Program Reviews

I had the pleasure to travel to Sibenik, Croatia Summer of 2022. I came across this program through a school program at UT Austin and my application process was a bit different than most people who go on this experience. I do believe it was an easier application process but the experience I believe was the equivalent to any other program. Our site manager, Ena, was so thoughtful and attentive to our needs. Although a bit chaotic, the hospital was so open to teaching us about their day-to-day lives. On top of the great shadowing experience, we also got to wander the small town of Sibenik and interact with the sweet locals. Our weekend excursions planned by Ena were something to look forward to because it was a day filled with fun activities and yummy food. Overall, all my interactions with the Atlantis program have been positive and I am thankful I had the chance to partake on such an amazing trip.

I shadowed with Atlantis in 2019 and cannot recommend it enough! As a pre-med student that really struggled finding clinical experience, this was exactly what I needed. I was able to see different specialties that helped me decide what type of medicine I wanted to pursue. Additionally, this was one of the only ways that I was able to have a real travel abroad experience while I balanced a pre-med course load. When I applied to medical school, this was the experience that everyone wanted to know more about. I will be attending medical school this upcoming fall and Atlantis is the biggest reason for that! 10/10 go if you can!!

I did a 3-week long fellowship in Lisboa, Portugal Summer 2018, and left with an idea of what I finally want to do in medicine. This was a huge leap of faith considering this was my very first time on a plane anywhere, but I wouldn’t change it for the world! On my official first day in the hospital I saw a Tonsillectomy and the insertion of Tympanostomy tubes in the ears of pediatric patients. Over the next few weeks I also saw additional surgical procedures and consultations. I felt I saw more shadowing in Portugal as an undergraduate than in the U.S.
The excursions were amazing, I finally got to explore castles and scenic locations. The castles were beautiful, and the city itself was an architectural marvel. I explored a lot of Portugal alone, and saw some very interesting places. I even became friends with some locals and keep in contact with them today! This trip was a dream come true and educational at the same time. I honestly felt safer walking around in Portugal than back home, and the natives are very nice.

I did a 3 week trip to Coimbra Portugal this past summer, and I can say that it is the most valuable and fun experience I have had. The opportunity to see all types of medicine including surgery was astounding. The country is beautiful and exploring the country was breathtaking. This trip allowed me to gain experience medically and culturally which I do not believe I could of received in the US. I recommend this trip to anyone who has even the slightest interest in medicine. I would go on this trip and The Atlantis program over and over if I was able to.

Had a great time, it was overall an awesome trip. The food was great. There were lots of attraction, historical sites, and places to go. The city is right near the water, so there are great views. The weather was also really great, it was hot all the time. people in the city all spoke english and were really friendly. The hospital shadowing aspect of the program was also really cool. The doctors were all friendly and eager to interact with us. We got opportunities to go to different departments of the hospital and observe many types of surgeries. The shadowing wasn't too long either, so once we finished, we were free for the rest of the day. Our site manager was really amazing and very helpful. We went on group excursions twice, which were also cool

I did a month long fellowship in Coimbra, Portugal this summer and walked away with so many positive memories. I had the chance to see open heart surgery, cataract surgery and many other different kinds of surgeries and consultations. I felt that I saw more than I would ever have the chance to see in the United States without being in medical school. I also walked away with a greater appreciation for traveling the world to learn more about other cultures. I would recommend this fellowship to anyone who wants to learn more about the medical world whether or not medical school is a plan in the future. I personally do not want to go to medical school, but am interested in PT or OT. This experience was so helpful for me to see that everyone has a different path and direction towards their end goal.

Atlantis has been an amazing experience. I went to Valladolid, Spain. I learned so much in my two weeks in Spain with Atlantis and got opportunities I would not have gotten where I am from until later in my schooling. I would really recommend it. The first week went slow because you are getting used to a new city and culture, but when it come to the second week it goes super fast and by the end your sad it went by so fast. I created relationships with people all over the States and even got really close to my doctors. There were sad goodbyes on the last day from everyone, the doctors, fellows, and site manager. I choose to take advantage of my time in Europe and I traveled before my fellowship and I stayed a week after. Would really recommend this experience to perspective medical students.

Beautiful city, beautiful nature, wonderful food, wonderful hospital staff, the Atlantis program in Ferrol had it all! From the beaches to the forest to the restaurants and to the hospital, there was not one thing flawed! When going to Ferrol do not forget your sun screen, hiking boots, and appetite for sea food. The beach at Doninos was the most beautiful beach I have ever seen. The hike in Las Fragas was extraordinary. The food in Ferrol was so delicious, my favorite by far were the zamburinas at the resturant, La Cantina. Zamburinas can only be found in the coast of north western Spain, the region known as Galcia, which makes the eating of these zamburinas a must for any sea food lover. If I ever get the chance to travel to Spain again, I will most definitely have to stop by Galicia!

I signed up for this program with a little prior shadowing experience and a fuzzy head about what I wanted to do in the future. My past experiences were primarily academic or research based and the little shadowing I did prior had pushed me away from pursuing a career in medicine. This experience completely turned that around. The ability to shadow in numerous departments as well as interact on a more personal level with the hospital staff showed me a different side of medicine and convinced me that working in a hospital is where I want to be. Its a much different experience than you get shadowing in the United States, not only are the health care institutions vastly different but so is the culture. And, on top of all that professional growth, you get to travel around Europe. I made some amazing memories with the most amazing group of girls. It's the perfect mix of work and play.

I loved all the people I was with and we spent a lot of time together going to fun places like a national Park and the coast. I learned so much in the hospital and got to see a lot of different specialties and a lot of surgeries. The Atlantis team was so helpful and answered any questions that I had before the fellowship started and made me feel so well prepared to fly to Europe by myself for the first time. I made lots of friends and learned a lot about Croatia and the people that live there. While in the hospital I did something different almost everyday and got to see stuff that helped me to decide what kind of doctor I want to become (surgeon) and help to point me towards a few specialties I maybe interested in. This is also going to be a great addition to my college applications.