Study Abroad Programs in Thessaloniki, Greece

Hello, my name is Cheyenne Dabel, I’ve been in this program at the Metropolitan General and I am from the United States, Utah area. I wanted to come to shadow here because I plan to apply to medical school in the April/May season that’s coming up and what’s a better place to come to Greece to shadow. Some highlights from my experience here is a lot of different surgeries. I saw plastic surgeries, general surgery, and cardiac surgery. So, you get to have a bit of everything. Every day I would see something different. The coordination with this program was very good. Every need I had was answered and taken care of right away. Greece was the best place to be and Athens is a very busy place but you get used to it fast and you get to walk fast as well. So, I had a lovely time.

Alexa and Adria were amazing all semester they were the best RAs. Although it was a little annoying not having any curtains upon arriving I had no shower curtain no toilet paper and no curtain on my balcony so I had to go out and buy all of that after a extremely long travel day

I’ll start with my coordinators – they were always willing to advise myself and the other girls places to visit around Athens. My airport pickup was swift and my apartment was cute and the perfect size for me. It was about a 10 minute walk from the hospital and 15 minutes from the metro station. By far the best part was meeting the two other girls in the program, we instantly clicked and are planning to meet again in the next coming months! It was crazy that they were both from the west coast as well. As far as the program at the hospital went, I spent my days either in cardiology, radiology, surgery, hepatology, internal medicine, physical therapy or neurology. It was great to get a glimpse of the physician’s day to day procedures while learning some more Greek! Most of the doctors were super caring and welcoming. My favourite specialities were surgery and neurology; I could really see myself pursuing a career in neurology! I met the BEST doctors in neurology and the machines to diagnose the disorders were fascinating. I truly learned so much the last two days of the program, and I observed a case with a brain tumor and consulting neurosurgeon. Super cool. In surgery, I saw some amazing procedures (hip replacements, Da Vinci GI procedures, rotator cuff repair) and the surgeons were extremely kind and explained everything. Overall, I had a really great time on the days as physicians were willing to teach and entertain conversation, plus the other girls I met were a huge bonus.

I choose a physiotherapy internship for two weeks in Athens and got to see many cases, some from famous local athletes and got to see surgeries right next to the operating table! Even though my internship was short I got to see a lot of cases and everyone was eager to explain and show me stuff. I got to stay in a modern apartment very close to the hospital and with my flatmates had a great time on our free time.

I had a three week shadowing experience at a Greek hospital which allowed me to see all specialties and discuss with doctors and medical staff about procedures and see surgeries and gain a broad and deep perspective of the medical field. The program helped me confirm my desire to specialise on cardiology and I am panning to have another internship specifically at the cardiology department after a couple of year in med school. Everyone there was very helpful and had an excellent time exploring the city

I interned at the Metropolitan General hospital in Athens over the summer for 6 weeks and I got to spend a lot of time in each department and gain a broad perspective of how a hospital works and the everyday life of a physician's assistant. I spent 6-8 hours at the hospital Monday to Friday and had the weekends to my self to travel. Throughout my internship the organizers took care of everything and answered all my questions making me feel confident of my trip. I definitely learned a lot and had a great time in Athens and planning to return next year to explore the rest of the country!

I was extremely impressed by the hospital staff and how they spent time with me to create a shadowing schedule focused on physical therapy and in other departments relative to it like orthopedic surgery etc. I got to learn a lot about the Greek healthcare system and develop personal relationships with the medical staff. I had an amazing time with my fellow interns and we got to explore Greece in our free time. I highly recommend the program to anyone interested in shadowing doctors whether they are pre-med or med students.

I spent 4-weeks in shadowing doctors in Athens shadowing at multiple departments. The most amazing experience is standing next to them as they performed surgeries! This program confirmed my interest in Medicine and helped me pinpoint the specialty to follow. With the other interns in my group we had the chance to explore the city in the afternoon and travel to nearby touristic spots and the islands over the weekend. I had an amazing time in Greece and the site coordinators were there to help us in every step of the internship.

My main role during this internship was to observe, learn, and ask questions about dentistry. I was able to shadow a general dentist, oral surgeon, and prosthodontist at the clinic. Some examples of procedures included general cleanings, crowns/bridges/dentures, implants, root canals, and tooth extractions. I was also able to learn about new technologies within the field, including guided implant placements. Since I do not currently hold any professional dental certification, tasks were not able to be performed on the patients. However, I was able to help out with operatory setup/clean-up, and sterilization. I was able to witness a variety of dental procedures and understand how dentistry in Greece varies slightly from dentistry in Canada. All of this knowledge and experience has helped me to solidify my career aspirations within dentistry. Some specific skills include dental terminology, and interpersonal skills/patient-professional interactions. My favourite memory was being able to witness an abutment placement (for a dental implant). This was the most complicated case I had seen thus far, and my supervisors explained everything and answered questions, while performing this procedure. After completing my internship experience, I now feel on a personal level, more mature and responsible. Travelling on my own in a new country has been an eye-opening and welcome experience. Furthermore, I now feel more confident in my interactions with others. I gained a wealth of knowledge from my two weeks of shadowing and solidified that this path is what I want for my future career

