Foreign language proficiency + interview

[asama527]

On the AMCAS, you're requested to state the language with you speak proficiently. Other than English, has anyone has their foreign language ability "tested." If so, to what extent and at which schools?

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[medhopeful08]

i've never had my language profiency tested, but i have heard about another student whose interviewer conducted half the interview in spanish. the interviewer told her later that it was just to check if she was actually "fluent".

 

[asama527]

Yeah...thought so. My roommate had his entire interview at Johns Hopkins conducted in...of all languages...Russian. I guess it's not an exaggeration then.

 

[SonGoku]

I haven't had anything like that happen so far, but I have been asked how I learned Spanish and my experiences using it.

 

[musiclink213]

so wait a minute, do you have to have been tested in a language to be deemed proficient? i grew up speaking russian and english, but i never had to take a fluency test or anything. is it worth putting down that i speak russian?

 

[Megalofyia]

If you can speak it then put it down. I grew up with Spanish and English. I ended up taking a different language in school so I haven't been officially tested in Spanish. Oddly enough I didn't mark it down on my application. I don't know why, but at my interviews they seemed pleased when they found out I could in fact speak Spanish.

 

[mlw03]

considering what part of the country you're in, foreign language proficiency could be very useful. for example, i would imagine that a significant percentage of patient one would encounter during rotations at the university of miami would speak spanish-only, so that would be a useful skill to have. and would definately be something to get into the application.

 

[asama527]

If you grew up speaking the language, of course you should put it down. It's sometimes it's a tough call when you've taken a language in say, college for four years. You might be fluent in terms of reading and writing but speaking might be a little rusty because of lack of practical experience. On one hand it might be strange if you've taken Turkish for four years and aced all of the courses and then don't list it as a language you speak. On the other hand it would be awful if they tested you during the interview by asking a few questions and you couldn't answer. I think I'm more worried about having a large part of the interview conducted in a language other than English.

 

[sgilani]

hmmm i never thought about this one. i've taken spanish for 3 years in college and i read and write as well as many natives. it's the speaking that's the problem... all those damn tenses. i can usually understand spanish tv shows and people speaking, it's just harder to get yourself to speak as fast/perfectly. would i put down proficiency in spanish??

 

[Rendar5]

Most important language to know is Spanish, I'd say. And then, depending on your area, perhaps Cantonese.

 

[asama527]

I put down that I could speak Japanese and Russian even though for Russian, I'm in the same boat as you, sgilani. I can hold a decent conversation in either of these languages but in the case that the interviewer starts speaking the language, I'll answer a few questions and request, in the appropriate language, to switch back to English. I would consider myself fluent in both languages but if the interview breaks down into an interrogation on healthcare policy and ethics, that's where I'm going to run into a problem.

 

[asama527]

>>Most important language to know is Spanish, I'd say. And then, depending on your area, perhaps Cantonese.

Or Japanese if you happen to live in Hawai'i

 

[MeowMix]

I would not put down proficiency unless I could speak the language competently during my interview. You are much better off impressing the interviewer with your unadvertised language ability, than claiming proficiency and not delivering. Some of the Canadian universities are well known for testing their applicants' claims of proficiency in French; your rusty high school French might be impressive to you, but to a native speaker it will be ridiculous that you claimed proficiency.

 

[efex101]

I agree with Meowmix, if you put down that you are proficient then you better be ready to speak in Spanish during your interview. If you cannot talk fluently then no, you are not proficient IMHO. So beware because one of my interviewers and I did end up speaking in Spanish...

 

[lotanna]

Yeah I put down French because I lived in a french speaking country for a while growing up. Its kinda funny cause once one of my students at my job said she spoke french fluently so I started talking to her, and she was like "eehm hold up". I wasnt impressed, so careful making those claims. Its one thing to actually learn a language in a classroom, its another thing to speak it. My sister's friend cant fully grasp a conversation i'm having in french with my sister but she's "supposedly fluent".
I took AP French cause we kinda had to take it, graduated overseas, and so got credit for like 2 french college classes. I still wasnt impressed with the college french classes that my sister took. How u goin have a 300-400 level french class and folks cant even speak french in the class?

 

[Tezzie]

I did put it down as well. I on the other hand though DO have proficiency certifications in a foreign language from foreign institutions. Eg i took an exam while in Europe from the Goethe Institut.

But yes. If you put something down be prepared ...