Hello SDN. BTW how should I spend my summer?

[yomaxpower]

Hello guys. This is my first post, so I guess the polite thing to do is introduce myself.

I am a sophomore undergraduate student studying premed and something-engineering at a small engineering school. I think medicine is the most mind-blowing subject ever and I am working very hard in hopes that I can go to medical school when I graduate. I am the typical middle class white guy. When I am not in the library I like to longboard, or fight gravity with my bicycle.

Over the past few years I have read the occasional post on the SDN forums and a handful of SDN articles. There are no premed advisors at my college so I rely on a few doctors and medical students for advice instead. There are not very many premed students at my college either. Often I am frustrated because I have few peers to share the camaraderie that is the premed life, nor do I have an official premed advisor. To alleviate some of these frustrations I have decided to join the SDN forums to meet other premed students, get premed advice, and talk to people about medicine.

On that note I was wondering if anyone had an opinion on the following dilemma I am facing.

I was planning on spending the summer studying Spanish somewhere south of the border. Immersion in Spanish culture has always provided me with motivation to pursue medicine. Helping people, voluntary work, and all that stuff motivates me to study harder. Last summer I worked for a Dermatologist who is an associate professor at the Local Medical School and apparently he has numerous good connections. After a few months of research he told me in private, "MaxPower I think you are a hard worker, I like who you are and think that you would be perfect for medicine. If you stick by me you will go far..." Anyways I received a phone call this morning and he offered me a position in his lab for this summer.

I am faced with a dilemma. I really want to learn Spanish, but find it impossible to learn in America. I studied the language from fourth grade to ninth grade before realizing the only way to learn more would be to travel to a Spanish speaking country. This summer is the only opportunity I have to learn, before applying to medical school. But if I go and learn Spanish, then I will miss out on this research opportunity and could possibly burn a very important bridge. Looking down the road, when I apply to medical school, what will make me a stronger candidate for admission: Spanish proficiency or middle authorship on a Dermatology paper?

-Max

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[Bluntman]

Hello guys. This is my first post, so I guess the polite thing to do is introduce myself.

I am a sophomore undergraduate student studying premed and something-engineering at a small engineering school. I think medicine is the most mind-blowing subject ever and I am working very hard in hopes that I can go to medical school when I graduate. I am the typical middle class white guy. When I am not in the library I like to longboard, or fight gravity with my bicycle.

Over the past few years I have read the occasional post on the SDN forums and a handful of SDN articles. There are no premed advisors at my college so I rely on a few doctors and medical students for advice instead. There are not very many premed students at my college either. Often I am frustrated because I have few peers to share the camaraderie that is the premed life, nor do I have an official premed advisor. To alleviate some of these frustrations I have decided to join the SDN forums to meet other premed students, get premed advice, and talk to people about medicine.

On that note I was wondering if anyone had an opinion on the following dilemma I am facing.

I was planning on spending the summer studying Spanish somewhere south of the border. Immersion in Spanish culture has always provided me with motivation to pursue medicine. Helping people, voluntary work, and all that stuff motivates me to study harder. Last summer I worked for a Dermatologist who is an associate professor at the Local Medical School and apparently he has numerous good connections. After a few months of research he told me in private, "MaxPower I think you are a hard worker, I like who you are and think that you would be perfect for medicine. If you stick by me you will go far..." Anyways I received a phone call this morning and he offered me a position in his lab for this summer.

I am faced with a dilemma. I really want to learn Spanish, but find it impossible to learn in America. I studied the language from fourth grade to ninth grade before realizing the only way to learn more would be to travel to a Spanish speaking country. This summer is the only opportunity I have to learn, before applying to medical school. But if I go and learn Spanish, then I will miss out on this research opportunity and could possibly burn a very important bridge. Looking down the road, when I apply to medical school, what will make me a stronger candidate for admission: Spanish proficiency or middle authorship on a Dermatology paper?

-Max

I'd go with the research as the main thing during the summer and then try to find a shorter trip to Latin America that you could schedule in over a couple weeks either at the start/end of summer. I've heard of people doing these trips for as short as 2 weeks. Definitely tho, the opportunity you have with the lab, and the relationship you have with that doc/professor is something you want to keep.

 

[LizzyM]

Do the research. You can go abroad and brush up on your Spanish the summer before you start medical school. The research opportunity will open doors like nothing else can.

 

[Hope2010]

... Looking down the road, when I apply to medical school, what will make me a stronger candidate for admission: Spanish proficiency or middle authorship on a Dermatology paper?

I would lean toward the research option, too, especially if it leads to publication and a strong letter of recommendation.
If you have a particular interest in international health and the Spanish language, many medical schools have programs that will enable you to spend time pursuing that vein while you are a student (summers, 4th year elective, trips with student clubs, etc).