Thoughts on this Really Fun Extracurricular activity? Yay or Nay?

[Choсolate]

Does anyone have any thoughts about a really fun and exciting extracurricular activity I want to do this coming Fall where you move to Spain for eight months and get paid to teach English to students for 10-15 hours a week? It's a legit program called the "North American Language and Culture Assistants Program NALCAP" This would coincide with the same time interviews would be setup, so I am not sure if that would be a problem or not (though currently targeting virtual interviews).

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[tompremed]

Med schools love applicants with global experiences. So definitely a Yay. Of course it is a question of what other opportunities you will be forgoing.

 

[EthylMethylMan]

In a vacuum I'd say yes, this is a good opportunity to add a unique, productive extracurricular to your CV. But if it's going to interfere with interviews then it's not so simple. Are med school interviews still mostly virtual? If so then I guess it's fine. But if you would need to be in-person for a bunch of them I'd hesitate to leave the country at that time.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I'd check the schools on your list if they do virtual interviews, but as for the activity itself, I don't get that excited about it. We interviewed applicants who do the same in China, Vietnam, or Japan. Some others could see it and maybe peg you for a later interview in the cycle to not burden you with traveling back to the US just for an interview. Ask first.

 

[Choсolate]

I'd check the schools on your list if they do virtual interviews, but as for the activity itself, I don't get that excited about it. We interviewed applicants who do the same in China, Vietnam, or Japan. Some others could see it and maybe peg you for a later interview in the cycle to not burden you with traveling back to the US just for an interview. Ask first.

I have never left the country before, and hardly ever been outside of the the mid-sized city I was born in, so this experience would be tremendously important to me. If I may ask, what then gets you excited with applicants?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I have never left the country before, and hardly ever been outside of the the mid-sized city I was born in, so this experience would be tremendously important to me. If I may ask, what then gets you excited with applicants?

I'm just answering your question. Holistic review still holds.

 

[Choсolate]

I'm just answering your question. Holistic review still holds.

Well yes, I understand that, but my plan is not set in stone right now and is open to modification. I was also thinking of either just living on my own in Spain, France and an Arabic speaking country on my own initiative for a few months at a time without being tied to any program in order to improve/learn the languages I could come across as a future practitioner. Would you personally look down on this since it's not in a "formal" program?

 

[jhmmd]

Well yes, I understand that, but my plan is not set in stone right now and is open to modification. I was also thinking of either just living on my own in Spain, France and an Arabic speaking country on my own initiative for a few months at a time without being tied to any program in order to improve/learn the languages I could come across as a future practitioner. Would you personally look down on this since it's not in a "formal" program?

Why is it so important to you to be bilingual? More to the point, how does this relate to medicine? Why not just become a medical interpreter?

 

[LizzyM]

Don't live your life making other people (like adcoms) happy. If this is an opportunity that excites you, go for it. Do consider whether you'd be willing to wait and apply in 2024 or risk being a reapplicant in 2024 (in a worst case scenario) if you are unable to conduct virtual interviews and garner an offer of admission.

A formal program in a specific country might be better than just bumming around learning languages. Do keep in mind that how languages are spoken vary by region and your pronunciation to the ear of a Mexican or Central or South American will sound "foreign" as it would for one of us in the US to hear an accent from Australia or England. Furthermore, it is pretty tricky to become fluent in each language. That said, to be able to at least exchange pleasantries (hello, good bye, have a nice day) is always welcome even if you have to depend on a professional interpreter to describe the purpose of a colonoscopy and how to prep for it.

Many schools may continue to offer virtual interviews and the time difference could work to your advantage with morning in the States being evening in Europe.

 

[cj_cregg]

Agree with above - if you think this will be a good experience for you, do it, regardless of what adcoms would think. Others have given you good advice on the nuances of interviewing while abroad.

This program may help your application but will not make you a superstar applicant on its own. Language skills are always desirable. I agree a formal program is likely better. I doubt you will become totally fluent unless you have some existing skill in Spanish but you will certainly come a long way. I think Spanish people pretend not to understand (and in certain cases probably genuinely cannot understand) Latino people sometimes lol, but the Spanish accent is relatively neutral/mutually intelligible with other dialects for the most part. Might also be a good idea for you to seek out some clinical experiences to learn medical Spanish terminology. ETA: You might also have a hard time understanding some Latino accents, which are far more common among US patients, if you only learn in Spain as well. I still have a hard time with certain accents (Argentina, Caribbean, etc.) as someone who learned Spanish as a second language and is most comfy with the Mexican/Central American spectrum of accents. I'd encourage you to listen to some podcasts or watch some TV shows with non-Spanish Spanish speakers (?) as well if you don't have a decent amount of prior experience with Latin American Spanish.

Any reason you don't want to apply in 2024 after you have this experience under your belt?

 

[tompremed]

If you have not been outside the US. This experience should be much help for a lot of the application essays - e.g. providing materials for essays like diversity, overcoming adversity, etc. Very often applicants really had trouble writing these kinds of essays if their life experiences are only from living a small city in the US.

 

[candbgirl]

It sounds like a good experience but how are you thinking it’s a Really Fun Extracurricular Activity? How is this going to enhance your journey to med school?
If you want to do this program, do it. But don’t do it because you think it will be the final thing you need for a successful cycle. Do it because it’s new and exciting and will add to your experiences. I’m all for travel and living in other countries. The experiences are wonderful and I’m glad and thankful I’ve been able to do it. But it impacted me as a person and my personal development not my application.
Have you thought about waiting a cycle or two to apply? It might be better to apply when you are in the states for the cycle.
Good luck whatever you decide.

 

[chilly_md]

If you have not been outside the US. This experience should be much help for a lot of the application essays - e.g. providing materials for essays like diversity, overcoming adversity, etc. Very often applicants really had trouble writing these kinds of essays if their life experiences are only from living a small city in the US.

It would not help for this cycle as it seems the OP will leave in fall and secondaries should be turned in during July and early August. The timelines will not align.