<p>What is the most important second language for a student to master if he or she is considering a career in medicine?</p>
<p>Is it Spanish, or are there several other languages that will be useful?</p>
<p>Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>Latin for the scientific names, Spanish for being a practicing physician (speaking as someone with a physician dad–he’s been taking classes).</p>
<p>I am already studying two other languages(Mandarin and French) so my schedule does not have any more room for Spanish.</p>
<p>What would you suggest as the best method for independently studying Spanish in addition to enrolling in a community college?</p>
<p>If you don’t want to spend money on one of the fancy newfangled language programs, “Notes in Spanish” are free podcasts that can be found on iTunes run by an English man and his Spanish wife. I use them as supplements to my regular classes, but I think they’d be helpful alone too. There’s also “studyspanish.com”.</p>
<p>Honestly, though? If you’re already doing Mandarin and French, I think Spanish is an unnecessary strain on your time. I’d almost think you’d be better off brushing up on some Latin for medical terms. That’s just my opinion, though.</p>
<p>I am experiencing a difficult time deciding which language I should begin to focus on because everyone suggests a different one(my doctor recommends spanish medical terms)</p>
<p>@ glassesarechic and emeraldEvi, I will take your advice on Latin and Spanish</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>If you’re very sure that you will pursue a career in medicine (as a doctor?) then the additional language study that you’re considering is a likely distraction. Chinese and French are much more than enough. Best is to spend whatever extra time you have for language study to become still more fluent in these languages than to launch an effort to learn another language.</p>
<p>All this said, if you have a passion for languages then that by itself is reason enough to pursue more languages. But then you should let your passion dictate which new language to pursue.</p>
<p>The second language that you need on the job will be determined by the community that you serve. Spanish is useful almost everywhere in the US, but Mandarin and/or Cantonese and/or other Chinese languages are important in certain regions. French is useful where there are many immigrants from Francophone countries, and would make it a bit easier to communicate with speakers of Haitian Creole.</p>
<p>Right now, I’d suggest that you keep up the languages that you are studying, and wait until you know where you will work to pick up another one.</p>
<p>Thank you happymomof1</p>
<p>Since most people suggest that Spanish is useful everywhere in the United States, I will study it over the summer. 
(I neglected to mention Taiwanese in my second post because everyone who can speak it is most likely fluent in Mandarin)</p>