Once in a Lifetime Experience

Interning abroad in Spain was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I would have never imagined that I would be given the opportunity to embark on such a wonderful journey. My program was situated in the small Galician town of Ourense. During my stay, I was given great living commodities, amazing meals, and the social life was great! There was always something to do from interning, to visiting local shops and restaurants.

Monday through Friday, each AP fellow was expected to intern for at least 5 hours at the local hospital. For my specific program (4 weeks), we were assigned to a variety of specialities that we had shown prior interest in. During my program, I shadowed obstetrics/gynecology, general/trauma surgery, oncology, cardiology, internal medicine, and pediatrics. Though each day varied, there was always something new to learn! The doctors were also very welcoming and friendly, and they loved learning more about the American culture including the English language.

During the weekends we would attend excursions (which by the way, were amazing). Some of my favorite trips included the Cies Islands, Santiago de Compostela, Parada de Sil, and the Allariz goat farm. In addition the locals were very friendly, and my overall experience with the Atlantis Project made me never want to come back home. I truly recommend this program!! Not only does it allow you to attain cultural experience and knowledge about European healthcare, but it also allows you to give back to the local community.