bilingual vs fluency on applications?

[yalatrac]

Does being bilingual indicate fluency? Or just some proficiency in another language?

I am able to speak and understand Arabic and Spanish well, however, I am not necessarily fluent.

Some admins are saying that I can put trilingual on my applications and others are saying that I have to be fluent to put that down.

It will really up my chances of getting into the PA programs I want if I can say that I am trilingual! I just want to make sure that I am not providing false information.

 

Advice and experiences would be greatly appreciated

[yalatrac]

Does being bilingual indicate fluency? Or just some proficiency in another language?

I am able to speak and understand Arabic and Spanish well, however, I am not necessarily fluent.

Some admins are saying that I can put trilingual on my applications and others are saying that I have to be fluent to put that down.

It will really up my chances of getting into the PA programs I want if I can say that I am trilingual! I just want to make sure that I am not providing false information.

 

Advice and experiences would be greatly appreciated

[IdahoPA]

I have a degree in Spanish and I studied abroad. However, I'm not entirely fluent in it. I don't generally include it in my languages, unless there is a blank line. In that case, I write, "Advanced Spanish."

 

They have your transcripts and know you've taken classes in languages. If you learned them on your own, maybe there mention it as a hobby or something.

[IdahoPA]

I have a degree in Spanish and I studied abroad. However, I'm not entirely fluent in it. I don't generally include it in my languages, unless there is a blank line. In that case, I write, "Advanced Spanish."

 

They have your transcripts and know you've taken classes in languages. If you learned them on your own, maybe there mention it as a hobby or something.

[Corpsman2PA]

To me bilingual means speaking 2 languages at the same level, not having to think in english what you hear or say in spanish or arabic. Fluency, IMHO, sort of coincides with bilingualism in the fact that you can convey what you're trying to say with the same fluency as if it were your native tongue. Its sort of a grey area, and I'd be careful of putting something on there that you're iffy about. If you say you're fluent in Arabic/spanish, and there's an arabic/spanish speaker on your adcom, will you be able to hold a convo with them? If so, I'd say go for it.

We have spanish speaking pts come into our clinic, where as an MA I can convey to them what I'm trying to say through broken spanish and some gestures, and they're very receptive of such effort. I'm nowhere near being bilingual or fluent though.

[Corpsman2PA]

To me bilingual means speaking 2 languages at the same level, not having to think in english what you hear or say in spanish or arabic. Fluency, IMHO, sort of coincides with bilingualism in the fact that you can convey what you're trying to say with the same fluency as if it were your native tongue. Its sort of a grey area, and I'd be careful of putting something on there that you're iffy about. If you say you're fluent in Arabic/spanish, and there's an arabic/spanish speaker on your adcom, will you be able to hold a convo with them? If so, I'd say go for it.

We have spanish speaking pts come into our clinic, where as an MA I can convey to them what I'm trying to say through broken spanish and some gestures, and they're very receptive of such effort. I'm nowhere near being bilingual or fluent though.

[yalatrac]

Thanks for all the advice!

Can communicate with patients who speak arabic or spanish on a casual level, but not in a clinical setting. Will definitely NOT put that on my applications now. Ill just say that I have experience with a variety of cultures because of my personal multiethnic background and have knowledge of their native languages, but not entirely proficient in speaking them.

[yalatrac]

Thanks for all the advice!

Can communicate with patients who speak arabic or spanish on a casual level, but not in a clinical setting. Will definitely NOT put that on my applications now. Ill just say that I have experience with a variety of cultures because of my personal multiethnic background and have knowledge of their native languages, but not entirely proficient in speaking them.

[crystaltide]

I think that's best. I have a pretty solid background in a few languages, but I could not hold a conversation about complaints and diagnoses in a clinical setting, so I won't put them on CASPA. I do, however, mention the languages and how comfortable I am with them in my personal statement, as I think it's important information for schools to see.

[crystaltide]

I think that's best. I have a pretty solid background in a few languages, but I could not hold a conversation about complaints and diagnoses in a clinical setting, so I won't put them on CASPA. I do, however, mention the languages and how comfortable I am with them in my personal statement, as I think it's important information for schools to see.