Program Reviews

Atlantis truly exceeded all of my expectations. I came into this program expecting to shadow doctors, get my hours and maybe make a few friends. I came into this program not knowing any of the other 13 fellows and I left with a new family. Every day was another adventure, being in the hospital was very laid back, all of the doctors truly cared about your education and about involving you in their daily routines. I learned so much through all of the shadowing, but I learned so much about myself through the people I met. I made friendships that will last a life time. The 13 other fellows and I all agreed that we probably wouldn't of chosen to be friends if we all just saw each other on the street, but Atlantis brought all of our personalities together and made us realize that just because someone is different than you doesn't mean you can't get along with them. We all took multiple trips together, rented Airbnb's together and bonded so much over the course of 3 weeks. We it came time to say goodbye we were uncontrollably crying. I will never forget this experience or the people that it led me to. I am a kinder person and I have a more open mind on the world and on other people because of this trip. I would recommend Atlantis to anyone, it is truly an experience you will not regret!

What a summer! I had the opportunity to fly over to Italy and spend three weeks shadowing some of the most talented surgeons in the country - one being the head of the department who is one of the top 10 surgeons in the world! I attended the Italian program in Milan at the San Rafaelle Hospital. I'll break this review down into two; 1. shadowing and 2. experience outside the hospital. Firstly, you begin your days very early as expected, you commute to the hospital, which I personally thought it was good overall since we became familiar with public transportation and got ourselves more organized to arrive in time. I personally had the chance to watch a handful of surgeries in cardiac-surgery and hematology/oncology. My very last department was the Neurology, and although I did not have time to get in neurosurgery, I managed to see very interesting and shocking cases - some of those you did not believe were possible. The way in which Atlantis organizes your week was very effective as they focused one department per week. In this way, you are able to build a better relationship with doctors and residents and get familiar with the department in a more adequate manner. Additionally, the interaction with doctors was not as challenging as you'd expect when speaking another language. Most physicians were able to speak English, and if not, there was always a medical student who was able to accompany you throughout the day. Although their schedules are busy, your presence does not come as inconvenient or disrupting as the staff treats you like any other medical student of theirs, and are open to questions and teaching. Although it is not a hands-on experience, observation is a key factor in learning - there is nothing that compares to a heart in a textbook to a beating heart right in front of you. Secondly, outside the hospital was just as thrilling. All the fellows in my group got along well, we built a sort of family among us and it was very fulfilling to be able to leave the hospital and meet your friends afterwards for a lovely meal or go out and explore the city. The site managers were our absolute favourite. Initially, I was nervous in coming into a group of strangers and dealing with three strict adult managers, however my expectations were blown-up: the site managers were the most charismatic, social and caring people I have met, specially when dealing with this many people all together (our group was of 28). They were proactive, were always at your disposition for help and provided us the best of all activities and plan b's when something went wrong. Their constant energy and personalities enabled us to create a better sense of community among us and made all of this even more worth it. I could go on forever, but my final say is the following: Atlantis is a unique experience. You get the shadowing experience, where back home I do not have that much of a direct access to with doctors, surgeries, patients and learning as well as the social experience, when meeting your fellows, site managers and exploring the city you will be living in for a while. It is the best of both worlds and every penny is worth it.

Where do I begin? I really have no words to describe to you how amazing this program was. Not only because of the 60+ hours of shadowing professional Italian doctors, but the memories and bonds that I made with the other fellows is what made this worthwhile. I met 14 of the greatest people you could ever meet and got to experience a foreign country with them; what could be better?

This program has impacted my life post program by giving me and upper edge when I start to apply for medical school. I hope and pray that they ask me all about this in the interview because I could go on and on and on about it. I learned so much from the hospital and from the country itself.

To future participants: GO FOR IT! Take the chance and get out of your comfort zone. Atlantis is an A grade program with A grade staff and managers that will help you along every step of the way.

Being a fellow with the Atlantis Project was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I learned so much and saw things up close that I would never have been able to see in the U.S. I. Was in the OR for real brain surgery! My roommate is now one of my best friends and a surgeon is a friend. It was an amazing and unforgettable experience. Nothing in the states compares this fellowship. And as a bonus, I was in Italy!! I got almost 90 shadowing hours in one month! That alone makes this fellowship worth every penny.

I had originally planned to attend the Harvard Pre-College Summer Program this past summer; however financial restrictions left me unable to attend. I stumbled upon The Atlantis Fellowship online and immediately applied without thinking I would actually be accepted. The interview went very well, and the Atlantis team kept touch with me after providing me and my family with adequate information to make the decision to move on with the fellowship - all of our questions were answered and traveling across the world by myself seemed much less scary.

Throughout the fellowship, I never stopped learning, whether it be in the hospital, around the town of Tomelloso, or on excursions. The hospital staff were extremely open to teaching, and my passion for medicine was greatly heightened. I learned about many procedures and medications, and I was even able to practice stitches on a cloth! The town and excursions allowed me to absorb the culture of Spain. Because of Atlantis, I feel more prepared in beginning my medical career and I hope to attend another fellowship in the future.

