Shadow Doctors 20+ Hrs/Week w/ #1 Pre-Health Provider

Name: Shadow Doctors 20+ Hrs/Week w/ #1 Pre-Health Provider
Brand: Atlantis (Pre-Health Summer)
SKU: 229063
Rating: 4.97 (36 reviews)

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4.97 Rating

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Location

Italy

Industry

Anthropology Biology Chemistry Communications Engineering Geology Healthcare Hospitality Life Sciences Nursing Public Health Social Work +2

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Program Details

Timeframe

J-Term Maymester Spring Summer Winter

Housing

Apartment

Pricing

Price Details

Program cost varies based on location and length of program. View the Dates and Fees page on our website for more information.

What's Included

Accommodation Some Activities Some Meals SIM cards Travel Insurance Wifi

What's Not Included

Some Activities Airfare Domestic Airfare Airport Transfers Some Meals Transportation Visa

Last Updated: Feb 17, 2023

Last Reviewed: Jan 23, 2024

Wish List

80 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Atlantis is the largest and most reputable pre-health study abroad organization for US undergraduates. With shadowing experiences in Pavia, Milan, Genoa, Venice and more, our Italy programs are for those who want adventure. What better way to gain 60+ clinical hours than in the country with pasta and gelato galore! Students will shadow in top European hospitals with well-esteemed physicians and have the opportunity to explore the rich culture that Italy has to offer.

Students build lasting relationships with physicians in various specialties and observe patient care from start to finish. Knowing how different healthcare teams operate and communicate is a great way for students to reflect on their own leadership skills. With alumni in 40 of the top 50 MD programs, Atlantis prepares students for a future career in healthcare.

Since summer of 2021, Atlantis has ran many safe and successful programs throughout the continuance of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Program Highlights

Programs run during winter and summer breaks so there is no need to take time off during your academic semesters!
Rotate weekly through different specialties to gain exposure to various medical practices and procedures.
Immerse yourself in a program abroad to understand healthcare in a global context, and embark on weekly excursions to experience Italian culture, sights, and food.
You do not need to know Italian to have an amazing and impactful experience!
Start dates for summer in May, June, July and August, and for winter in December and January.

Program Reviews

4.97 Rating

based on 36 reviews

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Rating Spread Intern

5 rating 97.22%
4 rating 2.78%
3 rating 0%
2 rating 0%
1 rating 0%

Growth 4.85
Support 4.85
Fun 4.95
Housing 4.75
Safety 4.9

Good for Students, Building your resume, Adventure travelers

Showing 1 - 8 of 36 reviews

I really enjoyed this program because of all the opportunities provided. We were able to shadow several departments throughout a two-week period: orthopedics, otolaryngology, and dermatological/regenerative plastic surgery and it was a great way to gain clinical experience and shadow several doctors while being able to travel abroad. We were able to learn so much about the medical field from the hospital and making life-long friends along the way. I think every pre-med or healthcare student should take part in this once in a lifetime experience.

Pros

Shadowing a variety of specialties and doctors
Amazing cultural experience
Making life-long friends

This experience was one I will never forget. You learn so much in all aspects of the program. You get an accurate view in the medical field, and you become immersed in the culture surrounding you. I made so many new friends while I was there and we went on plenty of adventures. I would easily do this again. If you're even thinking about doing this, then go ahead. You won't find this experience anywhere else. This definitely gave me a better understanding of what I want to do in the medical field.

Overall, the experience I had was more than expected. Venice is a city that is full of tourists, and with that, it can be difficult to understand its authentic culture from the lens of a tourist. By being in this program, not only was I able to shadow incredibly intelligent doctors and surgeons, but I was also able to understand how medicine is distributed to patients in a cultural context I was not accustomed to. Some of my favorite memories was seeing residents dancing with each other right before an orthopedic surgery and learning of the homeplace of the first doctor I shadowed. Additionally, I was able to go on excursions where I could understand Italy better, as they were less touristy places. This definitely broadened my perspective of medicine, and I think I am better equipped with some knowledge and understanding that will help me in my future medical ambitions.

Pros

City Manager integrated himself into the group well and ensured that we enjoyed our time here
Excursions were well planned and everyone felt safe
I was able to see surgeries that would almost be impossible to spectate in the states.

Cons

As a tourist, some locals were not the kindest at times, but it was easy to deescalate anger
The trains were delayed at times due to the train strikes in the country
Lots of walking in the summer heat, but that is natural in the summer in Venice

This experience has been something I’ll never forget, both in terms of the memories I made with my group and the things I experienced at the hospital while shadowing. I am so grateful to have had this experience. I was able to experience not only the social scene in Italy and explore the country with my free time, but also got structured group activities as well as the hospital shadowing. I felt supported throughout the program and this program is definitely something I wish I’d known about sooner.

