Language Requirement Situation

[vanillabear55]

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[ssahjm]

Do you have the option of taking the CLEP exam for Spanish at your school? It's similar to the AP tests, but it's available to students who are in college, and if you score well enough, you can use the test to count for foreign language credits/requirements.

 

[vanillabear55]

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[ssahjm]

I just checked my college's website, its says "Credit will not be awarded for CLEP exams taken in foreign language."
🙁

Bummer! Sorry to hear that.

I guess your language choice depends on your goals. Continuing your Spanish education would be wise if you plan on practicing in low-income clinics, urban areas, or southern states. There is a great need for Spanish-speaking physicians in these areas. Since you already have some background in the language, you may be able to include your proficiency in the language on your medical school applications when the time comes around.

However, taking a language like Swahili would certainly help you stand out. It would also be neat to do an international rotation in Africa when you are a med student, or maybe do some medical work abroad when you're a physician. If you do go the Swahili route, I would say do all 4 semesters in Swahili — I like the idea of becoming very skilled in one language rather than barely skimming the surface of several. But, that's just my personality. 🙂 Good luck!