Foreign Language Major / Sciences Minor(s)

[To be MD]

Hello everyone,

My problem is this: I've wanted to be a doctor for as long as I can remember, and my undergraduate major is still up in the air... The problem is I'm reaching the end of my sophomore year of college.

I was born in Italy, yet I do not fully know the language. I have done all my Pre-Med courses (Organic, Physics, etc.) and managed to keep a 3.9. However, on the side, I've been studying Italian.

My question is this:

Will I still be a competitive applicant for medical school as a foreign language major? And, will a Biology + Chemistry minor help immensely?







Thanks for looking!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Monocles]

As long as you take all the required pre-med classes, you should be good. There's nothing that says non-science majors are kept out of med schools. Some universities even like seeing a bit of academic diversity. However, taking higher level science classes to demonstrate your understanding is always a plus. 🙂

 

[blehm98]

foreign languages especially look pretty good, although spanish is really the most useful in this area. What admissions committees want is to see that you are not a robot, and being a cookie cutter bio major applicant really does not impress anyone. Some people distinguish themselves with research and volunteering, some ridiculous academic competence, and some with the ability to have a broad spectrum of interests and capabilities while still being good at what is necessary for doctoring. If you can do more than one of these then this is a good thing

 

[ungu]

I majored in a foreign language (not Spanish or one spoken in the US at all really) and minored in chemistry. The schools I interviewed at thought it added diversity and it definitely made me stand out. As long as you score high on your science classes, you're fine. Also it's slightly more difficult to do well on the MCATs without having taken so many science classes, but just study more. Good luck!

 

[Iapyx]

Certo! L'italiano e' un buonissimo major per la scuola di medicina. Si puo' studiare la lingua, si, ma anche la storia(roma, rinascimento), la filosofia, la letteratura( Dante), ecc, ecc. Anche, se ti piacerebbe lavorare a Chicago o New York puoi usare la lingua ogni giorno (forse). Penso che sia una idea meravigliosa, e so che la tua applicazione sara' molto unico con questo major.


In bocca al lupo!

 

[MossPoh]

I was a German Lit. and Information Sciences and Technology major. Those random things was what everyone talked about during my interviews. The only downside was that, while I was technically really close to a biology degree afterwards, I lacked that intensive science background that made first year materials a little easier for many people. I do feel it has helped a lot with my second year coursework though.

 

[Iapyx]

I was a German Lit. and Information Sciences and Technology major. Those random things was what everyone talked about during my interviews. The only downside was that, while I was technically really close to a biology degree afterwards, I lacked that intensive science background that made first year materials a little easier for many people. I do feel it has helped a lot with my second year coursework though.

The German Lit or the IT?

 

[Tappinfool66]

I literally JUST considered switching to a Spanish major with a bio minor a couple of hours ago. It's weird that this is the first thread I saw tonight. Maybe it's a sign...lol

But I agree with everything that's been said already. A language major should be fine if you've done well in the pre reqs, and it can even be a plus. Taking a couple of upper level science classes is always a good idea, but I wouldn't do it because you feel like you have to.

 

[organdonor]

I double majored in a language and biology while working 20 hrs/week. It is very doable if that is something you wish to consider as well.

To really be fluent in a language you will need to be immersed in it. Your foreign language professors will plead with you to go overseas but most of the time you don't have to. I didn't. There are also opportunities for immersion for many languages in the US (get an apartment and shop in the part of town where that language is predominantly spoken). For Italian I don't know if that is possible. At least there arent many opportunities in Southern Indiana haha. Your mileage may vary.

Keep in mind that many people major/minor in a lanugage in order to learn how to speak it. Well, after the first couple/few years you have been presented all the material and your language classes become literature classes. Consider this, people don't become English majors in order to learn English do they?

That said if you are going to take three years worth of a language you almost might as well get the major. It will improve your standings with medical schools. I'm not saying don't do it I'm just saying expect your last year or so to be literature classes.

 

[To be MD]

Thank you everyone so much. I've had a meeting with my adviser, and I think I'm on the right track now... at least to graduate on time.

And to Iapyx: Grazie mille e mi auguro che ci sia fare bene.

 

[Minh Pham]

Sorry for the post everyone!

 

[To be MD]

UPDATE: I was a competitive med school applicant, foreign language premeds of the world.

 

[Doctor-S]

I was born in Italy, yet I do not fully know the language. I have done all my Pre-Med courses (Organic, Physics, etc.) and managed to keep a 3.9. However, on the side, I've been studying Italian.

My question is this:

Will I still be a competitive applicant for medical school as a foreign language major? And, will a Biology + Chemistry minor help immensely?

You will be a competitive applicant for medical school (see below for more information).

You can enroll in additional science electives at your UG and/or declare a Bio+Chem minor if those subjects interest you.

Like any other pre-med student (of any major), you will be responsible for the following:

- Complete all Pre-Reqs with good GPA (and good MCAT),
- Obtain a Committee Letter (or get strong LORs from letter writers who know you well if your school does not have a committee),
- Prepare a strong Personal Statement,
- Participate in clinical and non-clinical ECs and remember that quality is more important than quantity (leadership/research/clinical experience/non-medical humanitarian, etc.),
- Submit strong Application Supplements,
- Demonstrate your determination and strong potential to succeed in medical school. Show motivation, purpose and passion.

 

[Astra]

You will be a competitive applicant for medical school (see below for more information).

You can enroll in additional science electives at your UG and/or declare a Bio+Chem minor if those subjects interest you.

Like any other pre-med student (of any major), you will be responsible for the following:

- Complete all Pre-Reqs with good GPA (and good MCAT),
- Obtain a Committee Letter (or get strong LORs from letter writers who know you well if your school does not have a committee),
- Prepare a strong Personal Statement,
- Participate in clinical and non-clinical ECs and remember that quality is more important than quantity (leadership/research/clinical experience/non-medical humanitarian, etc.),
- Submit strong Application Supplements,
- Demonstrate your determination and strong potential to succeed in medical school. Show motivation, purpose and passion.

Lol he already got into med school. See the post before yours

 

[Doctor-S]

Lol he already got into med school. See the post before yours

Sheesh! Remind me to look at the dates of posts in this forum. I thought this post was a recent post ... like today. Drats. 😀