Foreign language

[nyprospect]

Assuming English is my Dominant language...

Is there one foreign language that looks better then others to med school?

Ex. Spanish vs French.

I am in NY and would probably apply to colleges in this area...

Thoughts? Thanks!

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[lord_jeebus]

No, but Spanish will be much more useful once you're in

 

[mrs.smith]

Spanish

 

[gotmeds?]

No, no, French. Especially with all the French immigrants and French underserved in New York. The med schools will love it.

 

[Bernie3144]

No, no, French. Especially with all the French immigrants and French underserved in New York. The med schools will love it.

 

[Felzor]

Probably depends on the rest of your focus. If you're into community work with immigrants, for example, Spanish makes some sense, doesn't it? If you plan on studying abroad in Western Africa and do some public health work there, French will be important. Just take something that fits within your overall plan.

 

[akinf]

No, no, French. Especially with all the French immigrants and French underserved in New York. The med schools will love it.

lol...funny...

 

[Wanna_B_Scutty]

Spanish, hands down.

Some of the Cali schools even ask if you've had it on their secondary applications.

 

[Critical Mass]

Medical Terminology--it's a foreign language to most of the med students I know.

Actually adcoms don't really care if you know any medical words. They think that you're beneath knowing any real medicine at that point.

The languages of underserved populations are significant if you are going to claim that you will treat such people.

 

[Raazak]

Unless you plan on practicing in west Africa, central Canada, or France.


Spanish.

 

[KeyzerSoze]

Unless you plan on practicing in west Africa, central Canada, or France.


Spanish.

They don't speak French in central Canada. Also, you forgot Tahiti.

 

[Kraazy]

Well, Spanish would be more useful is you want to be able to target the largest underserved populations possible. Or you could choose a "niche" underserved population that other pre-meds/ med students/ physicians aren't paying attention to, e.g. West African & Haitian immgirants.

Spanish is clearly more widely spoken in NYC, but French might make you stand out from the crowd, esp. if you find a way to use it in some sort of community service (tutoring immigrant children, adult ESL).

 

[nyprospect]

Thanks!

 

[smq123]

Thanks!

Don't worry too much about learning a foreign language. For some schools (i.e. San Antonio, California) it might be useful, but for many schools it's a nice "bonus," but not enough to really boost your application. Do you know how many people say that they can speak "some" Spanish or French on their application? Do you know how many people in my school were Spanish/linguistics majors/minors in undergrad?

Secondly, if you DO end up learning a language, when asked about it, be honest about your abilities. A lot of people in med school say that they speak Spanish well...and then, in front of a patient, really can't communicate effectively. It's quite frustrating at times.

 

[FemalesCANTDriv]

Take it from someone who speaks French... Spanish is MUCH better and adcoms don't seem to give a damn if you speak anything other than English, Spanish, or an Asian language (Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese, etc). Seriously, don't be dumb like me. Do Spanish!

 

[TheAmazingGOB]

Espanol (check that out!)

 

[Schaden Freud]

If only I could find this Hermano...

Espanol (check that out!)

 

[Pagz09]

why take the easy way out? take chinese, like me. useful, interesting and challenging to study, and there's a pretty big underserved population in major cities.

 

[ssquared]

If only I could find this Hermano...

But seriously, if you want to take a language, take Spanish. When I was shadowing some doctors in a pediatric specialty clinic a ton of the patients spoke Spanish, and this was in the suburbs. My French and Italian training are pretty much useless.

 

[acrunchyfrog]

Do you have one language or culture that you are more interested in than another? If so, learn the one that interests you the most. I know a couple guys who picked up at least a couple of different languages while in the service. They have both independently said that they still find ways to use the ones they like, and after leaving the service promptly stopped using the unfavored language.

The others who say that it won't help you too much are probably right. Do it for your own satisfaction.

 

[racerx]

Spanish, no doubt. Speaking of which. . .I wonder if the filters on SDN can pick up other-than-english naughty words.

Tu eres una puta madre!

 

[racerx]

Nope. Filters are english only.

 

[FemalesCANTDriv]

Suce ma bite!

 

[gotmeds?]

Spanish, no doubt. Speaking of which. . .I wonder if the filters on SDN can pick up other-than-english naughty words.

Tu es una puta madre!

Tu eres una puta madre.

Not that I'm saying you are, but if you're going to cuss in Spanish, at least get your grammar right.

 

[RAD11]

Definitely Spanish.

 

[PepperMD]

I vote Sanskrit.

 

[racerx]

Tu eres una puta madre.

Not that I'm saying you are, but if you're going to cuss in Spanish, at least get your grammar right.

Point taken. I almost came back and changed it, but was too lazy at the time. Of course, now I can find time and desire to respond in this post. . .go figure.

 

[JennyB]

Farsi is in pretty high demand now too.