How beneficial is being bilingual (English/Spanish)?

[xnfs93hy]

I'm an engineering major right now, but I'm also thinking of taking some more time to complete a second degree in Spanish. I have a pretty strong interest in the subject and I am definitely going to go for it (but I'll have to see how things go over the course of this year). My question is: As a physician/surgeon (my intent), how beneficial would it be to know spanish at an undergraduate level (have a B.S. in Spanish)? I do not plan on attaining a graduate level degree in Spanish (engineering, maybe). I know as an engineering student that knowing a second language (especially Spanish) does give a job applicant a BIT of an edge. Would this also be the case in medical school admissions? I'm not getting my hopes up about impression admissions committees, but will it look nice to have in my file? Basically, will it help me AT ALL? Hispanics will one day cease to be a minority in this country. Knowing a second language can only help me, regardless of how much of an edge, if any, I receive. I appreciate any and all advice you can give me. Thanks in advance.

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[LizzyM]

Fluency in Spanish, . B.A. in Spanish,


At some point, academic Spanish will involve reading novels, writing compositions, etc. Very low yield (what you get out for the time you put in) for a future surgeon expecting to deal with Spanish speaking patients.

Learn your Spanish and try to get into an immersion situation where you can learn medical Spanish (the body parts, frequently used words such as wound, fever, scar, etc). Get comfortable enough with spoken Spanish that you dream in Spanish.

 

[whiteshadodw]

I'm an engineering major right now, but I'm also thinking of taking some more time to complete a second degree in Spanish. I have a pretty strong interest in the subject and I am definitely going to go for it (but I'll have to see how things go over the course of this year). My question is: As a physician/surgeon (my intent), how beneficial would it be to know spanish at an undergraduate level (have a B.S. in Spanish)? I do not plan on attaining a graduate level degree in Spanish (engineering, maybe). I know as an engineering student that knowing a second language (especially Spanish) does give a job applicant a BIT of an edge. Would this also be the case in medical school admissions? I'm not getting my hopes up about impression admissions committees, but will it look nice to have in my file? Basically, will it help me AT ALL? Hispanics will one day cease to be a minority in this country. Knowing a second language can only help me, regardless of how much of an edge, if any, I receive. I appreciate any and all advice you can give me. Thanks in advance.

i think you answered your own question. but seriously, look at some of the admissions websites, especially west coast schools. speaking spanish is a pretty big plus. in fact, i think UCLA STRONGLY recommends it, as do some other schools.

 

[apumic]

Lizzy's right. Speaking Spanish will be a plus. When I interviewed in psych, I think almost every interviewer brought up my Spanish fluency and how it would be helpful in clinicals and how much they "needed" somebody to work with their Spanish-speaking patients.

Academic Spanish, however, is going to be pretty low-yield beyond the 200-level. I'd suggest taking through 2nd semester intermediate Spanish and then going down to Mexico and doing an immersion program there. There is also a great immersion program in San Diego (12-month intensive... I don't know the details but the students I've met who did it went from 0 to [Spanish] hero in about a year flat). The immersion is what matters, although reading novels on your own and watching novelas (Spanish soaps) would be helpful both in advancing your language skills and understanding the culture. You should, however, focus on conversational Spanish first once you have learned the basic grammatical structures, etc. (The basic framework is important to "hang" your conversational learning on. The best programs are immersion programs where you take a few hours of Spanish each day and then just live in the country at the same time as this integrates your learning in such a way that what you learn in class helps you to break down the complexities of what you're hearing and basically guides your learning.)

 

[FloatOn]

Learn your Spanish and try to get into an immersion situation where you can learn medical Spanish (the body parts, frequently used words such as wound, fever, scar, etc). Get comfortable enough with spoken Spanish that you dream in Spanish.

To add on to the good advice above and the posters below...I know someone who works as a Spanish translator at the hospital near her school. I'm not sure if this is (usually) a paid position, but it's worth volunteering for anyway. Maybe check into this for "immersion" experience.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

being bi-lingual overall has major plus's
1. you can say come to me i speak spanish and english... boom more patients.. more profit
2. your able to work in a lot of countries where spanish is the main lang.
3. it possiblily/maybe might give you a edge in getting into med school..( just a opinion dont quote me )

 

[KidDr]

The ability to speak Spanish is a HUGE asset in the medical field.
As a 3rd/4th year med student, your (non Spanish-speaking) residents will love you because there will be endless opportunities for you to make their lives easier. As a resident, you'll save precious time because you won't have to call/wait for interpreters.

