Medical Shadowing in Italy w/ #1 Pre-Health Provider

I went on an Atlantis Program in July of 2022 to Mantua, Italy for 3 weeks. From the Interview to getting prepped for my trip, to arrival at my apartment, shadowing and the excursions, it was a smooth process! I had the opportunity to shadow in the ER / ICU, Surgery, Immunohematology, Pediatrics, and got a private tour of their EMS system. I was shadowing on average 5 hours per day, yet in surgery / ICU I got more because there were additional cases / I really wanted the hours. Yes you do have to wake up early, and be punctual for shadowing! The cappucino in the morning was FABULOUS! I also explored near by cities such as Florence, Venice, Rome, Lake Garda which I made life long friends and experiences. From playing duck duck burrito in the apartments with the squad to experiencing an EDM Concert, still AMAZED at that experience to this day. This program gave me the realization that I wanted to dive into the business side of which I utilized the hours / experience on my MBA Application. Yes, it is an investment in ourselves and careers just like any part of the MD / DO / PA / Nursing process. I highly recommend this program if you're looking for an adventure, hours, friends for a lifetime, and you want to confirm in your heart the calling to medicine or not! Words cannot express the gratitude I have for the Atlantis staff, and everyone that made this process special. I would not be where I am today, and on the path that I am on without this experience. THANK YOU ATLANTIS!

The fellowship I did in Trieste, Italy was an amazing experience. I got to meet new people from across the US who are instead in the same career path as me. I also got to know a experience a completely different care system than the one in the US. I also got to learn about the culture in Trieste. I would definitely recommend this fellowship! My site manager was really helpful and nice. It was great to see the city through the eyes of a local. I definitely saw things and are places that I would have not see or eaten had it not been for my site manager. This fellowship helped in reaffirming my decision to go into medicine and become a doctor. I was able to shadow different doctors in different types of departments. For example, cardiology, neurology, radiology and general surgery

Program: Internship in Italy Shadow Doctors 20+ Hours/Week Jun 25, 2019 I am very very satisfied with my shadowing experience abroad in Italy. At first, I did have my concerns as the AAMC shows statistics and discourages students from SHADOWING abroad due to the risk of students being involved in medical procedures. I would like to clear this doubt for those who are interested in this fellowship as Atlantis is VERY VERY strict and abides by their policy of no physical fellow-patient interaction. Atlantis is very clear with all the rules that must be followed etc. That being said, the fellowship was incredible. I was able to shadow under general surgery, urology, and vascular surgery. All of these departments always had surgeries or patients and all the hospital staff were incredibly helpful. Though some of the hospital staff did not speak english, many if not all residents spoke english and were able to explain procedures to you if the attending surgeon was busy. Many of these doctors are incredibly well trained and have excellent english so language barrier is usually not a problem. Aside from shadowing, the weekly excursions (I don't want to spoil them if you are attending the fellowship) were very very fun. There's a lot of pictures to be taken and a lot of friendships to be made and it was quite the experience. Genova is very very scenic with mountains, beaches (mostly rocky but you can still find sandy beaches), and architecture. Genova is known for their pesto and I really really recommend you try it. The Atlantis fellowship is expensive but provides you an experience that is priceless. I was able to pay for this through fundraising, asking family members, working a part-time job, and a little bit of assistance from my parents. This really has taught me good saving/spending habits for my future. What is your advice to future travelers on this program? I highly advise future travelers to get to know the other fellows prior to the fellowship. It'll allow you to adjust much quicker.

My time shadowing doctors in Italy was one of the most valuable experiences I've ever had. It allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and learn so many things I wouldn't have known otherwise. I was able to be fully immersed in a different culture and gain a better understanding and appreciation of the rich Italian culture. Along with the cultural differences, I was able to learn more about the medical differences Italy has to the US. I learned how to deal with a language barrier and saw that the medical field surpasses language and can be understood between almost any individual willing to learn. I gained real world experience in a hospital setting where I was able to gain a better understanding of the everyday stresses doctors deal with. Overall, this was a great experience that I highly recommend to any and all pre- health students.

As a pre-med student I decided to be apart of the Atlantis Fellowship to experience the daily activities of a doctor. Traveling abroad really intrigued me because I would be able to experience a completely different culture while also observing doctors. The admissions process was very straight forward and the Atlantis staff was happy to help and answer questions at any point along the way. I chose to attend the fellowship is Rome, Italy due to the historical significance of the city. Rome was so beautiful and there were so many places to visit. I enjoyed seeing a new side of medicine which further validated my aspirations to pursue medicine.

I was looking for a unique opportunity for shadowing during my gap year and that is when I stumbled upon the Atlantis Program! This program has provided me with unique experiences, which have overall made me a stronger medical school applicant and opened my eyes to a different healthcare system!

I shadowed doctors for four weeks in Rome, Italy and I had the best experience! I was able to watch so many surgeries such as an open heart, Cesarean section, etc. The employees with this program are also very helpful and seem just as excited about your experiences as you are. I would definitely recommend applying for this fellowship!

I had such a life changing experience. I not only was exposed to a new culture, I figured out what I wanted to do with my life. It was so amazing and I learned so much. I feel like this program helped me have an understanding of what its like to work at a hospital. Do it!

