Does Spanish Help for Admissions

[DeePhil]

I see that a lot of school "recommend" Spanish, right alongside statistics and genetics. I need to fulfill a language requirement at my school anyway, so should I start learning Spanish? It would be four semesters of Spanish classes at least. In comparison, I could take one upper level french class and be done, and study lots of random subjects for fun. However, the idea of learning Spanish does sound fun, and I would almost feel guilty becoming a doctor in the USA and not knowing any Spanish, you know?

Does anyone know if the admissions officers give brownie points for learning Spanish?

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[DokterMom]

In areas of the country where a large proportion of the population speaks Spanish, then yes - but just a few.

 

[numbersloth]

I'll probably be focusing my school search in the south (I really hate winter)--Texas, Georgia, Florida, Arizona, California. Would it be super helpful for these schools?

 

[cactus8910]

Don't think about it in terms of brownie points for med school admissions. 4 semesters is a lot of work for what would be at most a minuscule advantage. If you're interested in learning Spanish, do it because it would allow you to work with Spanish-speaking populations without a translator. If you're interested in living in the south post-med school, this will be very helpful.

Also, just a heads up about med schools in Texas: most use a separate application system (TMDSAS) and heavily favor Texas residents.

 

[DrHart]

I agree with cactus. I'd like to think that it gives you a little more than a minuscule advantage (probably because I'm a spanish minor and I've been taking spanish for 7 some years) but in reality it may not give you much help. I will say from personal experience that there are other cities in the midwest and east coast that have a prominent Hispanic population. So if you're serious about learning it, the yankee folk appreciate it too!

 

[gyngyn]

Language skills are always a plus.
The big pay-off for fluent Spanish speakers is after matriculation, though.
A swift accurate history will put you light years ahead in efficiency and thus make you a more valuable team member.

Taking Spanish, good. Using Spanish, excellent!

 

[numbersloth]

So, if I took three years of spanish in college, it would be helpful? I'm willing to put in the work, I just also want to know whether I'll ever actually be able to use my knowledge.

I'm also from New York, so looking at somewhere like SUNY-Stony Brook, I know there is a large spanish speaking population so it seems like it would be rewarding.

 

[gyngyn]

So, if I took three years of spanish in college, it would be helpful? I'm willing to put in the work, I just also want to know whether I'll ever actually be able to use my knowledge.

I'm also from New York, so looking at somewhere like SUNY-Stony Brook, I know there is a large spanish speaking population so it seems like it would be rewarding.

I have found Spanish-speaking patients to be particularly warm and understanding toward doctors in training.

 

[sliceofbread136]

So, if I took three years of spanish in college, it would be helpful? I'm willing to put in the work, I just also want to know whether I'll ever actually be able to use my knowledge.

I'm also from New York, so looking at somewhere like SUNY-Stony Brook, I know there is a large spanish speaking population so it seems like it would be rewarding.

Yes! If you practice in an area with alot of hispanic people it is IMMENSELY useful. I feel like half the patients at my school's hospital do not speak english at all!

 

[DokterMom]

Don't think about it in terms of brownie points for med school admissions. 4 semesters is a lot of work for what would be at most a minuscule advantage. If you're interested in learning Spanish, do it because it would allow you to work with Spanish-speaking populations without a translator. If you're interested in living in the south post-med school, this will be very helpful.

Also, just a heads up about med schools in Texas: most use a separate application system (TMDSAS) and heavily favor Texas residents.

Yup --

 

[numbersloth]

So Texas schools favor Texas residents, but what about Florida, Georgia, California, Oregon, Arizona, etc.? Basically my only criteria is warmth and not rural, but its too early in the game to really be thinking about medical schools for me, I just know that my hatred of cold won't go away haha

 

[gyngyn]

So Texas schools favor Texas residents, but what about Florida, Georgia, California, Oregon, Arizona, etc.? Basically my only criteria is warmth and not rural, but its too early in the game to really be thinking about medical schools for me, I just know that my hatred of cold won't go away haha

More CA residents have to leave their home to attend medical school than any other state! Even with no IS preference (except for UCR, and to some extent, UCD), CA is an extraordinarily hard nut to crack.
OHSU is famously IS-centric.
Both AZ and FL have new schools that will consider OOS applicants, though.

