What’s an Atlantis Program?
- Thousands of alumni over 15+ years
- 20–200+ hospital shadowing hours
- 1–10 weeks over college breaks
- Multiple specialties (1 per week)
- U.S., Spain, Italy, Greece and more
- Housing, meals, insurance, excursions, etc.
- Potential to earn a certificate from Harvard Medical School via an HMX online course
- Alumni have gone on to nearly all top 50 MD programs and DO/PA/Nursing
Medical schools want 3 things: (1) healthcare exposure, (2) GPA/MCAT, and (3) AAMC competencies. When you shadow with Atlantis, you improve all 3. As a bonus, you get to do this while studying abroad during school breaks.
1. Best Healthcare Exposure
Compared to typical pre-health clinical experiences, Atlantis shadowing provides far greater depth, breadth, and quantity: more meaningful observation, more specialties, and more hours. It also offers an intercultural perspective. And these are the four qualities medical schools value in any healthcare experience.
2. Freedom to Focus on Grades
Most pre-health students wish they had more time to study. Atlantis shadowing accomplishes so much extracurricular-wise during your summer that you can cut activities (and focus on your grades) during your semesters.
3. Show Med/PA Schools You Have What They Want
Med/PA schools systematically look for certain traits such as resilience, adaptability, cultural competence, social skills, etc. Atlantis shadowing uniquely helps you refine and showcase many of these, creating powerful stories for your future applications and interviews.
Our Alumni Enter Great Medical Schools
John Daines
- Atlantis '17
- Brigham Young University '19
- Washington U. in St. Louis MD '23
Zoey Petitt
- Atlantis '17
- U. of Arizona '18
- Duke MD '23
Zoey Petitt
Hungary ’17 || University of Arizona (undergraduate) ’18
Completed Atlantis Program Location and Date:
Hungary, Summer 2017
Do you believe your Atlantis experience helped you get into your graduate program?
I believe it was very helpful.
Generally, why do you think Atlantis helped you get into your graduate program?
For me, my Atlantis experience played a key role in confirming my decision to go into medicine. This was important for me to discuss during the admissions process.
Specifically, did you talk about Atlantis in your interviews?
Yes
Yong-hun Kim
- Atlantis '17
- Stanford '19
- Mayo Clinic MD '24
Yong-Hun Kim
Budapest, Hungary ’17 || Stanford University
Program:
Budapest, Hungary – Winter 2017
Undergraduate:
Stanford University class of 2019
Major:
Computer Science
Honors:
Bio-X Grant (award for research)
Undergraduate Activities:
President and Founder of Stanford Undergraduate Hospice and Palliative Care, Volunteer for Pacific Free Clinic, Research Assistant in Wernig Pathology Lab, President of Hong Kong Student Association, violin performance
Describe Atlantis in three words:
Eye-opening. Spontaneous. Exhilarating.
Why did you choose Atlantis?
I chose the Atlantis program because it combines opportunities to shadow physicians and travel abroad, both of which I had little prior exposure to.
What was your favorite experience as an Atlantis participant?
My favorite experience as an Atlantis participant came in the stories exchanged over meals or excursions and the breadth of conversation that reflected the diversity of backgrounds within our cohort and site managers.
What was the most meaningful aspect of your time shadowing?
I appreciated the chance to speak with physicians in Budapest and hear their personal motivations for pursuing medicine because it really helped better contextualize and validate my own interest in medicine. The physicians were also just really welcoming, relatable, and down-to-earth people.
How has Atlantis helped equip you for the future?
The Atlantis program has equipped me with a better understanding of what a career in medicine looks like, which I think is an invaluable gift considering the long road ahead of those who aspire to be a physician.
How has Atlantis equipped you for active leadership in the medical field?
The ability to interact and empathize with patients of diverse backgrounds and communities is a necessity to be a leader in the medical field. I think the Atlantis program, through my interactions with mentors and their patients, has helped me take my first steps toward attaining the cultural vocabulary and literacy required of a physician.
Megan Branson
- Atlantis '18
- U. of Montana '19
- U. of Washington MD '24
Sarah Emerick
- Atlantis '19
- Eckerd College '20
- Indiana U. MD '25
Snow Nwankwo
- Atlantis '19
- Catholic U. of America '21
- Georgetown U. MD '26
Tiffany Hu
- Atlantis '16
- U. of Maryland '17
- U. of Michigan MD '22
Tiffany Hu
Tereul, Spain ’16 || U Michigan Medical School
Program:
Teruel, Spain – Summer 2016
Undergraduate:
University of Maryland class of 2017
Admitted medical student at:
University of Michigan Medical School
Major:
Neurobiology
Honors:
Honors Integrated Life Sciences Program, Banneker/Key Scholarship
Extracurricular Activities:
American Medical Student Association Co-President & Advocacy Day Liaison, Alternative Breaks Experience Leader, Health Professions Advising Office Student Advisory Board, Biology Teach Assistant, Health Leads, Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, NIH Research Intern, Physicians for Social Responsibility Environment & Health Intern
Describe Atlantis in Three Words:
Educational. Eye-opening. Exhilarating.
Why did you choose Atlantis?