In terms of helping with med school admissions, it definitely won't hurt, and all other things being equal, fluency in Spanish may be the thing that leads to the admissions committee picking you over someone else.

Like others have said, though, do it right. Take enough college classes to learn vocabulary and grammar, then do an immersion program (preferably a semester or year abroad) and get as close to fluent as you can. There's nothing wrong with getting a B.S. or B.A. in Spanish, if you have the time; if your time is limited, study abroad programs or immersion programs are probably a better way to go.

Probably my #1 regret from my high school/college years (back when I had the time...) is that I didn't learn Spanish. I work in the ER now and I typically have at least 2-3 Spanish-speaking only patients each shift (and often many more). We have great interpreters about 16 hours a day--but usually only 1 for the whole department, so we can end up waiting awhile for the interpreter to be available. During the other hours we use phone or computer interpreters, both of which I hate.

Everything is easier when you can communicate directly with your patients, and in many locations in the U.S., Spanish is the most common non-English language spoken--so I can't overstate the benefits of becoming fluent in Spanish!

 

[nickmx50]

OP I see the longhorn avatar. If you live in Texas or plan on going there it's almost essential. I took three years of Japanese in high school, that has proved totally worthless so far. I lived in Arizona for 5 years, how I wish I would have taken Spanish. Seriously even now, living in Oregon, I could use Spanish all the time. Not including my 1 day a week volunteering in the E.D. I'm really targeting the Texas schools and now trying to learn all the Spanish or Spanglish I can. I think it's a huge advantage no matter what you do.

 

[hasp]

I'm an engineering major right now, but I'm also thinking of taking some more time to complete a second degree in Spanish. I have a pretty strong interest in the subject and I am definitely going to go for it (but I'll have to see how things go over the course of this year). My question is: As a physician/surgeon (my intent), how beneficial would it be to know spanish at an undergraduate level (have a B.S. in Spanish)? I do not plan on attaining a graduate level degree in Spanish (engineering, maybe). I know as an engineering student that knowing a second language (especially Spanish) does give a job applicant a BIT of an edge. Would this also be the case in medical school admissions? I'm not getting my hopes up about impression admissions committees, but will it look nice to have in my file? Basically, will it help me AT ALL? Hispanics will one day cease to be a minority in this country. Knowing a second language can only help me, regardless of how much of an edge, if any, I receive. I appreciate any and all advice you can give me. Thanks in advance.

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]When I came to Honduras 15 years ago it was not my intention to work in healthcare but there was such a need at the Community Clinic on the island that I now call home that it was hard not to volunteer. Where I settled was in Utila in the Islas de la Bahia (Bay Islands) and at that time all the healthcare care needs were in the hands of one Practical Nurse..


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]The Utila Community Clinic, like all of Honduras has definitely changed since then. At that time I could get by with very basic Spanish skills. Because of the ingression of Hondurans (especially after Hurricane Mitch) it is now not possible to work effectively without fluent Spanish..


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Also having learned Spanish has allowed me to volunteer in many areas of Honduras with Medical Brigades, at NGO clinics and even to obtain work on projects with the WHO/PAHO in Honduras and Costa Rica..


[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]For me there is nothing as effective as living in the environment be it as a home-stay or with a program that focuses on teaching Medical Spanish. Your level of interaction and satisfaction in dealing competently with Latino patients and their families is the reward for the time and expense of spending time in a Spanish healthcare setting..

 

[hasp]

Fluency in Spanish, . B.A. in Spanish,


At some point, academic Spanish will involve reading novels, writing compositions, etc. Very low yield (what you get out for the time you put in) for a future surgeon expecting to deal with Spanish speaking patients.

Learn your Spanish and try to get into an immersion situation where you can learn medical Spanish (the body parts, frequently used words such as wound, fever, scar, etc). Get comfortable enough with spoken Spanish that you dream in Spanish.

Took me 6 years and lots of failed attempts at Spanish to get the Latino dreams, found lots of sites that were useful to download English/Spanish lists to make my personal cheat sheets- they really do help.

 

[hasp]

Lizzy's right. Speaking Spanish will be a plus. When I interviewed in psych, I think almost every interviewer brought up my Spanish fluency and how it would be helpful in clinicals and how much they "needed" somebody to work with their Spanish-speaking patients.

