Summer Study Abroad Programs in Tuscania, Italy

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!

I thought it was going to be very cultured and homey. It was. I did research some websites about the city and a brief overview of how it was. It was so welcoming and homey. Everyone was accepting and caring. I wanted to immerse myself in Italian culture and I did. I met new lifelong friends and learned the language more easily. Interacting was not hard, because most people spoke English. Language is not a barrier. The environment is so close that you will be really good friends with your peers. It is honestly worth it. Especially if you want to explore under the surface. Get to know the staff, they are great and super nice. They help out a lot.

This was an overall great program and I would recommend it to anyone studying abroad. I only wish that they had kept the school open on Fridays and sometimes during the weekends so I could have access to the computers to write papers and do research. I also wish they would have had Mac computers throughout the whole session, with Photoshop capabilities, for those who wanted to do photography on their own time. I have always wanted to study abroad in Italy and LdM’s programs stood out to me the most when deciding who to study with. I learned about the cultures of Italy and I got to immerse myself in a local Italian environment. Tuscania is definitely a unique program that I would be happy to do over again. The staff were friendly and helpful and I was able to explore around the areas of Tuscania on day trips and on weekends.

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!

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!

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 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.

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.

Studying in Tuscania, a small town of only 8000 people in the central hills of Italy, is a truly unique abroad experience. When I first arrived in February of 2016, I was enthralled with the colors, the landscape, the architecture, the cobblestone. I have not since lost this sense of awe after two months of living in the town. The days are lively, with people going about their daily routines, but still there is a quiet peacefulness that permeates through the air. The culture of central Italy is alive in Tuscania, as is shown through the open air market on Friday mornings, the many restaurants with (delicious) authentic Italian cuisine, the rolling hills and constant sounds of the Italian language spoken by locals. The Lorenzo de Medici International Italian Institute is successful in fully immersing its students into the real life of Italy as well. Excursions are planned weekly to visit near by towns and even to meet with local artists. On top of the LdM excursions, the phenomenal API team leaders have taken our group to Florence, Arezzo, Umbria and in a few weeks, the Amalfi Coast. For a truly authentic Italian experience, I suggest nothing more than the API Tuscania program! In Tuscania you will be entirely immersed in the language, the culture and the beauty of Italy.

Academic Programs International responded to this reviewApril 01, 2016

Wow Katherine, thank you for such an effusive review! We love Tuscania too - a wonderful place to experience authentic, small-town Italy!

Academic Programs International provided the spectacular opportunity for me to study abroad in Tuscania, Italy. The small town in central Italy was the perfect location to study Italian culture and cuisine, not to mention the bonus of experience the autumn grape harvest of the Toscana, Umbria, and Lazio regions. API offered clear, friendly, and overall excellent guidance from the planning stages through to departure from the country. Each step of my journey was made possible by the program director and the on-site API representative. Thanks, API!

Academic Programs International responded to this reviewJanuary 13, 2016

Thanks for sharing your experience Lauren - so glad to hear it was so great!