Chris Hale “UGA’s MCAT “Ace” who also excels in foreign-languages: A conversation with Chris Hale”

Chris Hale, a fourth-year student from Statesboro, recently has received many accolades for scoring in the 99.9th percentile (a 41 out of 45) on the MCAT, the required test for admission to medical schools. What makes Hale’s accomplishments all the more remarkable is how he has combined the excellence in a pre-medical program with the rigorous foreign-language study of his Romance Languages major, perfecting his Spanish and French. As a sign of his commitment to language study, he lives in the French Community at Mary Lyndon Hall. Hale came to UGA with an already strong background in Spanish, a language he has kept up through extracurricular activities, such as volunteer work at Mercy Health Center in Athens, where he translated between staff members and Spanish-speaking patients. He also assisted Dr. John Ross, a lecturer in this department, in preparing an edition of the poetry of Rafael Montesinos. As a member of the Mary Lyndon Hall Community, he lives his daily life at UGA in French. One particularly fond memory of the French Community is a visit last year to see “Paris at the High,” an exhibition of French Impressionists at Atlanta’s High Museum.

In an interview at Blue Sky Café, Hale shared his plans for the future with us and gave some suggestions to other students who want to mesh language study with pre-professional programs.

Newsletter: How will you keep up your language skills during medical school?

Chris Hale: I plan to conduct volunteer work with immigrant communities in whatever city I study in, as well as explore the possibility of working abroad at some point with a group like Doctors Without Borders.

N: Do you have advice for students who study languages at UGA?

CH: Think about professional plans from a future employer’s position. What would make them want you to work with them? Romance Languages is a particularly good major for preparing yourself to work with others. You don’t just learn grammar, but also learn history, geography, and examine so many different angles of the cultures where the languages are spoken.

N: What do you like to read in French and Spanish?

CH: I always carry some reading and a pocket dictionary with me and try to constantly read in one of the languages I study.

N: What books do you recommend?

CH: I like Georges Simenon, Le coup de vague and Le chien jaune. I also enjoyed Cien años de soledad. It’s just so important and enjoyable to read outside of class. Expose yourself to the language every day!

For related stories, see:

Student posts outstanding MCAT score By JOSH BROWN, Red and Black
Published , October 27, 2003

UGA student earns high marks on exam: Medical College Admissions Test
By Ronell Smith, Online Athens Banner-Herald, November 5, 2003