I enjoyed everything in the internship - it was 100% worth it, I learned a lot and met new people that were amazingly helpful. From day one, I was made to feel like I’d always been part of the team. They taught and helped me in all ways - I honestly cannot find any substandard points to comment on, because this team gave me everything they could. I found that the locals enjoyed each moment by assisting you with happiness, which made my adaptation to the placement easier. I got what I expected from this internship, as it helped me to improve my own skills, while learning new skills that can help in the future. The doctors taught me how to deliver the ideas of the treatment to the patient, how I should communicate with patients, and how to implement a treatment plan (from the first step, through till the final step). This is going to help in my future postgraduate studies, because treatment plans are so important. My favorite memory from the internship was when we helped a patient by replacing his posterior teeth. This memory will stay with me for a long time, because it made a huge impact on the patient’s quality of life.

I joined the 4-week pre-med program in Greece in July 2019 and I had the opportunity to shadow of up to 40 hours a week with doctors, nurses, surgeons etc. We were placed in a private hospital with doctors trained in the US or UK and got to see them operating high-tech medical equipment. Our hospital supervisor rotated us through all departments and this gave us a sense of direction into what we want to follow in our medical career. It was overall an amazing experience and a unique opportunity to shadow medicine and learn about the healthcare system of another country. I definitely recommend everyone who wants to get medical experience to participate in this program. In my free time I was able to go and explore Athens and the nearby islands. It was so beautiful that I am planning to return back to Greece and explore more and certainly see again all the doctors that I shadowed with!

I learned what it is like to be a physician every day and I got to rotate in all the hospital's departments and gain a solid perspective of my medical career path. The coordinating team were very organised and they made us feel at home. Athens is a very safe city with so many things to see and do.

I conducted my Medical internship in Athens, Greece, in a top private hospital with cutting-edge technology. It was one of the most impressive organizations I have ever seen in healthcare. My internship role as a medical trainee was to assist doctors during their clinical activities and to observe them during surgery and endoscopy. My favourite memory from my internship experience was the prostate biopsy that the urologist let me perform under his supervision. It was a challenging, important and new experience. I also had the chance to observe one of the best hematologists in Europe at work, they were an amazing supervisor, teaching me a lot! As a medical student, this internship supported my long term goals, as I gained a lot of new clinical and hands-on experience, while also further developing skills I already had. Everything I learned during the hospital internship placement will be useful in my future career as a clinician. It will also help me to complete my medical degree.

I studied abroad in Spring 2019, and had an eye opening experience. As a Greek, being in Thessaloniki, the city my dad grew up in, gave me a unique opportunity to connect with my roots. I also have many family members there, whom I was able to spend more quality time with. The city itself is full of life. Wonderful restaurants, bars, cafes, and night clubs made for an action packed night life. ACT itself is a gorgeous campus, up in the mountains, away from the city. The free shuttle bus ride that ACT provides to campus from student housing is convenient and WAY better than the public transportation. ACT also would also order study abroad students a taxi if a small number of students had later classes and couldn't make the shuttle. The admins and other study abroad facilitators really take care of their study abroad students.

I was lucky enough to be able to study abroad at ACT for 5 weeks in the summer of 2018. The group from my school consisted of 10 people who really didn't know each other at all when we left but felt like best friends when we returned. We took the same classes, did the same service-learning activities (Service-learning was an amazing opportunity in and of itself!) and went on the same excursions together. We quickly bonded due to the little things like playing cards in a hotel room in Ioannina or taking the 45-minute boat ride to the beach after class. I not only bonded with the 9 other kids from my school but also so many other kids from schools all around the US and Canada. On one hand, this trip was a little taste of the relaxing laid-back culture of Greece, while at the same time it was a non-stop adventure that pushed us to be greater students, workers, and friends. If I could go back and do it again, but this time for a whole semester, I would.

Going into my sophomore year I had no intention of going abroad. As the semester progressed more and more of my peers were deciding that going abroad is a once and a life time opportunity and although they were going for a semester I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I did not necessarily want to miss a whole semester so I went searching; narrowing down the potential places I wanted to go. I finally made a decision that would change my life for ever: Going to Greece. Everything about this program was perfect, the staff, the classes (sea sailing being one), the program trips, and of course the people I met. I made the decision to go knowing absolutely no one and at first I was contemplating whether or not that was the right decision but I soon was reminded that it was perfect for me. Meeting people from around the country was an amazing experience and ACT did a great job connecting everyone and assimilating you into the Thessaloniki culture. If you have any doubt about going, don’t hesitate! Make the decision I made and have the best time of your life!

