Speaking very limited Spanish right now, what kind of expectations should I have for my first few weeks? Am I aiming too high in expecting to be able to volunteer in healthcare immediately?

A. Yes, I think you are overwhelming yourself. I would suggest that you focus on learning as much Spanish as you can when you arrive.

It will be very difficult for you to volunteer if your Spanish is weak, but not impossible. Furthermore, your Spanish will improve most dramatically when you let go of your apprehension and just speak. Volunteering may be a good place to find people to speak Spanish with.

A person who did precisely this told me that nearly all of the native Spanish-speakers she encountered while volunteering were more than willing to be patient with her broken Spanish and would correct her mistakes so she could learn. Lastly, don't forget that you will begin seeing patients at local clinics your first semester here. When classes start you should not be focused on anything except for those classes.

You need to be prepared for the national board exams (USMLE Step1 which is a test of the basic medical sciences) ... your hospital training will come after that. More.

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