Through Atlantis I gained experience and was given an amazing opportunity to combine my two passions of travel and medicine. The staff at Atlantis are the most amazing people I have ever worked with, they truly care about the fellows that are accepted into the program and work so hard to ensure that fellows are safe at their locations as well as constantly trying to improve their programs so that students have the best experiences and opportunities. I was able to watch several surgeries, sit in on patient appointments, and see how immunological research is applied in hospitals. With the doctors that I shadowed I was able to see how much their work affected both them and their patient. They were all so passionate about their work and wanted me to learn and see as much as I could while I was there. I was blessed with an opportunity to be there when a patient found out that they were in remission and seeing all that the hospitals and doctors do only solidified my passion and pursue of medicine. I never would have been able to have these experiences and explore such a beautiful country if it were not for Atlantis. I would recommend anyone interested in medicine apply to Atlantis, you will not regret it.

Shadow Abroad in Athens, Greece!
Submitted by Miranda O'Connor - University of Mary Washington | December 07, 2017

My 4-week Atlantis Fellowship in Athens, Greece was by far the best experience I have ever been through. Atlantis allowed me to immerse myself into a culture I was unfamiliar with while also allowing me to shadow several doctors in many different specialties! During my time at Ippokrateio General Hospital in Athens, I rotated through Anesthesiology, General Surgery, ENT, and GI (while there was also Cardiothoracic surgery available!) All of the doctors I worked with were inviting and eager to help us learn, and were efficient at translating anything we were not able to understand. Furthermore, the living quarters offered to the fellows was stellar. I was in an apartment with 3 others, just 1 block from Syntagma Square, which is the center of Athens. It was extremely easy to navigate the area and easy to learn how to use the metro, tram, and bus systems.

As far as leadership went, my site managers were also very helpful and always available if you had any questions! It was nice to have the group meals multiple times a week to bond with others you did not reside with, and also to explore new places, or try new foods! My site managers were great at taking us to restaurants that offered authentic Greek cuisine to ensure we got the full experience!

Lastly, it was nice having each weekend to ourselves. Every weekend, my roommates and I made plans. Especially in Greece, or Europe in general, it is very easy to island hop, or travel to other countries fairly inexpensively. Athens was also nice because with the tram in Syntagma Square, we were only a 30 minute ride from the beach, which was a common destination many days after shadowing!

Overall, this was an amazing experience that was definitely worth it! From Atlantis, I gained clinical experience, cultural immersion, and also lasting friendships! (my roommate (from Greece) actually flew to my school last week and we still talk daily!) I would recommend this program to anyone interested in a career in medicine. If I can find the time, I hope to go on another Atlantis Fellowship!!

At first, I was a little skeptical of the whole experience since I hadn't heard of it before, and it wasn't affiliated directly with a well known university. However, Atlantis completely exceeded my expectations from the preparation before the trip, and relations during and after the trip. The staff at Atlantis is AMAZING. The fellowship was very meaningful also. You shadow doctors four days a week, for up to about 20 hours. Also, you are rotated in different specialities each week, therefore, you learn so much in a short amount of time. There is an excursion each week and it really helps get you acclimated to the culture and city that you are living in. I absolutely fell in love with Barcelona in the short 3 weeks that I spent there. For Pre-Health students, I know our time is very valuable, and this is definitely worth the time and money. I'm pre-PA and found this experience just as meaningful as the pre-med students. If you are even slightly considering Atlantis, choose this fellowship! You will not regret it.

My time in Trieste, Italy with the Atlantis was definitely one for the books. Before departure the Atlantis staff made sure we were prepared and had all the information we needed for our arrival there. They sent weekly email updates and reminders and held a pre-departure conference call. When I arrived at the airport my site coordinators were there to help us get to the residence hall. The residence was a nice and safe place for us to stay, although our rooms were a bit cold at first. Everything was organized from our first day to the last one; to and from the hospital, the group dinners and the excursions. The hospital staff were also very nice and welcoming. Trieste was a new site when I interned so there was a small, somewhat expected hiccup in one department where the staff was not quite sure of our [students from US] role there but this was not a big deal. Overall my experience was one that I will always remember and look back upon with a smile. I loved Trieste, the people I met and the time I spent there. I highly recommend the Atlantis project to premed students.

Being apart of Atlantis was one of the best the decisions of my life. I spent 2 weeks in Horta, Portugal where I was able to shadow in the departments of cardiology, radiology, emergency room, and general surgery. The best part of this experience was being able to interact directly with the doctors and learn from them. In addition, the other fellow and I were able to go on a hike, visit an aquarium, visit an neighboring island, and explore the island of Horta which allowed us to learn more the Portuguese culture.