I wanted to expand my horizons and understand a culture of health different from the ones I am accustomed to. I had shadowed doctors in the United States and Taiwan prior to my Atlantis program experience, and being able to see first-hand the healthcare system in Spain allowed me to draw comparisons between the different complex healthcare systems.
What was your favorite experience as an Atlantis participant?
Bonding with the other participants and celebrating our time together along with the doctors we shadowed. We would discuss our interests, passions, and motivation for medicine, and it was an incredible experience to learn from and alongside them.
What was your experience with the doctors you were shadowing?
Because of the pre-established relationships with the hospitals in which we shadowed, all the doctors were very welcoming and accommodating. They were willing to translate for us and explain in detail all of their medical decisions. My doctors and I had wonderful conversations about the differences between life in Spain vs. the United States.
What was the most meaningful aspect of your time shadowing?
I was excited to scrub in on surgeries and watch as the doctor explained what he was doing throughout the operation. Before and after surgeries, as well as in my other rotations, I observed how the doctors reassured and communicated with their patients. I was able to glean insight into differences between the experience of health in Spain versus the United States through observation as well as conversations with the doctors.
How has Atlantis helped equip you for the future?
Besides the wealth of medical knowledge I gained from shadowing the doctors, I challenged myself to step outside of my cultural comfort zone and explore more than I thought I was capable of. Atlantis allowed me to make connections with people from all around the United States and abroad, and the friendships I gained helped me learn so much more than I would have on my own.
Lauren Cox
- Atlantis '18
- Louisiana Tech '20
- U. of Arkansas MD '24
Lauren Cox
Libson, Portugal ’18 || Louisiana Tech
Completed Atlantis Program Location(s):
Lisbon, Portugal
Year of most recent program:
Fall ’17 – Summer ’18
Season of most recent program:
Summer
Do you believe your Atlantis experience helped you get into your graduate program?
Extremely helpful
Generally, why do you think Atlantis helped you get into your graduate program?
It exposed me to shadowing that was hard to come by in the states. It also gave me a chance to see other systems of healthcare.
Specifically, did you talk about Atlantis in your interviews? If so, how much relative to other topics?
Yes – they wanted to know about my experience, and specifically how the healthcare I saw in another country compared to what I had seen in the USA.
Kayla Riegler
- Atlantis '18
- U. of Kentucky '20
- U. of Kentucky MD '24
Featured Programs
We offer single and multi-country programs, taking place for a few weeks over breaks, in several countries.
Destination
Italy
Duration
1-3 Weeks
Rome
Rome is the capital and the largest city in Italy. It is one of the most ancient cities in the world – beautiful, and full of history and culture. Known as the Eternal City, Rome is one of the birthplaces of Western civilization and has accrued about 2,500 years of history since its founding in 753 BC. The historical center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and offers many locations to see, including Vatican City, an independent country, and the only country to be geographically situated within a city.
Destination
Greece
Duration
1-3 Weeks
Athens
The largest city in Greece, Athens has long been the heart of this beautiful country. An empire and powerful civilization built over centuries, Athens has served as a cultural beacon throughout Europe and the world. With an extensive history that began in the Neolithic age, the spectacular monuments found there still stand as a testament to ancient times.
Destination
Spain
Duration
3 Weeks
Mallorca Island
Located in the Mediterranean Sea, east of mainland Spain, Mallorca is the largest of the Balearic Islands. This island is rich in history and has signs of habitation from 6,000 BC.
Destination
Portugal
Duration
2-3 Weeks
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city of Portugal. Located on the Atlantic Ocean and the Tagus River, Lisbon is not only the capital of Portugal but is also considered one of the most global cities due to its rich cultural, economic, and trade history. Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in Europe, and its deep history is evident in its intricate architecture, wealth of artistic treasures, and abundance of scenic neighborhoods.
Destination
Italy
Duration
3 Weeks
Milan
Milan is a global hub for the arts, commerce, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, research, and last but not least, healthcare.
Destination
Italy
Duration
3 Weeks
Pavia
Pavia is a mid-sized city, about 30 miles south of Milan, in the southern part of the Lombardy region – that is to say, deep in the heart of northern Italy’s rice-growing territory. This city has a lively cultural life, and a wide variety of delicious, traditional Italian food.
Is Atlantis for You? Take the Quiz to Find Out
We’ve built our highly acclaimed “Shadowing and Extracurricular Readiness Score” calculator to allow you to look at advice statements from pre-med experts and see to what extent you follow them.
Watch a Video to Quickly Get a Visual Sense of the Experience
Keep in Mind
- Atlantis is a way to both study abroad and obtain great clinical experience
- Financial aid makes it possible
- Flexible dates work with your summer or winter break plans
- Foreign language skills are not required
- Some programs do a Service-Research Project
Alternatively, See a More In-Depth Version of The Above Table
Compare A Typical Med School Applicant With an Atlantis Alum
4.96
/5Go Overseas
9.7
/10Go Abroad
An Effective Investment
- Alumni went on to 40 of the top 50 medical schools, and also to DO/PA & more
- 93% of Atlantis alumni progress on the AAMC competencies on which medical schools assess applicants
- 1/10 of U.S. pre-health advisors has been to our programs
