Shadow Doctors 20+ Hrs/Week w/ #1 Pre-Health Provider

My Atlantis experience was one that I’ll never forget and one that helped me narrow down my search for the specialty I would be most interested in pursuing a career in! I spent two and a half weeks this past winter in Pavia, Italy where I had to opportunity to shadow Internal Medicine, Neurosurgery, Orthopedic Surgery, General Surgery, and Nephrology alongside 17 other like-minded and driven undergraduate students from across the country. This experience was so unique because no other program gives students the opportunity to shadow physicians in hospitals while also getting a chance to be fully immersed in a foreign country and getting the chance to explore what the culture of your host nation has to offer! One of my favorite things that Atlantis offered me was the relationships I formed with the other students on my trips. Many of us still keep in contact to this day and it’s so great being able to catch back up with them from time to time and see how they are doing both personally as well as with their journey towards a career in healthcare. Atlantis offered me so much and I’m thankful that I had a chance to complete not one but two trips and I want to encourage anyone looking for a similar experience to apply today!

The Atlantis Fellowship will open your eyes, your ears, and your heart. During my Atlantis Fellowship in Genova, Italy, I was able to observe incredible and advanced surgical procedures and create lasting relationships with doctors and friends. I recently became an alumni ambassador for Atlantis because I truly believe the Atlantis Fellowship experience can help many future doctors. My trip greatly helped confirm my goal of becoming a physician, and more specifically a surgeon. Although I have dreamed of becoming a doctor since I was a child, it was during my Atlantis Fellowship in Italy that my dream finally looked as if it could be a reality. Recently, I tore my ACL and both lateral and medial menisci. I chose local anesthesia and a femoral nerve block for the arthroscopic surgery so I could to stay awake and watch my surgery on a monitor. I watched as my surgeon removed my patellar tendon and grafted it as a new ACL. Surprisingly, this experience felt just like my time in Italy, except this time I was the patient on the table. After four weeks in Italy observing Orthopedic, Neuro, and Vascular surgery as well as Urology, I had the courage to watch a procedure done on myself and reminisce on my time in Genova. If I could go on an Atlantis Fellowship again, I certainly would. Atlantis provided me with a life-changing opportunity to experience healthcare in a foreign country and to be exposed to the rewarding, yet often difficult life of doctors and surgeons. The physicians I met will continue to be inspirations to me, as they were so kind, caring and hardworking. The Atlantis Fellowship is without a doubt a one-of-a-kind experience for those looking to become physicians or PAs.

Atlantis is truly an exceptional and unparalleled program. Being able to witness surgeons perform life-saving procedures is the greatest opportunity and something hard to find in the United States. My favorite experience was witnessing a surgeon remove an entire brain tumor he did not think he could resect all of. Atlantis is a very professional program, yet very fun at the same time. I met many good friends from around the country with whom I have kept in contact with. Being surrounded by students who share similar interests as you is incredible as they encourage you and can help you confirm your goals for the future.

I would also like to note that the Atlantis employees have remained so consistent and helpful even months after I returned from Italy. The members of the Atlantis team make the program what it is- wonderful.

The Atlantis Fellowship was something that really solidified my interest in the medical field. I always loved medicine, but I never knew exactly what field I was interested in. Atlantis helped me shadow over 4 different departments (including surgeries) in just 4 weeks. Other than the medical aspect of Atlantis, I was also able to experience a different culture first hand. Being in a different culture opened my mind up to so many more ideas and opportunities. Atlantis is truly the perfect medical experience for future health professionals that love to travel/explore new ideas.

Atlantis offered me an incredible opportunity to strengthen my interest in medicine and expand my knowledge. The shadowing experience in the hospital was amazing and I got to see and learn more than I ever would have imagined. I had rotations in radiology, vascular surgery, and general surgery. The site managers were amazing and our group far exceeded my expectations. The planned group meals and excursions were great experiences also! I would highly recommend this program to anyone interested in pursuing a career in medicine.

Atlantis gave me the opportunity to feel important in the hospital, as if I truly belong there. They gave me the opportunity to stand close by a surgeon during a procedure, sit next to doctors performing exams, and be taught how to read MRI scans. They also allowed me to travel on my own if I so choosed to. I was able to experience the Italian culture in more than one city while I was abroad. Because of Atlantis I can now say that I have Lifelong friendships with other Atlantis Fellows and even Doctors! Atlantis really helped me in knowing that Medicine was right for me!

This past summer I went abroad and experienced a once in a lifetime fellowship in Rome, Italy. For four weeks I witnessed many different procedures in the operating room, and worked right by side the surgeons and nurses. Each week we got assigned to a new specialty and physician to learn and grow from. I was able to expand my network in the medical world, as well as meeting new friends I know I will stay in contact with for life. Being in Europe, studying their medical techniques was an opportunity I never thought I would have. I really appreciated the constant support the doctors gave each fellow. They encouraged us to be proactive and ask questions because they were just as eager to teach as we were to learn. I came back from my time in Rome knowing exactly what I wanted to do with my career and I also came back having more knowledge of the European medical system. This experience was more than I could have ever asked for.

This program allowed me to experience the average day of a doctor in a different country. I had the experience of shadowing doctors in Trieste, Italy. I was able to gain more knowledge of how our health care system and day of a doctor is so different when compared to other countries. I am a Pre-Med student and want to become a medic in the Military, so when I had the opportunity to go work overseas I knew this would be something fit for me. I was able to work in all different kinds of departments in the hospital, that gave me a opportunity to experience how life will be when I reach my career goal. Not only did I learn so much of how hospitals work in other countries, but I also had the opportunity to learn a lot about different cultures in other countries. I was able to build amazing relations with my doctors and fellows throughout the three weeks I was in Italy.

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.