 

[Catalystik]

So, if I took three years of spanish in college, it would be helpful? I'm willing to put in the work, I just also want to know whether I'll ever actually be able to use my knowledge.

I'd be more impressed if you were to demonstrate fluency by using your Spanish profitably during one of the activities described in your EC section.

 

[Satire5Texul]

@DeePhil Really glad you asked this question. Because I always thought it gave you a huge advantage. Was even afraid that if you said you spoke spanish with moderate fluency during an interview, the rest of it would be conducted in that language

Nice that Adcoms put it in perspective.

 

[Goro]

Si.

I see that a lot of school "recommend" Spanish, right alongside statistics and genetics. I need to fulfill a language requirement at my school anyway, so should I start learning Spanish? It would be four semesters of Spanish classes at least. In comparison, I could take one upper level french class and be done, and study lots of random subjects for fun. However, the idea of learning Spanish does sound fun, and I would almost feel guilty becoming a doctor in the USA and not knowing any Spanish, you know?

Does anyone know if the admissions officers give brownie points for learning Spanish?

 

[WingedOx]

Spanish is always good... though especially good when applying to residency.

If you've got a more obscure language, you can potentially make programs in certain cities very happy. (Bosnian in St. Louis, Polish in Chicago, Arabic in Detroit, Vietnamese in a number of places)

 

[Keladry]

@DeePhil Really glad you asked this question. Because I always thought it gave you a huge advantage. Was even afraid that if you said you spoke spanish with moderate fluency during an interview, the rest of it would be conducted in that language

Nice that Adcoms put it in perspective.

Definitely don't exaggerate the level that you know it - I put that I speak Spanish with high proficiency (or whatever the next-to-fluent option was on AMCAS), and did have one interview conducted half in Spanish. 😛 (Good thing I do speak it!)

 

[KillaKitteh]

I would like to think my Spanish degree helped me, so yes. It certainly made me different from other applicants.

 

[Catalystik]

@DeePhil afraid that if you said you spoke spanish with moderate fluency during an interview, the rest of it would be conducted in that language

It happens, depending on the interviewer.

 

[NeuResurgens]

Spanish is great for medicine. Even in my area (not a typical Spanish speaker-dense population center) I run into Spanish speaking patients every shift. Even for the ones who know some english, spending a little Spanish with them makes them feel so much happier.

 

[theriomorphos]

.

 

[MiaMia14]

Being a Spanish major in college was probably the best thing I ever did for myself (and for a lot of my future patients!!) I used it a lot in ECs like interpreting at a free clinic/tutoring and teaching a college level conversation class and it came up in every interview I had for med school and was a focus of almost every interview I had for residency. As someone with really average numbers during both processes I think it was a huge advantage. I'm not sure how much just taking a few classes would be in terms of admissions but clinically really any little bit helps. I can't tell you how many times I was running from room to room during rotations helping people translate and it got me in to a few really cool things I probably otherwise wouldn't have seen.

 

[SCooFS]

I speak Spanish fluently and have a degree in Spanish. But I don't expect that alone to impress interviewers. I have volunteered in the Latino community as a translator for years. I care a lot about Mexican Americans in particular. I have loved this degree and I think it has helped me be diverse even though I'm not URM. So... Use the Spanish now and it will be more impressive

 

[MrLogan13]

I'll probably be focusing my school search in the south (I really hate winter)--Texas, Georgia, Florida, Arizona, California. Would it be super helpful for these schools?

Texas, Arizona and California? Yes, absolutely useful.

 

[TheRhymenocerous]

How do you assess your own Spanish proficiency? My Spanish is pretty good, but I don't want to over- or under-sell myself.

 

[SCooFS]

If you have just taken a few classes, beginner. If you have taken many courses in which the clad is entirely in Spanish, intermediate. If you can say and understand everything (literally everything) you are advanced. If when you speak to people for a long period of time and they cannot tell that spanish is your second language, you are considered native. Most people grossly overestimate they're abilities. Most people who think they know a lot of Spanish fall into the intermediate mid to intermediate high. It is rare for people with out extensive second language speaking experience to break into advanced.

