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

It was my first time going overseas and traveling by myself. As soon as I land into the airport, city manager was there to greet me and help me get on my shuttle for the two hour trip north. The first day I got thrown into open-heart surgery, which was one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. And having the rest of the day off to do whatever and explore the city was awesome. I was able to go see a bunch of Roman artifacts from museums and national sites, the people were great and the food was also very good.

I was surrounded by great minds and observed lots of cool procedures in the Faro General Hospital. I observed physicians in the nephrology unit, cardiology unit, and gastroenterology unit. Our housing was a ten minute walk to the hospital and felt very safe. I got very close to my roommates during the three weeks we were there and continue to stay in touch with them. Faro was the perfect size city to explore during the three weeks we were there and the beaches were incredible. Unfortunately we had to Uber to get to the beach but the rides were normally cheap. The trip was a fantastic experience!

I did the three weeks in Viana Do Castelo and it was so much fun! We got to shadow doctors in the pediatric, surgery, and neurology department. I learned a lot about the field that I want to work in (neurology). Our group got close very quickly and we are now abroad besties!

Our city manager was the sweetest and she was always there to help us. She made sure we had enough food and experience. The group dinners and extracurriculars on the weekend were always fun and engaging.

Portugal is so beautiful!! We also got to travel on the weekend and explore new places. If you want to learn more about the medical field abroad and make new friends, I recommend!

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!

This study away experience was an invaluable experience. I had the opportunity to shadow different specialties in Lisbon’s hospitals over the course of three weeks. This gave me the opportunity to learn more about careers in specific medical specialties. It also allowed me to view first hand how culture affects healthcare. Having had shadowing experience in the United States, I was able to compare how the healthcare systems in both countries are similar and different. This helped me gain a global understanding on healthcare, which is integral to have as someone who wishes to pursue a career in the medical field. The program helped me learn more about myself, including what I want to pursue after graduating from my university. I could not recommend this study away experience enough!

This experience was amazing! Shadowing twenty hours a week in the local hospital, switching specialties everyday! I was able to see so much more than any shadowing I had done before, from consultations to procedures to surgeries. Over the three weeks, the whole group of students became very close and went on lots of excursions around Portugal. I would definitely recommend to anyone going into medicine and wants more shadowing experience. While in Coimbra, I made memories and had new experiences to last a lifetime, while also reinvigorating my passion for medicine.

I really enjoyed getting to know my peers and the excursions allowed me to learn about Portugal in ways I probably would not have otherwise! Shadowing in hospitals allowed me to be in places like the OR that I would not have had the privilege to see as an undergraduate student. I am grateful to have been apart of a smaller group of students as well because I feel as though the site managers got to know us on a personal level and we have shared lasting memories with them. I plan to continue the connections I’ve made.

At first I was a bit hesitant on this program, thinking it was too good to be true. But the more I got to know and the information provided by the Atlantis Team, the more eager I was to sign up. I’m so glad I decided to take this journey to another country to shadow. I work in a hospital so I have shadowing experience but this was nothing compared to what I experienced through the Atlantis program. I learned so much new knowledge that I never would’ve learned if I didn’t decide to go on this trip.