Complete Emersion in Another Culture

The Atlantis Project gives you the unique ability to completely enrich yourself in another country, from working there to volunteering there to experiencing the culture. Living in Cuenca for 3 weeks over the winter was an enriching edition to my college experience that I highly recommend to any pre-med student. Not only was I able to shadow physician from different specialties, I was able to meet patients and shadow in surgeries. I was a member of the ICU team for a few days, learning patient’s stories, an observer in nearly a dozen surgeries, ranging from cardiac to hernia repair, and interact on ER consults. Not only did these physicians challenge me to apply my own personal knowledge, asking me questions throughout the case(s), but they allowed me to build strong relationships with staff as they explained their journey through medical school and compared international medicine to that in America. I came back to the US with a great understanding of what it meant to be a global doctor, and a new look on different specialties I had not previously interacted with.

Additionally, this program allowed me to completely emerge myself in Spanish culture. From living with a host family in a hostel building to experiencing the vibrant holiday traditions, we were welcomed and embraced. The family welcomed us into their lives, inviting us to their family restaurant and flamenco lessons. More so, we were able to experience New Years Eve within Barcelona, and Three Kings Day, a traditional Spanish holiday, and learn more about the culture abroad. We were allowed to interact with locals and hear their stories as we were recommended to different restaurants, monuments and experiences.

Not only did this experience give me an international experience to share with everyone, this experience taught me so much about what medicine in a global mindset. Additionally, I made friends who I still talk to regularly as we encourage and support each other’s premedical careers.