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What is Atlantis? How did you hear about it?
Atlantis is a summer program that allows college students to go abroad to Europe or South America to shadow doctors and experience the world of healthcare from another culture's point of view. Fellowships range from 3 - 8 weeks in the summer and are available in 8 countries including Spain, Ecuador, Greece, and Croatia. I found out about it by research summer experiences for pre-medical students. When I found Atlantis, I was uncertain about the program and its reliability. After reading further reviews, I decided to enroll. The program exceeded my expectations.
What did your experience with Atlantis consist of? Can you describe a typical day?
In Mallorca, I stayed in a house with 9 other students in the program who were from different universities in the United States. Each week consisted of 4 days shadowing in the hospital, 1 day of a planned excursion, and free weekends. I experienced 4 different specialties in the hospital (ER, ICU, Radiology, and Cardiology), volunteered to help doctors with their English, and even became a co-author of a paper currently in submission for a medical journal. My typical day consisted of waking up around 8am, eating breakfast, and taking the train to the hospital. At the hospital, each day varied, and some days were more exciting than others, but that is common for physicians. We finished shadowing around 3pm and headed back to our house. Usually, I did something fun in the afternoons such as go to the beach or into the city to go shopping or to dinner. The experience was a great balance of medical preparation and exploration of a new country.
Why do you recommend this opportunity for other UVA grads? For whom might it be well suited?
As a pre-medical student, I find it difficult to go abroad for a semester, as much as I would like to. This program allows students to experience time abroad, while also accessing exposure to a medical environment you would not access in the United States. The program also helped me with my Spanish. Most physicians there are able to speak English, but they enjoy if you want to practice Spanish with them.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
Please reach out to me if you have any questions. I am happy to speak more about my experience. I can be reached at oai4tu@virginia.edu.
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Pre-Health Advising supports students sharing their clinical experiences; but does not endorse specific organizations that sponsor clinical service trips abroad. We recommend all students carefully review organizations prior to enrolling in an international trip to fully understand the legal, ethical, and safety concerns participants may face when engaging in health-related activities.
