Minor in a language

[cyclone92]

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Do I need to minor in a language to be considered capable of speaking the language by med schools? Im wondering if I take a few introductory courses to something like arabic or chinese, then can I say that I am fluent without officially minoring in the language?

Sorry if there have been threads like this before
thanks

 

[eablackwell]

Do I need to minor in a language to be considered capable of speaking the language by med schools? Im wondering if I take a few introductory courses to something like arabic or chinese, then can I say that I am fluent without officially minoring in the language?

Sorry if there have been threads like this before
thanks

Minoring in a language does not make one fluent. Neither does taking a few intro courses. Many people who major in a language are not 100% fluent.

I have a German degree, and I spent 2 years in Austria before I took classes. While I understand pretty much everything (I'm married to an Austrian also), I still feel like my grammar use when talking is really only so-so compared to native speakers.

God help you if you pretend to be fluent and they actually match you with someone that speaks the language. It's rare, but I've read a couple of accounts of it happening in interviews.

 

[Catalystik]

You do not need to minor in a language to claim you are fluent. If you want to learn a new one, taking some classes without a formal declaration is fine. But the average college student is far from fluent after taking a few college classes in a new language. Claiming fluency when it isn't true could backfire and hurt you, as schools are known to select interviewers who are fluent in a language to converse with you. Imagine, after a year of two of classes, being asked in Chinese or Arabic to discuss a complex medical ethics situation or to compare healthcare delivery in another country with the US.

 

[wanderer]

Do I need to minor in a language to be considered capable of speaking the language by med schools? Im wondering if I take a few introductory courses to something like arabic or chinese, then can I say that I am fluent without officially minoring in the language?

Sorry if there have been threads like this before
thanks

Pretty much impossible with most languages, especially Arabic.

 

[Barcu]

Heed these warnings.

I was in an interview yesterday, and my interviewer and I talked in Spanish for a bit.

I've majored in Spanish, been abroad, and I use Spanish everyday working at a low-income clinic. I still hesitate to call myself fluent because native speakers still know that I am a major gringo, even though I can communicate quite effectively. Even then, I still struggle at times.

A certain amount of formal education does not translate to fluency. It's really about your ability, which could come quickly or never develop based on the language and the time spent.

 

[RjDarkness]

i am majoring in a language and i am not fluent at all not even close either ha.