Cerca Abroad

Cerca Abroad Reviews

Kateline
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Learning Day-to-Day in Healthcare

Hi, my name is Kateline, I am from California and I attend San Diego State University. I wanted to do this internship because I want to pursue my career in the health field and I would recommend this internship. I learned so much from talking to the health professionals and I learned so much just by observing here day to day. I would highly recommend this internship with Cerca Abroad because they’re very good and very fast and efficient in communication. Athens is also a beautiful place to explore and has such a beautiful history.

What was your funniest moment?
One of the funniest moments was trying to pronounce Greek words with the other interns and laughing at our mistakes.
Pros
  • Valuable exposure to healthcare professionals
  • Gaining a better understanding of the daily routines in a healthcare setting
  • Meeting new people and building lasting friendships
What other participants should know
  • Athens offers plenty of opportunitties for weekend trips
  • Public transportation makes exploring Athens easy
  • Summers in Greece can be very hot , so plan outdoor activities accordingly
Maya
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Surgical Intern Adventures in Athens

Hi, my name is Maya, I am from North Carolina and I am a surgical intern here with Cerca Abroad. I am a senior in college and I like Athens. It’s a great city. There’s a lot to do here. The hospital I work at is amazing. The doctors are really nice, they’re patient, they explain everything to you, as long as you tell them what you’re interested in, they’ve got you. I like Cerca Abroad because they were really good at coordinating everything. They would provide services through this entire process and help me out with everything that I needed. Honestly, I would come back. I don’t want to go home.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
I was most surprised by how welcoming the doctors were and how willing they were to explain surgical procedures and answer all my questions. It made the experience even more valuable than I expected.
Pros
  • Supportive and patient doctors
  • Excellent coordination by Cerca Abroad
  • Valuable surgical experience
What other participants should know
  • Ask questions and show iniative
  • Communicate your interests to the doctors
  • Make time to explore Athens
Morgan
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Medical Shadowing and City Life

Hi, I’m Morgan, I am from California, I go to San Diego State University. I came to Greece to learn more about the medical profession and to get some shadowing experience. The hospital has been really great, all the doctors are super eager to help you learn and I got to see a lot of cool procedures and surgeries and explore the city of Athens as well. There’s a lot to do here. The friends I’ve made through the other Cerca Abroad programs have been amazing. Pretty well coordinated overall, I would say.

What was your funniest moment?
One of the funniest moments was trying to pronounce Greek words and realizing how completely different they sounded.
Pros
  • Exposure to different medical specialties
  • Supportive and welcoming doctors.
  • Great friendships and exploring Athens
What other participants should know
  • Learn a few basic Greek phrases
  • Bring comfortable shoes for exploring Athens
  • Make time to discover places beyond the main tourist attractions
Brendan
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Lab Life Beyond the Classroom

Hi, my name is Brendan. I am from Boston, Massachusetts, USA. I completed both my Bachelor’s and Master’s in cell and tissue Bioengineering from Northeastern University. I chose to do an internship in order to gain more hands-on lab experience outside of my theoretical coursework and also the prospect of Cerca Abroad has been really exciting to me. I was able to perform DNA extraction and purification, as well as PCR, PCR sample prep and also get to see some sampling and sequencing. I am very happy with the communication, well organized, and also our accommodation has been very nice in the city. I enjoyed it very much, personally, it’s a fun town and Greece at large is very beautiful.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Come with an open mind, be eager to learn and make the most of both the laboratory experience and the opportunity to explore Greece.
Pros
  • Exposure to advance laboratory techniques
  • Supportive and welcoming environment
  • Memorable cultural experiences
What other participants should know
  • Be open minded
  • Stay curious
  • Explore Greece and its culture
Jaime
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Wildlife and Hands-On Fieldwork

My name is Jamie. I am from Pennsylvania, USA. I am a recent graduate from Penn State University with a bachelor’s in animal science. I am here with the international internship program for Arcturos. I was here assisting with monitoring and field work with brown bears and grey wolves as well as helping out with animal husbandry with the Greek shepherd dogs. I very much enjoyed my experience and I would recommend it to anyone. It was rewarding opportunity to learn more about Wildlife conservation.

What was your funniest moment?
Watching the playful antics of the Greek shepherd dogs was one of the funniest moments of my stay.
Pros
  • Wildlife conservation experience
  • Practical fieldwork
  • Working with diverse animal species
What other participants should know
  • Mountain weather can change unexpectedly
  • Pack warm layers, even in summer
  • Bring sturdy, waterproof hiking boots
Breanna
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Connecting Dentistry and Heritage

