Program Reviews

This fellowship was absolutely life-changing. It really affirmed my love for medicine and the future success I will have in my medical career. If you know you have a passion for medicine, or even if you aren't sure, Atlantis Fellowship will answer any concerns and questions so you leave knowing what you want to do with your career! During this fellowship, I was able to shadow surgeries while being in the OR with the surgeons performing the procedures and I was treated with respect as physicians were eager to teach so that I could actually learn while observing. The content I observed during this fellowship simply could not have been done in the United States, through the consults, to the Emergency Department, to the Operating Rooms, the obeservations were incredible and life-changing to witness.

At the beginning I was very skeptical. Really all the way until my very first day of shadowing I was nervous about the program. It was pretty expensive to be honest and it toon a lot of time and energy to prepare for the program. So I was worried that at the end of it all it wouldn’t be worth it. It was my first time ever traveling alone and out of the country. The first day of shadowing really opened my eyes to see how beautiful it can be when science and care really come together. Not only are Atlantis staff really helpful but also the doctors and nurses in the hospital. On days where it was slow and I felt like I wasn’t getting the most out of it, I could go to anyone and ask to change that and they would. I would do it all again if I could. It was such a beautiful experience and so worth everything I put into it. You meet such amazing people along the way and make incredible connections. There are sometimes where you light not click with everyone either in your group or out, but it builds your social skills and your team building skills which is so important for the field of medicine. After just a week you become known in the hospital if you do it all right and you have people who ask you to come to their departments. The hours seem long on paper but my four weeks flew by and I feel like I still didn’t see and learn everything I could have. Atlantis has a lot to offer if you take the time to make the most of your time overseas.

Atlantis is hands down one of the best things I have ever done. I loved the places I visited, the doctors I shadowed, the medical and cultural knowledge I gained, the life-long friendships I developed, and so much more. I have definitely grown as a person and student and learned so much about medicine through my fellowship! I also learned how to overcome language barriers with other people which will help in the medical field when I have patients without the same language. It was great to see other cultures and as a World Traveler, I was able to compare the health care systems and cultures of different countries not just to the United States but to each other as well! I am so grateful for Atlantis and I definitely think it helps to prepare fellows to be the best and most well-rounded health care professionals they can be.

Going on a fellowship to Zagreb, Croatia for 3 weeks was one of the best decisions in my professional career! I have gained priceless skills and professional connections while on this fellowship from the doctors/surgeons during shadowing hours to the colleagues that I met during the fellowship. This experience has enlightened me in culture diversity, adapting to new environments, confirming that I am going to become a surgeon by watching surgeries everyday during my first rotation in ENT, and how different other countries health care systems are/how they operate. During the free time on the weekends my colleagues and I decided to travel to Split and Budapest and this enhanced the fellowship immensely by being able to experience the old towns by the sea and seeing a whole different culture in Budapest than from Zagreb. I highly encourage you to travel to near by cities or countries during this free time on the weekends and to apply to Atlantis to complete their fellowship program! It was the best decision in my professional career and I would do it all over again if I could.

It was awesome and a unique experience! All the doctors are kind and very helpful. You get to see a lot of stuff especially in te surgery area, it was amazing! It’s a little different than in the US and sometimes there is a language barrier but all the staff try their best to help you out and to explain everything to you. Besides shadowing, you have the opportunity to visit the city and to travel to other cities. You go in a group to a near city and spend the day there. You have also free time in which you’re free to go wherever you want as is another city, etc for a whole weekend! There is also group dinners and activities in the city which really helps you to connect with other fellows. This experience was more than I expected. It was awesome!

