishaninatte (which means "become a doctor" in case someone was interested)

I've been a J-E translator for six years now; just returned to the US after five in Japan. I can tell you there there are many Japanese in the US who speak no English and would do anything to go to a doctor that spoke Japanese - my wife is one of them.

I think a physician who is fluent in a particular language can tailor their practice to serve that niche. That's what I'm gonna do, at least.

 

[Green912]

Hehehe, I took Russian all through college, and man, it was funny. I would just stare at weird little letters and laugh. I suck so bad at it, too. If my interviewer were to ask me to say something in Russian, all I can say is, "Can I go to the bathroom?" and "No thanks; I don't like herring." Seriously, my nightmare is to have an interviewer who speaks Russian and starts talking that mumbo-jumbo at me. I'll just be like, "Can I go to the bathroom?" 👍

Too funny

 

[Severus]

Hehehe, I took Russian all through college, and man, it was funny. I would just stare at weird little letters and laugh. I suck so bad at it, too. If my interviewer were to ask me to say something in Russian, all I can say is, "Can I go to the bathroom?" and "No thanks; I don't like herring." Seriously, my nightmare is to have an interviewer who speaks Russian and starts talking that mumbo-jumbo at me. I'll just be like, "Can I go to the bathroom?" 👍

"Zdravstyvietye, UnskinnyBop. Vwi govoritye po-russkie? Otlichna. Hmm.. vo pervih, pochemy vwi hotitye stat vrachom?"

I have got to brush up on my skills... I'm so afraid I'll have some international interviewer who'll just start blabbing away and I'll just be sitting there smiling like an idiot. 😀

Sev

 

[UnskinnyBop]

Wow, it's so hard to read when it's spelled out in our alphabet... 😉

Hahahaha. Here's what I'd say: "Ya hotchu stat vrach potomu sto... uh, mozhno idti v toalyet?" 👍

 

[Vacant]

Greek! This is the language for medical terminology. Sorry to break the news to everyone, but Greeks did begin medicine. Thank Hippocrates 😉

Greeks began medicine?!! That's the most ignorant thing I heard this year. I bet you read very little world (not European) history.

 

[dopaminophile]

Tetun people! Know your Tetun. Si ita bele koa'lia Tetun, ita bele ba escola doctour ho la problema. "Moras saida?" -- "ulun moras ho espana macas!"

 

[durak]

"Zdravstyvietye, UnskinnyBop. Vwi govoritye po-russkie? Otlichna. Hmm.. vo pervih, pochemy vwi hotitye stat vrachom?"

I have got to brush up on my skills... I'm so afraid I'll have some international interviewer who'll just start blabbing away and I'll just be sitting there smiling like an idiot. 😀

Sev

ny tak xorosho sto est i drygie na SDN, kotorie na russkom govorjat! I'll say this much - there's something interesting (and almost puzzling to some) about americans speaking not-so-common foreign languages. definitely a way to make your app unique. my russian degree came up in every interview I had. One interviewer told me that his wife was a russian interpreter for the military - and boom, we had an instant connection.

 

[patzan]

ny tak xorosho sto est i drygie na SDN, kotorie na russkom govorjat! I'll say this much - there's something interesting (and almost puzzling to some) about americans speaking not-so-common foreign languages. definitely a way to make your app unique. my russian degree came up in every interview I had. One interviewer told me that his wife was a russian interpreter for the military - and boom, we had an instant connection.

Я как вы говорю по-русски. Я ниточку начал называемая "Кто это понымает?" Есть и много русскоговорящих здесь.

 

[Severus]

Wow, it's so hard to read when it's spelled out in our alphabet... 😉

Hahahaha. Here's what I'd say: "Ya hotchu stat vrach potomu sto... uh, mozhno idti v toalyet?" 👍

That is awesome!!! I have soooooooo gotta remember that!!!

 

[Severus]

ny tak xorosho sto est i drygie na SDN, kotorie na russkom govorjat! I'll say this much - there's something interesting (and almost puzzling to some) about americans speaking not-so-common foreign languages. definitely a way to make your app unique. my russian degree came up in every interview I had. One interviewer told me that his wife was a russian interpreter for the military - and boom, we had an instant connection.

Haha... mwi mozhem govorit drug s drugom i nikto ne budyet ponimat. 👍 I'm just going to stick with English on here.. transliterating is a mofo and I can barely spell in English. That is awesome that it came up in your interviews. I can only hope for the same.

Patzan, are you a native speaker??? How the bloody heck did you get cyrillic to show up on the forums? I keep trying, and it never works. Niiiiiiice.

Sev

 

[Writer1985]

I need to take a foreign language to satisfy my university requirements for graduation. I was considering Latin because it's the basis of medical terminology and numerous other languages, but it seems like Spanish would be more practical as a doctor. Does anyone know if certain languages are advantagous when applying to med school?

I think that would depend on where you're planning to work as a doctor. I took French in high school and now am taking Spanish in college. But you don't really learn medically-related terminology in general conversation classes, so learning a foreign language would be more useful in just communicating with people, rather than as a tool in your practice -- unless of course you take special courses in Medical Spanish or whatever.

 

[Doc.Holliday]

people have said that foreign languages can be a plus... how big of a plus may i ask?

i'm a language geek, ive studied french and spanish since i was little. in college ive been taking german, portuguese, and italian (only a couple of classes in the latter two, but the similarities with spanish have made them easier). french and spanish im quite proficient in, portuguese and italian have come easily because of my spanish but i have trouble with some vocabulary, and german is just plain fun. im not very good yet. and i know my alphabet in sign language, hah. i had actually not really thought about the importance of knowing the rest, but i think i'll have to sign up for a class or two one day.

anyway, i was kind of hoping the languages would maybe get me interviews at schools where id be otherwise borderline. dont know what those will be, im not to that point yet. and does anyone know of a school that offers language classes for medical terminology? i will take one for spanish at my university, but they dont offer it for any others. that would be worth a summer semester somewhere maybe. or do they offer things like that in med school?

 

[Jeffy]

people have said that foreign languages can be a plus... how big of a plus may i ask?

i'm a language geek, ive studied french and spanish since i was little. in college ive been taking german, portuguese, and italian (only a couple of classes in the latter two, but the similarities with spanish have made them easier). french and spanish im quite proficient in, portuguese and italian have come easily because of my spanish but i have trouble with some vocabulary, and german is just plain fun. im not very good yet. and i know my alphabet in sign language, hah. i had actually not really thought about the importance of knowing the rest, but i think i'll have to sign up for a class or two one day.

anyway, i was kind of hoping the languages would maybe get me interviews at schools where id be otherwise borderline. dont know what those will be, im not to that point yet. and does anyone know of a school that offers language classes for medical terminology? i will take one for spanish at my university, but they dont offer it for any others. that would be worth a summer semester somewhere maybe. or do they offer things like that in med school?

Way to mask, "Yay me! I know lots of languages" into a legitimate post. 🙄