Study abroad for a year?

[jacabo]

Hi, I have a question? I am currently abroad in Spain, and I would like to stay here for another semester. Are there any other premeds out there who have studied abroad for a year? If so, did it end up hurting or helping you in getting in med school. This is my junior year, and i have already taken the MCATs (34R). If I do stay abroad another semester, i would teach english here and do some volunteering. I think it may be beneficial to be abroad anothor semester, and become fluent in a second language. What do you guys think. Thanks

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[leorl]

I didn't take the MCAT before I left, so can't help you in that respect. Because of that, I'm not applying to US schools yet, but then again, I'm focusing more on going to an international school because i had such an AWESOME experience doing JYA, that I want to do it again and for a longer period of time. I want t either go back to the country I studied abroad at (Ireland) or go to Australia. As for staying abroad another semester for teaching and volunteering, I can't see how it could hurt you getting into med school. You're adding to your well-roundedness, plus helping out in a foreign country, plus being fluent in Spanish would defintely be a great asset.

Glad you're finding your year very rewarding, being abroad was the best thing I've ever done in my life, so can't wait to get out there again. Tan on the beaches of Malaga for me .

 

[ccryder]

I don't see how the actual act of studying abroad for another semester could hurt you, it could only help--especially if you throw some volunteer work and improved language skills in the equation. However, if by staying in Spain you sacrifice another portion of you application (i.e., grades, classes taken, etc.) that might end up hurting you. But remember, applying to medical school is a crap shoot anyway. Do what you want to do and you'll have a much easier time selling yourself to others, namely adcoms.

 

[Karianne]

Definitely stay the extra time abroad. I studied in England for a full academic year and so far my interviewers have been interested and excited about the time I spent abroad. It helps in showing them that you are flexible and ready to adapt to new situations. Interviewers often ask about your willingness to move to the area that their school is (even if you have no family there). Living abroad is a great way to show how ready you are. I stressed about studying abroad a bit too. I took my MCAT's before I left and there has been absolutely no problems with anything. The biggest hang up you might have is the delay in grade processing from foreign universities (if that's what you're doing), but the med schools were really understanding.
Have fun in Spain,
Kari

 

[jdub]

como esta tu espanol? yo estaba en ecuador por un ano academico (ocho meses) y todos de los adcoms con quienes he hablado me han dicho que el tiempo fuera de los estados unidos es algo beneficial y importante y interesante.

pienso que tu marca de 34r en el mcat es muy bueno y si tus notas son buenas vas a tener buena suerte con el proceso.

tiendras que estudiar mas tiempo en tu undergrad cuando regresaras? cuando yo fui a ecuador ya no necesite mas credito y por eso fue mas de una vacacion para yo, la unica cosa dificil es que tal vez necesitaras mas tiempo para graduarte antes que matricular a una universidad de medicina y los mcats solamente son validos por 3 anos, pues, tambien no tratare ir a entrevistas desde espana, es algo muy caro y dificil cuando estas en otro pais, pero creo que el tiempo de una programa de intercambio vale la pena y es algo que solamente puede ayudarte en el futuro.

buena suerte.

 

[Bruin4Life]

Originally posted by jdub:
•como esta tu espanol? yo estaba en ecuador por un ano academico (ocho meses) y todos de los adcoms con quienes he hablado me han dicho que el tiempo fuera de los estados unidos es algo beneficial y importante y interesante.

pienso que tu marca de 34r en el mcat es muy bueno y si tus notas son buenas vas a tener buena suerte con el proceso.

tiendras que estudiar mas tiempo en tu undergrad cuando regresaras? cuando yo fui a ecuador ya no necesite mas credito y por eso fue mas de una vacacion para yo, la unica cosa dificil es que tal vez necesitaras mas tiempo para graduarte antes que matricular a una universidad de medicina y los mcats solamente son validos por 3 anos, pues, tambien no tratare ir a entrevistas desde espana, es algo muy caro y dificil cuando estas en otro pais, pero creo que el tiempo de una programa de intercambio vale la pena y es algo que solamente puede ayudarte en el futuro.

buena suerte.•••

Hey Jdub,

Did you speak Spanish before you left to Ecuador? You write like a fluent speaker. What's your ethnicity?

 

[jacabo]

Pues, muchas gracias por todo vuestras ayudas. La verdad es

 

[jacabo]

Pues, muchas gracias por vuestras ayudas. la verdad es que querr?a quedarme aqu?, en Salamanca, pero, porque asisto una universidad de cuatrimestres, no puedo faltar dos (quarters) m?s. Y tambi?n, pienso que voy a graduar temprano, y despu?s, tendr? m?s tiempo para viajar, y pienso que tengo un mont?n de cosas que puedo hablar en mis entrevistas, (espero recibir entrevistas el pr?ximo a?o) Cuatro meses aqu? es como un entremesas de la vida fuera de EEUU, y tengo ganas de volver, y quizas trabajar en un pais diferente. Tambi?in, voy a tomar m?s asignaturas en mi universidad divertidos, porque no tengo que preocuparme de PRE-MED, y unas clases de Biolog?a. MUCHAS GRACIAS otra vez, y si no hab?is ido fuera de EEUU, VALE LA PENA VIAJAR!!!! Vete de tu habitaci?n all? y ver el mundo!!!!
PS He mejorado much?smo aqu? en espa?ol, no como si fuera un nativo, porque soy Indio, pero no pasa nada, me encanta espa?a y las espa?olas

Sorry that this was all in Spanish, but it shows that one learns a lot in a foreign country

 

[jdub]

to be honest, your time spent traveling and learning would probably be better spent and funner if you didn't have the pretex of school hanging over your head. graduating early and giving travel another go sounds like a good idea, jut don't be gone during interview season.

i'd just really try to get back, though. i have only been out of ecuador for about 5 months and i miss my host family quite a bit and the rush of being somewhere out of the US is just addictive.


btw, bruin4life, i was in ecuador por ocho meses and i had about 2.5 years of highschool spanish, and 1 year of college spanish before i went. i am also just joe-smoe-white-kid-from-alaska, so i hadn't had much back ground. like jacabo said, one can learn quite a bit when your outside the US, and it is just kind of fun to practice now and then.

 

[deleted7807]

I think that you should just do what you want to do and not worry about whether or not it will affect med school apps. If it does, then you just postpone a year...I stayed for a year and applied while I was abroad (the one benefit of AMCAS online) - your grades are delayed and it is a bit stressful, but I wanted to be abroad for a year so I did it. Whether it helps you get into med school or not shouldn't matter...what should matter is that you are living your life the way you want to live it.