Atlantis (Pre-Health Summer)

Program Reviews

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Zach
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Gio was a phenomenal City Manager

Gio was a phenomenal guide for every aspect of this trip, he understood every aspect of the hospital, took our group to great local restaurants, and had a great sense of humor. He was the highlight of our trip because he went above and beyond to deliver a truly authentic experience. He also had a strong network within the hospital that allowed me to get over 90 hours in the ICU and OR alone. He was able to help me with every issues that I encountered along the way and improved my resume by a substantial amount, far more than I could have anticipated. It was a unforgettable experience and I wish I could relive it again.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
Open heart surgery the first day of the internship. I was not expecting to be thrown into the OR room the second I walked into the hospital. Me and my partner stood in shock as we watched an intense 5 hour open heart surgery the first day.
Pros
  • Great experience
  • Helpful and informative staff
  • Beautiful program location
Cons
  • Weather can very hot and humid
  • Trains are unreliable for day trips. Must get a hotel in neighboring cities
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Diane
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Review Atlantis

It was an amazing experience that I will not forget, I learned so much and enjoyed every part of it, my city manager was an amazing person that help our group a lot. I got to travel to different parts even after the program my family joined me and we got to travel to amazing places. I got to learn a lot from doctors and specialists they were very kind and welcoming to me, they care about the students and teach them very patiently. Spain was an amazing country that I will definitely visit again in the future.

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
I would probably choose a longer program or one that includes two contries
Pros
  • Learned a lot from doctors
  • Travel all over the world
  • Watch surgeries
Cons
  • The cost of the program is a little high
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reese
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Split Croatia May 2024

I had the most amazing time in split Croatia. Throughout my time there I got to shadow in three different specialties, as well as getting to learn the cultural side of Croatia. Our city manager brought us on excursions that exemplified croatian culture as well as being fun for us too I could not recommend this program enough. I also Enjoyed going on little adventures by myself. I felt very safe in Croatia. From shopping around to grabbing a bite to eat, I never felt like my life was In danger. I recommend doing this alone because it really got me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to have the best experience with the best people. I recommend that everyone do this, especially if you’re going into the medical field.

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
The most nerve-racking Moment was the fact that I had to go alone. I was afraid that I wouldn’t make connections, but I was so wrong. I met the most amazing people and learned so much from them.
Pros
  • Shadowing in a different country
  • Getting to meet new people
  • going on adventures that made me more culturally aware
Cons
  • a cockroach fell on me in the shower
  • I wish that we were just given money for breakfast
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Trinity
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Madeira Portugal 3-week trip

Overall, this trip was an amazing experience. There were a few hiccups along the way but because we were the first group in this location that is to be expected. When there was an issue it was fixed promptly. All of the Atlantis staff as well as the hospital staff were kind and welcoming. The shadowing was so interesting and the doctors explained everything. They were very interested in getting to know us as individuals as well as our culture just as much as we were interested in getting to know them. The island is the most beautiful place that I have ever been to and thanks to our city manager, we were able to get to know the island from a locals perspective and tour the entire island which made it that much more special. It was a very exciting and educational trip that I will never forget!

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
The most nerve racking moment would be getting from the airport to the housing however this was made so simple because the Atlantis staff was there to translate and tell the taxi driver where to go
Pros
  • New experiences
  • Meet wonderful people
  • Learn a new culture
Cons
  • Housing issues
  • Shadowing time constraints
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Margaret
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Gorizia, Italy

I had an amazing time during my 2 weeks in Gorizia, Italy. I went through the Atlantis Program and the shadowing experience was invaluable. I shadowed multiple surgeries in different specialties in the operating room. It helped me strengthen my interest in surgery as a specialty and allowed me to see what happens in an operating room in real-time. I would recommend the Atlantis Program to any pre-health student who wants healthcare experience and wants to see the world. Italy was an amazing country.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Don't be afraid to ask questions. The doctors were very friendly and were willing to explain everything that was going on. Make the most of your time there, spend time with your group, and enjoy yourself!
Pros
  • Healthcare experience
  • Cultural immersion
  • Good mixture of fun and shadowing experience
Cons
  • I had trouble with my flights to and from Italy
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Mackenzie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Super fun

I had an amazing time! I didn’t know much Italian but we were still able to mostly communicate, it was an extremely interesting program and I ended up doing 25 hours more than I had initially expected to!! I also made friends with several people within my group and had an amazing time. The food we had was amazing and our group coordinator was awesome! The medical procedures we were able to shadow were extremely in depth and diverse, and there was a huge variety of areas we could shadow and observe, including going into ORS

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Paige
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Rome, Italy

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
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Seoyoon
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

One of the best experiences of my undergrad career - Viana do Castelo and Lisbon, Portugal

Shadowing was often 20+ hours per week across a broad range of specialties. My program managers responded very well to feedback and tried their best to get opportunities for us to shadow our top specialties. I was able to shadow specialties including general surgery, ICU, urology, psychiatry, neurosurgery, dermatology, the burn clinic, and pediatric anesthesiology. The physicians explained all of the procedures to us in English and were very welcoming. I discovered my passion for pediatrics through shadowing the pediatric anesthesiologist, and this experience really helped me confirm my desire to pursue a career in medicine.

The program directors were very involved and helpful. Carlos helped us practice our Portuguese whenever we’d order food or coffee and walked us to the hospital each day. He also messaged us throughout the day to make sure our shadowing experiences were going smoothly and always planned fun weekly excursions for us. Mari made me feel so safe and welcomed in Lisbon, giving us recommendations for restaurants to try or cool sites to visit. I even got to go to a few concerts for artists like A$AP Rocky because tickets were so cheap!

Housing was suite-style; I had a roommate who I knew before starting the program for the first half and had a room to myself for the second half. We shared a kitchen, living room, and bathroom and often cooked meals together :)

Pros
  • Intensive shadowing across a vast range of specialties
  • Helpful and involved program directors on-site
  • Lasting friendships!
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Nicholas
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My Atlantis Mantua, Italy EXPERIENCE

I went on an Atlantis Program in July of 2022 to Mantua, Italy for 3 weeks. From the Interview to getting prepped for my trip, to arrival at my apartment, shadowing and the excursions, it was a smooth process. I had the opportunity to shadow in the ER / ICU, Surgery, Immunohematology, Pediatrics, and got a private tour of their EMS system.

I was shadowing on average 5 hours per day, yet in surgery / ICU I got more because there were additional cases / I really wanted the hours. Yes you do have to wake up early, and be punctual for shadowing. I also explored near by cities such as Florence, Venice, Rome, Lake Garda which I made life long friends and experiences.

This program also gave me the realization that I wanted to dive into the business side of which I utilized the hours / experience on my MBA Application. Yes, it is also an investment in ourselves and careers just like any part of the MD / DO / PA / Nursing process. I highly recommend this program if you're looking for an adventure, hours, and friends for a lifetime!

Pros
  • Networking
  • Expanding your comfort zone
  • Seeing LOTS of great cases from specialties
Cons
  • If you don't like walking a lot
  • Your body adjusting to the food the first 1-2 days
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Celine
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

I loved my Atlantis experience!

I attended an Atlantis program in Valladolid, Spain in July of 2019! I absolutely loved the program because I got to travel, meet new people, watch surgeries and consultations, explore multiple cities of Spain and experience the culture, get shadowing hours (which is required by a lot of the grad schools I’m applying to), and so much more! Now, 4 years later I am still benefiting from the program because I get to talk about it in my PA school applications and interviews! I would recommend this program to any pre health student because it’s a great way to get a feel for medicine and different specialties, study abroad, and make great connections!