I truly had a wonderful time on this program, and learned so much about both medicine and culture in Italy. The housing was clean and safe, and my program manager was so kind and helpful. I truly enjoyed every day and am thankful for this memorable experience! The various departments in the hospital that I shadowed allowed for me to have a more comprehensive understanding of the multitude of specialties in medicine. Overall, I highly recommend this program, as it not only is helpful towards a future career in medicine, but also makes for a very fun week exploring a new city and culture.

I shadowed in neurosurgery, neonatology, and urology and learned so much. I got to see amazing surgeries some of which used the Da Vinci and saw what doctors and surgeons truly do on a daily basis. I went in thinking I wanted to be a neurosurgeon but realized I was an adrenaline junkie when I witnessed the emergency C-section, so I’ll probably work in a trauma center one day. Exploring Genoa was also amazing, Im definitely going back one day! I enjoyed visiting Boccadasse in the evenings. If you do go, don’t forget to eat the gelato!

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?

To not check my bag in, it took 5 days for the airline to deliver my luggage, it wasn’t Atlantis fault, but try to keep your luggage with you!

Pros

My favorite thing to see was an emergency C-section
The city was 10/10 and safe
Learned more about what I want as a future career

Cons

Traveling before meeting the city manager was hard

This church has a deactivated bomb inside!

This experience was very exceptional for me. I got to travel on my own, make new friends and enjoy a beautiful country. My city managers were very helpful and were great guides for the city. The staff at the hospital were also very welcoming and taught me a lot. Unfortunately, there were some days that my friends and I had to leave early because the departments did not have much for us to shadow/learn. This made it hard to meet our 20hr mark every week. Other than that, the hospital experience was great. Housing was also good and very safe, I enjoyed it a lot. All in all, I had a great experience.

Pros

Met many great people
Got some medical experience
Got to experience a different culture in a new country

Cons

Some departments in the hospital did not have much for us to watch

The site managers were so supportive and wonderful and the bonds that I formed with the program members were so meaningful. The opportunities provided as a student were so life-changing and allowed me to have the chance to study abroad while still furthering my pre-health goals. The doctors in the hospitals definitely struggle with English sometimes, but overall everyone in the hospital is so caring and dedicated to furthering your education. The residents are especially helpful in explaining things to you and making sure you are understanding what is occurring. Rome is also a wonderful city with so many beautiful sites to see.

Pros

friendships
mentorship
adventure

Cons

some housing amenities were insufficient/challenging
few meals included
housing for different students was far apart

Questions & Answers

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Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Why did you choose this program?

I chose to go on an Atlantis fellowship for many reasons! I had a friend who went on a fellowship to Portugal and she absolutely loved it. When she told me about her fellowship, I was only a junior in high school.

Three years later, going on an Atlantis Fellowship was still on my mind. I knew that I wanted to become a surgeon, however I thought that going on a fellowship would help cement my career aspirations. And it did. I also wanted to experience foreign healthcare, as I have a strong interest in global health. To become a doctor, it is important to learn about health care systems in places other than the US.

What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

The staff at Atlantis is wonderful. The program coordinators assist you with almost everything. The only thing you really have to organize on your own is purchasing flights. Throughout the enrollment process and prior to your trip, the Atlantis staff is incredibly helpful and ensures that you have all of the information you need.

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What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

Get outside of your comfort zone and become friends with everyone on your trip! You might make some of your best friends!

Travelling abroad alone can be frightening at times, but being with people who share the same interests as you makes it all the more wonderful and less overwhelming.

Aside from spending time and especially going on weekend trips with your fellow fellows, I would suggest exploring on your own at least once. Adventuring alone in a foreign country is a once in a life time experience.

I would also suggest you bring a notebook everyday to shadowing. You will have so much to learn from the doctors at the hospital you are shadowing at. The surgeries you will watch are incredible, and you should write down everything so that later in life you can refer back to your experience. I documented everything I saw so I would not forget and I am glad that I did. Also, ask your doctors as many questions as possible! They will enjoy answering them and you will learn tons. Pay attention to everything they do! Whatever specialty you shadow in, even if it is one you did not orignally "want" to shadow in, keep your eyes open and learn. Every specialty is a great specialty. It might even become your favorite.