Where do I begin? I really have no words to describe to you how amazing this program was. Not only because of the 60+ hours of shadowing professional Italian doctors, but the memories and bonds that I made with the other fellows is what made this worthwhile. I met 14 of the greatest people you could ever meet and got to experience a foreign country with them; what could be better? This program has impacted my life post program by giving me and upper edge when I start to apply for medical school. I hope and pray that they ask me all about this in the interview because I could go on and on and on about it. I learned so much from the hospital and from the country itself. To future participants: GO FOR IT! Take the chance and get out of your comfort zone. Atlantis is an A grade program with A grade staff and managers that will help you along every step of the way.

Being a fellow with the Atlantis Project was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I learned so much and saw things up close that I would never have been able to see in the U.S. I was in the OR for real brain surgery! My roommate is now one of my best friends and a surgeon is a friend. It was an amazing and unforgettable experience. Nothing in the states compares this fellowship. And as a bonus, I was in Italy!! I got almost 90 shadowing hours in one month! That alone makes this fellowship worth every penny.

Spending 3 weeks in Trieste, Italy by being an Atlantis Fellow was great. We got to observe various doctors in a variety of specialties in two different hospitals. We spent four days a week in the hospitals. We got to see very interesting exams, procedures & surgeries during this time. It was a great way to gain experience to put towards my future medical career.

In Winter 2018, I had the amazing opportunity to shadow Doctors in Milan, Italy. I spent about 20 hours a week shadowing a range of specialties. My options were Neurosurgery, Pediatrics, Neurology, and Transplant Surgery. Other programs through Atlantis offer Cardiology, if that is what you are interested in. The Doctors spoke English and explained before and after each patient we visited. They made me feel welcome to ask questions. I plan to attend medical school, but experiencing medicine in a different country secured my plans. There was also plenty of time to travel and explore. We had nights and weekends off which allowed me to travel to Rome! My Atlantis Site Manager made my experience, he taught us how to navigate the city and took the fellows to multiple meals! I hope to travel again through Atlantis to a different country soon!

My time in Trieste, Italy with the Atlantis was definitely one for the books. Before departure the Atlantis staff made sure we were prepared and had all the information we needed for our arrival there. They sent weekly email updates and reminders and held a pre-departure conference call. When I arrived at the airport my site coordinators were there to help us get to the residence hall. The residence was a nice and safe place for us to stay, although our rooms were a bit cold at first. Everything was organized from our first day to the last one; to and from the hospital, the group dinners and the excursions. The hospital staff were also very nice and welcoming. Trieste was a new site when I interned so there was a small, somewhat expected hiccup in one department where the staff was not quite sure of our [students from US] role there but this was not a big deal. Overall my experience was one that I will always remember and look back upon with a smile. I loved Trieste, the people I met and the time I spent there. I highly recommend the Atlantis project to premed students.

During Summer 2017 I had the opportunity to go on my Atlantis trip to Milan, Italy! As apart of the program, we enjoyed long hours in the hospital from (8:00 am to 4:00 pm) and Excursions to different areas of Italy! I learned a lot more than I thought from the doctors my partner and I were placed with and really was happy to be connected to professionals in the hospital even months afterward! I would recommend this experience to any Pre-Med or Pre-Health major who wants a more in-depth understanding of the day to day inner workings of a physicians schedule.

Overall, this fellowship was one of the best experiences that I have had so far. I was able to shadow doctors while they did their rounds, observe multiple surgeries, and even got to learn about the research that some of the doctors were currently doing. I also had the chance to sit in on a lecture at the medical school that was at the hospital. Not only does this program let you learn more about the medical field, but you also learn about the culture of the country that you are staying in. Once a week, you will take a group excursion and explore the cities surrounding. The four weeks that I was in Milan, Italy completely exceeded all expectations that I had. I highly recommend applying for this fellowship. You will not regret it!

I completed a 3 week fellowship over the summer of 2017. To say the least, it was an amazing experience. Not only did I better myself by shadowing foreign medicine, I also got to experience an amazing culture. Along with that, the group leaders and other students on the trip were amazing. I met so many new people that impacted me in a variety of ways. I'll forever be thankful for the new friendships and experiences I made on my fellowship. I really believe that it changed me for the better, along with opening my eyes to a bunch of new opportunities.

I was admitted to the Atlantis Fellowship which enabled me to shadow doctors for 20+ hours a week in Milan, Italy. It was a life-changing experience for me and I'm much more confident that medicine is the right path for me because of it. I think this would be a great opportunity for anyone interested in pursuing a medical career. It such a unique experience of not only medicine in a international setting but also a opportunity to see the culture of others. My favorite part was the food and meeting people from all different places. Everything was so authentic and real. I don't think there is any experience like this and highly recommend it to anyone, not just premed applicants. I'm an ambassador for this program now and hope to be able to spread the word to others.

I spent a duration of five weeks abroad and a total of three weeks shadowing. I took time before hand to travel in Italy and absolutely believe that my most valuable time abroad was in the hospital during my fellowship! I am forever grateful to the Atlantis Project for this opportunity and allowing me to learn more about what I love. I was able to network with many healthcare professionals and form a strong, professional network. Atlantis includes weekly excursions that were incredible to experience and places I never would have heard of otherwise. In addition to my time as a fellow, I had a multitude of opportunities in which I genuinely learned about the culture in my host country. I will absolutely be applying for another fellowship in the future!

The Atlantis Project was a great opportunity that allowed me to explore Europe, learn more about other countries medical industry, and provided valuable experience that will benefit me for years to come.