Why are you all so afraid and adverse to being taught in SPA

[losackmd]

let me get this off my chest

im a gringo
i went to UCE 28 years ago without a word of spanish
i learned it there
had a great time doing so
took a great course to learn it
being a physician in NYC NJ and PA
spanish has helped me so much in more ways than ten

more than just the language
with the language comes fruits of knowledge
greater understanding of things down there
its fun to know two languages

YOU WILL NOT BE A BETTER DOCTOR IF YOURE TAUGHT IN ENGLISH
YOU WILL NOT GET A HIGHER SCORE ON YOUR EXAMS IF YOU LEARN ONLY IN ENGLISH
THIS IS HORSESHIT

YOU WILL PROFIT FROM KNOWING THE SOON TO BE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT
LANGUAGE IN THE USA

IF YOU THINK DOMINICAN PROFESSORS SPEAK ENGLISH
YOU ARE ALSO DECEIVING YOURSELVES

CUT IT OUT

JUST GET INTO A MEDICAL SCHOOL

AND STUDY YOUR BRAINS OFF............


WAS THAT WELL SAID OR NOT?

[wolfvgang22]

I think it was well said.
I would like to learn more Spanish myself, but like many others, I am worried that having to learn Spanish would be adding one more thing to my already full plate of things I must learn. It would certainly make one more marketable as a physician as the hispanic poplulation continues to swell.

I am glad you did it, and thanks for the encouragement!
http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies/sign/1/sign02.gif

[losackmd]

take a course in intensive spanish down there or wherever.
learn the basics
practice speak it hear it make all the mistakes speaking it you need to or get a spanish girlfriend or boyfriend
whatever
and that will take a bit of work on your part
but you do not have to learn it fluently
you dont have to speed speak it or understand it like your cuban, PR, dominican counterparts.
THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF SPANISH I ASSURE YOU MEANT NOT A THING WHEN IT CAME TO EXAMS OR BECOMMING A GOOD DOCTOR
I remember before i began studying i was confronted with a few
spanish speaking students who thought they knew it all and felt that they had the upper hand with me cos they new the local lingo
and warned me that
i needed to get my shit together cos i was a gringo and didnt have that
language advantage.
I tell you . Im still laughing about it
many of them failed in spite of their "prowess"
they didnt know how to study
they werent serious
their knowledge of spanish meant nothing as far as passing medical courses
YOU ALL WILL HAVE TO KNOW ENGLISH TO PASS THE RETURN TO US
EXAMS USMLES ETC ETC
THE BASIC SPANISH YOU NEED TO PASS AND UNDERSTAND THE
COURSEWORK AINT ALOT AND GETS EASIER AFTER A FEW MONTHS
STUDYING ABROAD AND IM SURE HERE IN THE USA IS TO MEMORIZE THE MATERIAL PASS THE EXAM AND GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE
YOU WILL BE STUDYING IN TWO LANGUAGES
ENGLISH OFCOURSE THE ESSENTIAL ONE

SPANISH JUST AN INCIDENTAL EPHEMERAL BUT ABSOLUTELY VALUABLE
LANGUAGE NO ONE SHOULD SHUN OR NOT STUDY IN DUE TO NEEDLESS FEARS

[dksamp]

Hello Losackmd,
I think you are over-extrapolating and over-generalizing peoples intentions/motivations. NOBODY is adverse to anything here. Of course people with ZERO knowledge of the language when faced with a choice, will take the path of least resitance/headache. Chalk it up to human nature. But I do not think that it is fair for you to characterize people who choose a medical school based on the language taught in the basic sciences as "adverse to learning". C'mon, this is MEDICAL SCHOOL, not some "tough-guy" competition. This isn't the TV show "Survivor". The challenges one will face/endure are enough already without having to STUDY AND TAKE EXAMS in another language that you are not native/fluent in. Yes, You did it, and you came out fine WHOOPIE FOR YOU!! 8)

However, just because YOU did it, that doesn't mean that others can do it and be equally succesful. I, for one, wouldn't change my choices for one minute. Having the basic sciences in English adds a certain level of comfort and convenience that a lot of people like. That doesn't mean that they don't want to learn Spanish. The great majority (with the exception of a few knuckleheads) DO learn Spanish along the way. After all, you HAVE to speak it in the hospitals, and you HAVE to speak it to get by in your day-to-day activities. You are getting pimped by the attendings in the hospitals in Spanish. I along with my graduating class speak it fluently, even the ones that came down with ZERO Spanish, so there is "more than one way to skin a cat" as the old saying goes.

And don't get me started on the living conditions of San Pedro de Marcoris. You cannot compare that to that of Santo Domingo. That is another difference where comfort and convenience come into play. YES, many people chose that path, but when I was making my choices, It took me a few milliseconds to conclude that this was not how I wanted to spend 4 years of my life.

So if those that choose to take their classes in English are guilty of anything, it is being creatures of comfort...and is that wrong???

HAIIIILLLLL NAW!!!

In closing, and I have said this in multiple posts, that the ultimate
be-all-and-end-all measuring stick is the END-OUTCOME. UCE grads that bust their a$$ and work hard, have an EQUAL chance as the UNIBE grads who bust their a$$ and work hard at obtaining residency placement, it's that simple. PEACE!!

-Derek
(Celebrating 1 year of private practice)

[october]

i can understand and relate to feeling good being able to speak another language. it is easier to say now X# years after the fact, after the trials and tribulations, difficult times, etc. in those days an english program almost was not an option,.

i can say that a % of students did quit due to at least in part the new language dilemma. remove having to learn/study in a new language and you do remove one of the reasons for attrition.

now i can say it is a wonderful gift to feel at home anywhere in the spanish speaking world, and a big world at that.

i also know there were tense times and very difficult moments with a spanish english dictionary. these moments luckily were short lived. the human brain is very capable and it is amazing what can be accomplished/learned.

acquiring another language is truly a wonderful gift, though it doesn't come easy. for those enthused about expanding their horizons beyond book knowledge, usmle, residency, etc, etc, there exists a whole lot more in the world than "medicine" additionally, there is a huge spanish speaking population both iin the us and the world. the language can greatly help you in the future and even help to prosper in practice.

its not for everyone, but you get out what you put in.


Not intended to offend anyone but;

Person that speaks 2 languages= bilingual
Person that speaks 3 languages= trilingual
Person that speaks 1 language= american

[PILOTOMD]

A high school diploma is all that is required in the DR!