Ask your friends questions as well! They may be closer to applying to medical school and could give you valuable advice.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

For an Atlantis fellow, days are busy but SO fun. On Monday-Thursday, you'll wake up at about 6:30 am, eat breakfast and get ready for shadowing. You will be at the hospital by 8 am (at least this is what mornings were like in Genova), and be done with shadowing by around 1 pm.

Typically, if a surgery runs long you will stay at the hospital a bit later. After shadowing, you are free to explore unless there is a group dinner! On Friday there is typically a group excursion. We went on a hike to castles and on a beach trip. Saturday-Sunday are for you to travel, and I highly recommend you do so. Neighboring countries are easy to get to!

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

Before going on my fellowship, I had never travelled on my own, nor had I travelled overseas. I was afraid that I would get lost. And I did get lost! However, it turned out to be a good experience. Coming home to Genova from a weekend trip, my friends and I accidentally took a train that went in the opposite direction. We ended up in the Italian mountains, in a small commune town called Mondovi. It was 12am. There were no trains that ran until the morning, so we were stuck.

Although I definitely recommend triple checking to make sure you are on the correct train, getting lost was a learning experience and it turned out to be okay! Once you learn how to read the train and bus schedules in Europe or wherever you choose to go on a fellowship, getting around becomes easy!

Is there anything you would have done differently?

If there is one thing I would have done differently, it would be to never come home from shadowing and revert to resting because I was tired. The cities that you will be in are beautiful, and you should explore and take in every sight. You could go on a waterfront run with a friend, or go out for lunch in the city center! Drink lots of coffee, and especially stay hydrated. The more awake you are, the more you can take in during surgeries and during your adventures.

Timothy Kinville

2018 Alum

Giovanna Stefanutto

2018 Alum

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

As a member of the digital promotion team, Sam works to spread the word about Atlantis' life changing programs to students across the globe. He has been a part of the Atlantis team since November 2016 and started as an Admissions Coordinator.

What is your favorite travel memory?

In high school, I did a service trip to rural El Salvador to help build multiple buildings for a small town called Rancho Grande. Through that trip, I was able to make new friends, build deeper bonds with existing friends, and make a real, tangible impact on the people I was serving. Being part of a group that has continually improved the standard of living in such an underprivileged area is something I am still proud of today.

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How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

Working for Atlantis has allowed me to see new parts of the world, learn about other cultures, and has given me a better vision for my future career. I have gained a much greater appreciation, understanding and interest in other cultures, and have an increased desire to travel because of my work with Atlantis. In my current role, I have grown in my problem solving, communication and time management skills.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

Too many to pick one. I think one of the most amazing things to hear about is when students form relationships with doctors that go beyond just shadowing in the hospital. Atlantis is about building relationships in the medical world that go beyond country lines, and to see students and doctors making that happen is a wonderful thing.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

I would love to go on one of our programs to Greece. To experience a country with such an important history both in medicine and in civilization would be an amazing learning and growth experience. Additionally, it would put me further outside of my comfort zone than most of Atlantis' other countries between having less familiarity with the language and less knowledge of the country's geography and culture.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

Our team works incredibly hard to develop life changing programs and to ensure that students have the best experience possible both with Atlantis and in general while abroad. We enjoy working together and spending time together in and out of the office. From team outings to weekend gatherings, our team bonds and grows together, which shows in the way we work on our programs.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

I think the biggest factor in the success of a company is the people. Having people makes room for innovation and makes a company more efficient. In the service and education world, the people are even more important to make sure every student feels cared for and valued. At Atlantis we focus on making sure students have a wonderful experience with us and that comes through our amazing people.

Location

Location:

Italy

Currency:

Euro

Weather:

Jan-Mar

59 F / 37 F

Apr-Jun

82 F / 46 F

Jul-Sep

88 F / 61 F

Oct-Dec

72 F / 41 F

Airports:

Rome Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino

( FCO )

Milan Malpensa

( MXP )

Venice Marco Polo

( VCE )

Italy has long been a bucket list item for people, and it's no wonder with the ancient ruins, astounding scenery, and renowned museums -- all accompanied by the beautiful Italian language. When visiting Italy, be prepared to see big differences in accents and food while moving between regions.

About Atlantis (Pre-Health Summer)

As the #1 and largest pre-health study abroad program, Atlantis is dedicated to creating the best healthcare experience for students to stand out in apps and prepare for medical careers. What’s our program? -Thousands of alumni over 15 years -20–200+ hospital shadowing hours -1–10 weeks over breaks -Multiple specialties (1/week) -U.S., Spain, Italy...