Spanish MA or Double

[bkcrat]

Hello! I was wondering if any of you have input on what would be *most ascertainable* or most helpful for applying to med schools. I know majors don't really matter, but as a nervous undergrad, I don't really care if this post seems redundant. I love Spanish, short and simple, and it would be a really viable option for me to major in Spanish (minor in Chem for prereqs, possibly minor in TESL for linguistics interest) and to get accepted into my school's accelerated admissions as a senior and complete an MA in Romance Lang -- Spanish College Teaching in probably another year or so after graduation. This is a super appealing option simply because "¡Me encanta la Español!" and I would love to get a Ph.D. later on in life. The other option would be a double major with Chem or Religion. Both interest me, religion moreso, but Chemistry would probably more realistic in terms of graduating on time. That being said, would an MA in Spanish be an attractive component to my resume and med school apps, or should I just double major?

Muchas gracias,

Kelsey B.

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[Ismet]

Do whatever interests you more. The fact that you can speak Spanish is what will help you, especially for schools in areas with a large hispanic population. Doesn't really matter if you have a BA, BS, MA, or PhD in Spanish.

 

[eteshoe]

The Spanish option sounds interesting. If you can keep a competitive GPA (e.g. 3.7+), get a strong MCAT - I'd say that option certainly makes you a bit more interesting than the sea of bio majors applying. This isn't to say that you'll have an advantage over those applicants (at the end numbers matter), just that it would be interesting.

 

[LizzyM]

I have seen Spanish majors get admitted. On the other hand, keep in mind that Spanish majors take a load of literature courses .... take a look at the requirements for the degree at your school.

Also keep in mind that many students have their lowest science grades in the pre-reqs (o-chem and physics are usually the culprits) and the higher level courses required for majors/minors are boost their GPA and sGPA. It also makes it easier to get letters of recommendation from science instructors (you'll need 2, plus one non-science).

Finally, you'll need to plan well if you are going to manage to do some research (almost mandatory for admission to medical school) and do a semester abroad which is very helpful to language majors.

An MA or PhD in Spanish or some riff on languages would not help and might hurt as it could raise questions about whether you are really serious about medicine or are just bouncing around.