This was my first experience abroad and I have to say when it came to an end I did not want to leave. The site mangers were so knowledgable of the city and they did a great job showing us around. They planned amazing weekly excursions for us not just of Rome but throughout Italy. Not only did I get a great experience abroad but I learned so much from shadowing in the hospital. Every doctor that I worked with knew english well so the language barrier was not an issue. They were all so kind and seemed to really want us to learn from them. What I saw and learned in the hospital was nothing near what I could have learned as an undergraduate student in the US. It was a great mix of education and fun for the three weeks that I was there. From this experience, I have expanded my interest in the medical field and I have developed a new love for travel.

I am very very satisfied with my shadowing experience abroad in Italy. At first, I did have my concerns as the AAMC shows statistics and discourages students from SHADOWING abroad due to the risk of students being involved in medical procedures. I would like to clear this doubt for those who are interested in this fellowship as Atlantis is VERY VERY strict and abides by their policy of no physical fellow-patient interaction. Atlantis is very clear with all the rules that must be followed etc. That being said, the fellowship was incredible. I was able to shadow under general surgery, urology, and vascular surgery. All of these departments always had surgeries or patients and all the hospital staff were incredibly helpful. Though some of the hospital staff did not speak english, many if not all residents spoke english and were able to explain procedures to you if the attending surgeon was busy. Many of these doctors are incredibly well trained and have excellent english so language barrier is usually not a problem.

Aside from shadowing, the weekly excursions (I don't want to spoil them if you are attending the fellowship) were very very fun. There's a lot of pictures to be taken and a lot of friendships to be made and it was quite the experience. Genova is very very scenic with mountains, beaches (mostly rocky but you can still find sandy beaches), and architecture. Genova is known for their pesto and I really really recommend you try it.

The Atlantis fellowship is expensive but provides you an experience that is priceless. I was able to pay for this through fundraising, asking family members, working a part-time job, and a little bit of assistance from my parents. This really has taught me good saving/spending habits for my future.

When I saw this opportunity to go abroad and shadow doctors I was immediately intrigued. I thought about it for a couple weeks, and I kept on finding reasons why not to go... “it’s so far” “i should work this summer” “it’s not the right time”
I then realized, it will never be the “right” time. I just have to take the leap of faith and just do it! I did exactly that, and I don’t regret it one bit. Not only did I submerge myself in a different culture, I met doctors and nurses who I now have built a relationship with. If you ever go to Rome, one piece of advice is never plug in a hair dryer and have the washing machine going, unless you wanna be in the dark for the rest of the day. The adventure was everything I could have ever asked for, thank you for the opportunity.

Going on this fellowship was the best experience of my life. I went to Vigo, Spain for four weeks. I was able to see several different specialties that I've always dreamed of seeing and got to see what it was like to work for a public healthcare system. I specifically saw anesthesiology, vascular surgery, obstetrics and emergency medicine. If I could recommend this to everyone, I would! This experience is especially helpful for those on a premedical track in their undergraduate years. Even if you are unsure about what path you would like to take in the medical field, this experience exposes you to different options such as nursing, technicians and administrative jobs in the hospital. I wouldn't trade this experience for the world as it affirmed my interests in medicine and has pushed me to work harder in the classes I will be taking in the future.

If you are looking for a great pre-medical experience and would also love to go abroad, I highly recommend this program. From shadowing, scrubbing in, and helping doctors you will gain so much knowledge and interest in medicine. Atlantis provides opportunities that you would not find in the USA and you will also meet the most amazing doctors, directors, and friends.

Greek food is amazing and the directors kept us well fed. We are supposed to buy our own groceries but our meals were so large I had enough left-overs for both lunch and dinner the next day! I literally did not buy groceries once in the whole month I was there.

Thessaloniki is a busier city right on the seaside. It is beautiful in its own way and close to many amazing things. During my stay, I was able to fly to Athens for a weekend, visit Mt. Olympus, Meteora, and many beaches. The only things I didn't like were: the constant smell of cigarettes (this is lessened in Athens), garbage in the port, and graffiti everywhere. If you are looking for a faster-paced city with mountainous views right on the ocean, Thessaloniki is the place for you.