Program Reviews

I had an amazing time shadowing in Greece. I learned more than i thought I would and I saw more than I thought I would. Doing this program validated my love for medicine and helped me realize that it is what I want to do for the rest of my life. When I arrived in Greece, I wasn’t quite sure of what I was expecting, but I know by the end of the trip, this program far exceeded those expectations and then some. I would recommend this to everyone.

I was able to speak to doctors that ended up helping me beyond my expectations. This one Anesthesiologist I was shadowing knew doctors in the town I am from and gave me their numbers to shadow them when I got back from Spain. This was the first time I travelled and my site manager made me feel very safe. This was a relief to me because it relieved my stress and made me feel more comfortable with my time abroad. She would immediately answer all of our texts no matter what she was doing or what time it was. If anyone had the smallest problem for example, with the hotel room, she would not waste time in talking to the hotel staff and get all situations resolved. Many of us stayed in contact with her and maintain the friendship. She planned amazing excursions and would take us to the hospital everyday which made me feel very safe. The only thing I regret is not going on more excursions because the others did not want to and I did not want to go alone. I would highly recommend choosing a town close to a major city like Madrid or Barcelona to experience the touristy sites.

This program was a make or break for me and it convinced me to stick with medicine. I can't describe the overwhelming amount of clarity and helplessness it has provided for me. I think what made it better, was being in a smaller town. I got closer relationships and experienced genuine relationships. I intend to continue my relationship with my site manager, as well as the regional director for the program. If you are able, please go on a trip. I can't vouch for anywhere but spain, but I can say no matter where you go it will xhange your life forever.

I decided to participate in the Atlantis Fellowship becauseI have heard many great things about it. I wanted to shadow doctors, but where I live, it's very competitive and difficult to get the opportunity to do so. Once I heard about Atlantis, I was interested and wanted to know more! After everything was finalized and confirmed I was going to Rome to shadow doctors abroad, it felt so surreal. It felt more surreal when I was in the hospital observing surgeries. Not only was I able to learn about the European healthcare system, I was fascinated by the Italian cultures too. Going on this fellowship to shadow doctors abroad, was by far one of the best decisions I have made.

The Atlantis program allowed me to gain several new perspectives, build a network of professional relationships, learn about my potential, understand the importance of studying medicine cross-culturally, and ultimately observe a different healthcare system. Every week offered a new experience as I shadowed in different departments. I had the opportunity to shadow medical professionals in anesthesiology, orthopedics, oncology, pathology, and neurosurgery. Although there was a language barrier in every patient room I entered, this challenged me to constantly ask questions and gain more exposure than I thought possible.

I decided to pursue the Atlantis Fellowship to help me decide whether I wanted a future in research, in a hospital environment with direct patient contact or in a surgical environment. The interview process was highly coordinated, smoothly run and simple. After learning I was accepted, I decided to go on the Atlantis Fellowship to Bergamo, Italy due to its authentic, small Italian town reputation that had very little tourism. The best part of this amazing experience was being able to be in the surgical room standing directly in front of the patient and witnessing mind boggling surgery a few feet away. After this experience I have learned that I wish to pursue surgery and medical school, but I have also gained traveling skills, interpersonal skills and cultural competence, along with much more. The Atlantis Fellowship was a life changing opportunity; if you have the chance, do it!

My 2018 Healthcare Study Abroad Trip to Lithuania was by far, the best study abroad experience ever. I was able to learn about an unfamiliar Eastern European country, shadow
numerous health care professionals at a University Hospital, observe different surgeries, build life-long professional connections, learn about patient-centered health care, travel to different countries along the baltic sea, and finally, make ever-lasting memories with great people!

Being Pre-Med can be scary because you're going into the unknown with very little experience. It's not easy to get internships at hospitals; we have very strict laws in the U.S. regarding patient confidentiality and safety. Going to Portugal and working closely with doctors and standing in on surgeries was life-changing. I witnessed multiple brain surgeries with tumor removals and biopsies. I came out of my trip more enthralled by the medical field than I ever had before.

This summer, I had the unique opportunity to spend 3 weeks shadowing physicians in Lisbon, Portugal. The Atlantis staff was incredibly supportive and helpful; this has made Lisbon feel like a home away from home where I made a handful of long-lasting friends. Being fully immersed in the hospital provided a confirmation that medicine was the path I wanted to be on. This program offered the most honest, and exciting, view of the field I had as an undergraduate.

I have always been passionate about traveling and experiencing other cultures, so I felt that Atlantis provided the perfect opportunity to combine my interest in those things with my interest in medicine. I believe it is crucial for medicine to be shared across borders, so patients receive the best options of treatment possible. My three weeks in Ponferrada taught me so much about the different fields of medicine, all the while enhancing my passion for becoming a doctor. I could not have asked for a better group of Fellows and doctors with which to share my three weeks. I chose a small city, but could not have loved it more, as I experienced true Spanish culture and made lasting relationships with the doctors I had the pleasure of shadowing.