Academic Spanish, however, is going to be pretty low-yield beyond the 200-level. I'd suggest taking through 2nd semester intermediate Spanish and then going down to Mexico and doing an immersion program there. There is also a great immersion program in San Diego (12-month intensive... I don't know the details but the students I've met who did it went from 0 to [Spanish] hero in about a year flat). The immersion is what matters, although reading novels on your own and watching novelas (Spanish soaps) would be helpful both in advancing your language skills and understanding the culture. You should, however, focus on conversational Spanish first once you have learned the basic grammatical structures, etc. (The basic framework is important to "hang" your conversational learning on. The best programs are immersion programs where you take a few hours of Spanish each day and then just live in the country at the same time as this integrates your learning in such a way that what you learn in class helps you to break down the complexities of what you're hearing and basically guides your learning.)

apumic, That is a great answer, only by living in a Spanish environment can you tune in your ears and brain to the nuances of the language & culture.

 

[Shoushu]

Probably my #1 regret from my high school/college years (back when I had the time...) is that I didn't learn Spanish.

I used to be somewhat fluent in Spanish, but 4 years of not speaking it has lowered my level to merely semi-fluent or barely proficient. I did 4 years of spanish at my H.S. in Arizona. I could hold 30-min long conversations with my Mexican friends and even a real Spaniard.

But sadly, I didn't continue at college. I didn't have the time either, with work/jobs, rigorous school, etc etc, see http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=697687 for details and what wrong turns I made. So I took the easy way on my college's foreign-lang requirement. I passed a Mandarin-proficiency test (I'm Chinese, and fluent in some dialects).

I wish I can say I'm trilingual, which may impress a few AdComs, but if they speak Spanish to me, my jig'd be up. I hope to pick it up again, Medical Spanish. ..

 

[Morsetlis]

Spanish is marginally interesting in the application. Having an experience involving Spanish or being a URM would be better.

 

[xnfs93hy]

Spanish is marginally interesting in the application. Having an experience involving Spanish or being a URM would be better.

Such as?

 

[randombetch]

Lizzy's right. Speaking Spanish will be a plus. When I interviewed in psych, I think almost every interviewer brought up my Spanish fluency and how it would be helpful in clinicals and how much they "needed" somebody to work with their Spanish-speaking patients.

Academic Spanish, however, is going to be pretty low-yield beyond the 200-level. I'd suggest taking through 2nd semester intermediate Spanish and then going down to Mexico and doing an immersion program there. There is also a great immersion program in San Diego (12-month intensive... I don't know the details but the students I've met who did it went from 0 to [Spanish] hero in about a year flat). The immersion is what matters, although reading novels on your own and watching novelas (Spanish soaps) would be helpful both in advancing your language skills and understanding the culture. You should, however, focus on conversational Spanish first once you have learned the basic grammatical structures, etc. (The basic framework is important to "hang" your conversational learning on. The best programs are immersion programs where you take a few hours of Spanish each day and then just live in the country at the same time as this integrates your learning in such a way that what you learn in class helps you to break down the complexities of what you're hearing and basically guides your learning.)

LOL, 0 to Spanish hero.

This post was exactly what I was looking for (wasn't sure what level of Spanish to take in school until I'd be ready to get immersed).

I did 3 years of Spanish in high school (I skipped a year and ended in AP Spanish, which I sucked at but managed to do okay in), and it's been about 3 years since I touched Spanish at all. I think I'm going to try to enroll in a second semester intermediate Spanish class this summer and try to get my proficiency back. Not sure when I'll have the time to do the immersion program, but I'll definitely try...

My top choice school is UCLA, and I've heard being able to speak Spanish is so important there that it'll be a minus if you don't know Spanish (instead of knowing Spanish being a plus).

 

[LizzyM]

Such as?

An experience in Spanish woudl be something like working or voluntering abroad for three months or more without an interpreter (i.e. fluent enough not to need one).

 

[Morsetlis]

An experience in Spanish woudl be something like working or voluntering abroad for three months or more without an interpreter (i.e. fluent enough not to need one).

Exactly. Something outside of the classroom.

 

[apumic]

Exactly. Something outside of the classroom.

You could also get this in the U.S. (much less expensively) by working in a Spanish-speaking area. Inner-city LA or anywhere near the Mexican border would be good places for this. Even working in a restaurant can, to a more limited extent, give you this experience. Obviously, though, working/volunteering abroad (Spanish-speaking country) > U.S. Spanish language/culture experience (e.g., working inner-city Spanish-speaking area) > working in a business setting (in the middle of white suburbia) w/ Spanish-speaking coworkers.