Hi, my name is Brianna, I am from Toronto, Canada. I decided to join Cerca Abroad, specifically their dental shadowing program, to gain more experience in the dental profession. I also decided to choose this program because of my Greek heritage roots. This opportunity has not only allowed me to connect with the Greek community, but also to explore many different areas of Athens, including trying different ethnic foods as well as exploring historic sites of Athens. The last couple of weeks I have been in the dental clinic shadowing many different procedures, including tooth extractions and root canal treatments as well as getting hands-on experience with the actual dentists themselves, practicing some surgical techniques as well as my own, personal canal treatment. Overall, I highly recommend this program to any students who are interested in pursuing dentistry in the future. The Cerca team has made this transition to Athens very smooth and they’re always willing to help you when you have questions. I also want to say I’m grateful to the staff and patients here who have come to the clinic here. Dr Costas has made this experience very memorable for us and he always answered our dental-related questions. For that reason, I highly recommend this program to anyone.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
Observing tooth extractions and root canal treatments up close was the most surprising and fascinating part of my experience.
Pros
  • Insightful dental shadowing
  • Supportive clinical staff
  • Cultural connection and exploration
What other participants should know
  • Make the most of every clinical observation
  • Explore Athens beyond the clinic
  • Embrace the local culture
Cassidy
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Physiotherapy Life Lessons Abroad

Hello, my name is Cassidy, I come from Denver, Colorado, USA and I go to Whitman College. I chose to intern this summer because I wanted to experience other cultures outside the United States. I also wanted to gain some more experience in the physiotherapy world. During this internship I have learned so many different things, whether that was electrotherapy, stone therapy or how to move or maneuver somebody who is in a coma. I’ve learned so many different things and I am really grateful that I’ve been able to experience so much within this internship and learn so much from my peers and those around me. I am very happy with my internship experience with Cerca Abroad. It truly has been a life-altering experience and I hope to take what I learned here in this program and apply it back to America and my practice in the future. I one hundred percent enjoyed my stay in the country. Thessaloniki is a beautiful city. The food is amazing. There’s so much to do. All the people have been so much more than welcoming to me and my friends. It’s been a very great time. Hopefully I will come back when I’m older and visit again.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
I was surprised by the variety of physiotherapy techniques I observed, especially electrotherapy and the care provided to patients in a coma.
Pros
  • Valuable clinical observations
  • Learning from experienced professionals
  • Friedly people and amazing local food
What other participants should know
  • Be open to new experiences
  • Ask questions and stay curious
  • Embrace every learning opportunity
Paxton
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Seeing a Bit of Everything in Medicine

Hi, my name is Paxton, I go to UC Berkeley. I came to the Athens Metropolitan Hospital for a two-week program. I got to see a lot of different stuff at the hospital. I got to see the clinic as well as the OR. In the clinic I got to see cardiology and neurology and in the OR I got to see orthopedic surgery and plastic surgery. I think this program has been very valuable for me as a premed student. I would say that I actually gained a lot of insight during this experience. I got to see some medical fields that I otherwise wouldn’t have gotten to. The program itself has been super amazing and the staff has been super accommodating, especially on helping me get all my documents in order and navigate Athens. Being in Athens has also been absolutely amazing, beautiful city, lots of great landmarks. I was able to see Hadrian’s Library, the Acropolis, and many great things. So, I definitely enjoyed my time here.

What was your funniest moment?
One of the funniest moments was when I tried to pronounce a few Greek words and everyone burst out laughing at my accent!
Pros
  • Exposure to multiple medical specialties
  • Supportive and accommodating staff
  • Valuable clinical shadowing experience
What other participants should know
  • Be proactive and ask questions during hospital shadowing
  • Learn a few basic Greek phrases
  • Use public transport to explore Athens
Taylorann
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Exploring Different Placements Safely

Hello, my name is Taylorann, I am from Utah and I attend Utah Tech University. Here, Athens is very safe, I feel very good traveling to the hospital every day and being here at the hospital has been really great because doctors explain everything and are very kind. I’ve had the opportunity to sub for two different placements, which is something I wouldn’t have the opportunity to do elsewhere. In terms of the program, it’s been really great. They gave us a place to stay which is very safe and they gave you places to go and recommendations. Overall, I’ve had a great experience.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
I was surprised by how welcoming the doctors were and how much I could learn from observing two different hospital placements.
Pros
  • Friendly doctors
  • Varied placements
  • Safe accommodation
What other participants should know
  • Learn a few Greek phrases
  • Explore Athens beyond the tourist areas
  • Use the metro to get around Athens easily
Elizabeth
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Confirming My Future in Surgery

Hello, my name is Elisabeth and I am from California and I study at San Diego State University. I picked this program because in the future I want to become either a nurse, surgeon or a plastic surgeon, which was solidified while doing this program. I got to witness tons of surgeries in the operating room and it really helped me along the decision of what I want to do when I am older, which is something I’ve been pondering for a little bit. With Cerca Abroad, they’ve been really responsive, so quick and great at communicating for anything I need- from directions to any issues, if there was anything with the apartment. Athens overall has been a great experience. There’s so much to do here and I would definitely recommend doing this program to anyone who is interested in healthcare. It’s extremely flexible and will help you figure out your decision on what you want to do in the future.

What was your funniest moment?
One of my funniest moments was getting completely lost in Athens and accidentally discovering some of its most charming hidden corners!
Pros
  • Valuable surgical observations
  • Greater career clarity
  • Flexible program structure
What other participants should know
  • Stay curious and ask questions
  • Be open to new experiences
  • Make time to explore Athens