I had the most amazing experience studying abroad at ACT. I felt welcomed from the day I arrived to the day I left. I am glad that I chose ACT because it is a unique experience and different than most study abroad programs. Thessaloniki is a big enough city to always have something to do, but small enough to make it less touristy and allow students to immerse themselves into the culture. The more time I spent in Thessaloniki, the more relaxed and laid back I become. It was nice to take a break from the hustle-bustle of America. ACT provides an awesome opportunity for you to take classes with both fellow study abroad students and degree-seeking students whether they are locals from Greece or other neighboring countries. I found it super interesting to learn in a new environment and get perspectives from my peers who were from all across the world. You cannot get that same experience in the United States. I especially recommend the field trips/excursions ACT offers. These trips are much cheaper than if you tried to do them on your own! They are planned by locals/experts and you get to do them with your fellow classmates! My favorite was canyoning at Mt. Olympus. We did a 25 minute hike straight up the mountain in wet suits, then we got to abseil, swim, jump, slide through the water! It was one of the coolest experiences of my life! At first, I was super afraid to go across the country not knowing a single person, but I discovered it was the best possible thing I ever could have done! I made lifelong best friends (one even visited me this fall) and made countless memories that I will never forget.

I find myself often reminiscing on my trip to Greece and experience studying abroad at the American College of Thessaloniki; I miss it so much! Studying abroad in Greece this previous summer was the best experience I have ever had, and probably the best one I ever will have. The program itself was so well-run, and I felt safe and comfortable no matter where I was or what I was doing. The staff at ACT were all very reliable and kind and I never felt home-sick or afraid of being in a different country for such a long period of time. I loved the school, ACT so much and the program as a whole that I became a Student Ambassador so I can continue to stay connected to the college and program and share how awesome it was with the people at my home institution!

When it came to choosing a place to study abroad, I knew from the beginning I wanted to visit a place full of history, great food and even better people and that I also needed an institution that could fulfill my business requirements; that's when I found The American College of Thessaloniki in Greece! The staff at ACT, in collaboration with the study abroad office at my home institution, made it easy to get information and do the things that stress out students the most when going abroad, such as getting a visa and signing up for courses that actually count! For example, when September came around, I wanted to get to Thessaloniki a few days early, before the official housing opened and even that was arranged for me since some great hotels in the area have a "friends and family of ACT" discount so I felt stress- free from the start. After arriving at the official study abroad housing, the RA's did a great job of making us feel welcomed and arranged small city tours with students after getting settled in so we became familiar with the area. This helps you get close with everyone from the beginning which is great because for example, I was the only one from my school in the states so I was pretty nervous about making friends in the beginning. The city tour also allows you to see that Thessaloniki has a bit of everything for everyone, there's all sorts of restaurants, vegetarian- friendly spots, museums, bars, live music, and if you're ever feeling homesick, there's a Starbucks and plenty of Italian food places! Orientation week following move-in had some of my most memorable times! We toured the school, did some team- building activities, got to meet our school mascot and learned about all the clubs and activities we could join in on. During the week, we also went on a larger city tour lead by a professor, followed by a group lunch with traditional greek foods and desserts that still make my mouth water to this day. additionally, we also got to see all the markets and local street vendors. That week also included the most amazing museum I have ever been to: the Museum of the Royal Tombs at Aegae, trust me even if you're not a museum person you'll be completely amazed! Transportation is another aspect made easy. ACT provided two shuttle buses at different times in the morning to take us to the school and at three different times in the afternoon/ evening to take us to back to housing. If the times weren't favorable for you, the public transportation is really simple and if you don't want to do that, it's also cheap to get a taxi and they're even cheaper if you split them with fellow students. When going to classes came around I was definitely scared because since all the study abroad students were coming from different schools, a lot of people were taking electives and I was not. After going to class the first few days, the worries went away. Professors made it really easy for me to interact and get to know the Greek students in class and it made it really interesting being the only one from the US. As the semester went on, I kept learning more and more about Greek culture and customs even though that wasn't the course's main objective. Outside of the class setting, another thing that ACT arranged for us were optional field trips which we paid for in the first few weeks of being there. Some of my favorites include, hiking to the top of Mount Olympus, the Meteora Monasteries, and the Athens trip. Being able to sign up for field trips to see Greece really allowed us to get the full experience and truly enjoy the country we were in. The Greece trips were amazing, but of course there was time to go on those AND travel to other countries on the weekends those weren't happening . The first month, I was able to travel to a few islands in Greece itself: Crete, Rhodes and Symi. All amazing experiences with beautiful beaches and scenery. Outside of Greece, I was able to visit Ireland, Germany and Croatia! Greece was amazing and my experiences and time in Thessaloniki are some I would not trade for anything and would I do it again in the near future! Thessaloniki does really become your home away from home and the friends you make become family.

Studying abroad in Thessaloniki was easily the best decision have made in my 4 years at Rutgers. This program has allowed me to meet people around the world and helped me step out of my comfort zone. I would definitely recommend this program to any student interested in studying abroad.