Join Atlantis: Pre-Health Shadowing 60+ Hrs w/ Top Doctors

In Summer 2022 I shadowed abroad in Vigo, Spain with Atlantis through the University of Florida and it was incredible ! After my first year of college , I decided that the business field did not capture everything I wanted so in 2020 I made the switch to the pre-med track. With Covid blooming I had a hard time finding shadowing opportunities due to safety and health concerns in hospitals. I resorted to virtual shadowing and learned all I could but I still wanted to have a in-person experience with physicians. My academic advisor brought to me the Atlantis shadow abroad in Spain and I jumped on the opportunity. In this experience I left the country for my first time and submerged myself in the Spanish culture. I always wanted to study abroad but it never worked with my schedule given all my pre-reqs. Atlantis allowed me to scratch that itch and be one-on-one to two-on-one with physicians in Spain. I went for four weeks and shadowed a different specialty every week ( ER, Neurology, ICU, Vascular Surgery) culminating a total of 96 hours. I got to see even more than those 4 specialties because the doctors would invite me to see more operations and consults. My experience opened my eyes to the various healthcare systems and has allowed me to better understand the different ways of approaching health.
I LOVED my location and where I got to live. For my first time out of the country I felt safe and secure Las I explored the city. I got to connect with prehealth students and also network with the physicians I met by getting their emails and keeping up contact. As I apply for medical schools now in the US this experience is consistently one I bring up in explaining my journey and love for medicine. I have grown tremendously in understanding of the duties and responsibility of a doctor because of this experience !

My Atlantis experience in Genoa was a transformative chapter that seamlessly intertwined academic exploration, cultural immersion, and personal growth. Through shadowing medical professionals, I gained invaluable insights into the intricacies of healthcare, fostering a deeper understanding of my future role as a speech language pathologist. Beyond the hospital, the city itself became my classroom, teaching me the art of cultural adaptability and offering a profound appreciation for diversity.

The guidance of our dedicated city manager, coupled with Atlantis' comprehensive support, ensured that every facet of the program was seamlessly orchestrated, allowing me to focus on extracting the utmost value from each moment. From indulging in delectable local cuisine to forming lasting bonds with peers from around the globe, every interaction contributed to a profound sense of cultural humility and camaraderie.

In retrospect, this experience has not only reinforced my passion for the medical field but also imparted life lessons that extend beyond textbooks. As I embark on the next phase of my journey, I carry with me a global perspective, an open heart, and the confidence to navigate the intricate tapestry of healthcare and human connection.

I had an absolutely amazing experience in Portugal. I got to spend quality hours in the hospital, watching several surgeries, getting to know great doctors, and exploring different specialties. Outside of the hospital, I made great friends with my fellow Atlantis students, and we loved exploring our town and going on group excursions. I had the opportunity to immerse myself into a new culture by trying different foods, listening to different music, and getting to know our city manager. Overall, just a great experience and would totally do it again.

Joining atlantis was one of the best decision I made. That did not just prepare me for my pre-med but helped me to socialize more, connect with professional people to whom I am connected with. They explained so well even though of language barrier. Despite of never visting greece I made a lot of new friends which will have special place and they will be forever. We were all from different backgrounds. Some downfall for me was jsut the housing as we had to share with 4 people of the group but that did not seem a problem later on for me as we got along.

This experience was the most life-changing and breath-taking moment of my undergraduate career. I was able to shadow so many professions around the Operating Room and various departments (like Urology, Neurology, and Pediatrics).
Outside of the hospital experience, I had so much free time to explore the city, eat quality italian food, and hangout with my cohort everyday!
The best parts were the weekly excursions and the freetime weekends we used to travel. I got to see so many beautiful sides of Italy.

This was a great program for reinforcing one’s desire to be in the medical field. Anything from a physician, to a orthopedic surgeon, to an anesthesiologist; there are many opportunities to get to know someone in these fields and other fields and get their perspective on how they completed their schooling, if and why they enjoy what they do, and to ultimately get a different point of view of medicine than one’s own in their country of residence. It also an experience that allows a person to grow in a different environment - whether with the group members from different cities and backgrounds to the new and unfamiliar country and its’ customs to being exposed to a day-to-day life of a medical professional within a hospital setting. Great time.

Atlantis is hands down one of the best things I have ever done. I loved the places I visited, the doctors I shadowed, the medical and cultural knowledge I gained, the life-long friendships I developed, and so much more. I have definitely grown as a person and student and learned so much about medicine through my fellowship! I also learned how to overcome language barriers with other people which will help in the medical field when I have patients without the same language. It was great to see other cultures and as a World Traveler, I was able to compare the health care systems and cultures of different countries not just to the United States but to each other as well! I am so grateful for Atlantis and I definitely think it helps to prepare fellows to be the best and most well-rounded health care professionals they can be.

Going on a fellowship to Zagreb, Croatia for 3 weeks was one of the best decisions in my professional career! I have gained priceless skills and professional connections while on this fellowship from the doctors/surgeons during shadowing hours to the colleagues that I met during the fellowship. This experience has enlightened me in culture diversity, adapting to new environments, confirming that I am going to become a surgeon by watching surgeries everyday during my first rotation in ENT, and how different other countries health care systems are/how they operate. During the free time on the weekends my colleagues and I decided to travel to Split and Budapest and this enhanced the fellowship immensely by being able to experience the old towns by the sea and seeing a whole different culture in Budapest than from Zagreb. I highly encourage you to travel to near by cities or countries during this free time on the weekends and to apply to Atlantis to complete their fellowship program! It was the best decision in my professional career and I would do it all over again if I could.