 

[Kalyx]

How do you define "fluency in Spanish?"


I ask because I would consider myself "proficient" in Spanish and thus am hesitant to check off "Spanish" on the AMCAS app, yet many have called me "fluent." I guess I have somewhat strict standards: I consider fluency to be almost on par with the speed, vocabulary, and knowledge of idiomatic phrases of a native speaker.

But, I've definitely observed many Mexican-American friends officially checking the bilingual box or indicating Spanish as a second language when I can speak better than them!

I went through the 300-level in university and studied abroad in Cuba.


Am I being hard on myself?


If I were asked a question in Spanish during an interview, honestly I'd get excited! I would feel comfortable talking about pretty much anything except the intricacies of healthcare reform (I guess if someone asked me a question on healthcare policy in Spanish, I'd respond long enough to demonstrate my proficiency then request that we switch back to English).


~Kalyx

 

[apumic]

How do you define "fluency in Spanish?"


I ask because I would consider myself "proficient" in Spanish and thus am hesitant to check off "Spanish" on the AMCAS app, yet many have called me "fluent." I guess I have somewhat strict standards: I consider fluency to be almost on par with the speed, vocabulary, and knowledge of idiomatic phrases of a native speaker.

But, I've definitely observed many Mexican-American friends officially checking the bilingual box or indicating Spanish as a second language when I can speak better than them!

I went through the 300-level in university and studied abroad in Cuba.


Am I being hard on myself?


If I were asked a question in Spanish during an interview, honestly I'd get excited! I would feel comfortable talking about pretty much anything except the intricacies of healthcare reform (I guess if someone asked me a question on healthcare policy in Spanish, I'd respond long enough to demonstrate my proficiency then request that we switch back to English).


~Kalyx

There are varying degrees of fluency so what you just asked is impossible to answer. However, if you are able to hold your own confidently (and accurately) enough to do an interview comfortably in Spanish and also are able to read and write in the language, I'd say you can safely call yourself "fluent." If you are able to blend into the country and, after speaking with you for a significant period of time in multiple settings, natives [still] think you are from there (until you say you are from the States) or are unsure whether you are from there or not and can also read and write in the language at the same level, then you can probably call yourself "like-native" or "near-native fluency." If, OTOH, you can only hold a decent conversation or understand but do not read and write the language (but do speak the language conversationally), you might describe yourself as "conversationally fluent."

I have noticed that Spanish-speaking Americans (native Spanish speakers living here) have a much lower standard for what is "fluent." Most people I've known out here who speak Spanish natively and have talked w/ me in Spanish estimate my fluency at 85-95% (of native). OTOH, my closest friends from studying abroad (native speakers in Latin America) would estimate it closer to 70%. Considering that 85+% is near-native and 70% is about where an adult language learner maxes out on fluency (according to some research), this is a pretty big difference. Obviously, the people living in a Spanish-speaking country have a bit of a different standard.

As for what to put on AMCAS... I will probably mark myself as speaking Spanish fluently as I have done interpreting in a few clinical settings and am able to do it successfully (although I have definitely gotten my butt kicked a few times as well, haha). I think as long as you are honest with yourself and others about your ability level it's probably fine. Don't sell yourself as native and you should be okay.

 

[randombetch]

How do you define "fluency in Spanish?"


I ask because I would consider myself "proficient" in Spanish and thus am hesitant to check off "Spanish" on the AMCAS app, yet many have called me "fluent." I guess I have somewhat strict standards: I consider fluency to be almost on par with the speed, vocabulary, and knowledge of idiomatic phrases of a native speaker.

But, I've definitely observed many Mexican-American friends officially checking the bilingual box or indicating Spanish as a second language when I can speak better than them!

I went through the 300-level in university and studied abroad in Cuba.


Am I being hard on myself?


If I were asked a question in Spanish during an interview, honestly I'd get excited! I would feel comfortable talking about pretty much anything except the intricacies of healthcare reform (I guess if someone asked me a question on healthcare policy in Spanish, I'd respond long enough to demonstrate my proficiency then request that we switch back to English).


~Kalyx

Definitely check the damn box!

 

[bannie22]

Spanish is definitely the most valuable language in the states after English.

Unfortunately the languages I speak arent as sought after. perhaps I should stay in Canada