Atlantis Shadowing Abroad Review

When I was a freshman, my advisor told me, "You're a pre-health student, studying abroad won't be possible." That broke my heart a little, because I wanted to experience the world, but it also made a certain sense. How was I supposed to pass my classes, lead activities, and still fit in clinical exposure while studying abroad?

The answer, for me, was Atlantis. Atlantis offers pre-health students, primarily pre-med and pre-PA, the chance to shadow in a healthcare setting in another country during school breaks, usually the summer. I first heard about it from a friend who took her trip to Barcelona, and the way she described what she learned and the memories she made hooked me instantly. Between never finding time for clinical experience and my desire to study abroad, applying was an easy decision.

In June 2022, I shadowed through Atlantis in Genoa, Italy. You might know the city for its hard salami, but I know it for its blue waters and its renowned pediatric hospital. Over three weeks, I rotated between the Emergency Room, Neurosurgery, and Cardiosurgery departments at Instituto Giannina Gaslini, and each one gave me a new perspective on patient care.

In the ER, I learned about a physician-first method, where triaged patients immediately saw a pediatrician to begin treatment. My biggest lesson there was easing patients and families through a language barrier, since I heard Italian, French, German, Ukrainian, and English in a single week. In Neurosurgery, I got an up-close look in the O.R. as surgeons safely walked us through neuroanatomy and the risks and benefits of each procedure. My final week in Cardiosurgery had only one surgery, but the surgeon sat with us daily to answer questions and share lessons for our future careers.

Each Atlantis program includes activities outside the hospital, plus free time, so you really get to experience your host country. Beyond the impact each Gaslini employee left on me, those evenings and weekends were some of my favorite moments.

Every evening my group met at the beach or city center to explore and share the events of our day, and we learned a lot from each other's experiences. On weekends, we traveled to Recco, Camogli, Nice in France, Santa Margherita, Portofino, and Cinque Terre. That time away from shadowing mattered because it let us immerse ourselves in a new culture and grow as people, not just as future clinicians. The balance of clinical exposure and real cultural immersion is a big part of what made the trip special.

Without question, I'd recommend that every pre-health student, whether pre-med, pre-PA, or even nursing, shadow abroad with Atlantis. The program offers experiences you can lean on in your career that shadowing in your own backyard simply wouldn't allow.

From shadowing, I learned to look at every aspect of a patient before deciding how to treat. From exploring, I learned to slow down and take in the moment. I still reflect on my time in Italy often, and I'm grateful for an opportunity that genuinely broadened my perspective as a future healthcare professional. If you've ever been told that studying abroad and a pre-health path can't coexist, programs like this prove otherwise.

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Shadowing abroad won't fit every budget or schedule, but it's a powerful way to gain broad clinical exposure and a global perspective. If a traditional path to shadowing hours feels blocked, it's worth exploring creative options like this one. Whatever route you take, focus on the variety and depth of your exposure as you build toward your application.