 

[TheRhymenocerous]

If you have just taken a few classes, beginner. If you have taken many courses in which the clad is entirely in Spanish, intermediate. If you can say and understand everything (literally everything) you are advanced. If when you speak to people for a long period of time and they cannot tell that spanish is your second language, you are considered native. Most people grossly overestimate they're abilities. Most people who think they know a lot of Spanish fall into the intermediate mid to intermediate high. It is rare for people with out extensive second language speaking experience to break into advanced.

That all makes sense. I just don't really get AMCAS classifications – they have "functionally native" as well as "advanced," so I don't really know what advanced means.

 

[SCooFS]

Yeah that "functionally" part makes it confusing. I will tell you that you aren't functionally native unless you have had lots of practice. And I mean talking to natives daily for at least several months if not much longer

 

[Keladry]

That all makes sense. I just don't really get AMCAS classifications – they have "functionally native" as well as "advanced," so I don't really know what advanced means.

"Functionally native" means it's not actually your first language, but you speak it as if it were, and no one can tell the difference. "Advanced" means you speak it fluently (i.e. can understand everything and express yourself how you want to), but people may be able to tell you're not a native speaker. I classified myself as "advanced" - people can usually guess I'm not a native speaker (although sometimes they do think I'm a native speaker, just from a different country!), but I'm otherwise fully fluent. Don't say you're "functionally native" unless you REALLY are.

 

[SCooFS]

"Functionally native" means it's not actually your first language, but you speak it as if it were, and no one can tell the difference. "Advanced" means you speak it fluently (i.e. can understand everything and express yourself how you want to), but people may be able to tell you're not a native speaker. I classified myself as "advanced" - people can usually guess I'm not a native speaker (although sometimes they do think I'm a native speaker, just from a different country!), but I'm otherwise fully fluent. Don't say you're "functionally native" unless you REALLY are.

Exactly right. I only classified myself as advanced and I lived in Mexico for two years and have finished a four year spanish degree. I can say and understand everything I need to but in a long conversation, at some point, it is clear that I'm not a native.

 

[SCooFS]

@Keladry sometimes I think I should put native just because I know there are so many that put advanced they really are not. What about you?

 

[TheRhymenocerous]

@Keladry sometimes I think I should put native just because I know there are so many that put advanced they really are not. What about you?

I think you should. If you can say/understand everything, you are functionally a native speaker even if they can tell it's not your first language

 

[SCooFS]

I see what you mean and there is some ambiguity there for sure. The oral proficiency examination that is taken by every one who gets a degree or minor in Spanish would classify me as advanced, but I may move that up to functionally native just to separate myself from people who think they are advanced. Haven't decided yet

 

[alphamine]

Taking Spanish, good. Using Spanish, excellent!

^^This

 

[Keladry]

@Keladry sometimes I think I should put native just because I know there are so many that put advanced they really are not. What about you?

I never have. I'd rather be honest, and let them find out for themselves. I think that was the reason one of my interviewers started talking to me in Spanish - he wanted to make sure that I could speak as well as I said I did, because he's probably seen people claim to speak better than they can. I don't consider myself functionally native; I consider myself fluent, and I represented myself as such. It's up to the individual, obviously, but that's my take on things. It's not my job to define my language skills in terms of others (e.g. I speak better than most people who consider themselves "advanced," therefore I'm "functionally native"); it's my job to give an accurate picture of myself, and let interviewers/adcoms verify what I say if they choose.

(realized I should be using past tense, since I'm the other side of the application process, but was too lazy to switch 😛 )

 

[SCooFS]

Good answer. Probably best stay honest. I can let my experiences as degree speak for me.

 

[DeePhil]

Taking Spanish, good. Using Spanish, excellent!

So if I start taking spanish in college, do I at least make the impression that I am trying? I mean, I can't magically become fluent now, but if I go through three years of language training, I want it to pay off, both intellectually but also in the admissions process. Because I also love French and I'm already very good at French, so if I chose to study that it would take considerably less time and give me room for other "random" electives.

 

[gyngyn]

So if I start taking spanish in college, do I at least make the impression that I am trying? I mean, I can't magically become fluent now, but if I go through three years of language training, I want it to pay off, both intellectually but also in the admissions process. Because I also love French and I'm already very good at French, so if I chose to study that it would take considerably less time and give me room for other "random" electives.

All languages are valuable.
For medicine in the US, there is no second language more useful or relevant than Spanish.