A view of Park Guell in Barcelona, Spain.
A view of Park Guell in Barcelona, Spain.

Spain

Barcelona

$6,999

Overview

Barcelona, Spain’s vibrant second-largest city, is an ideal destination for pre-med students looking to shadow doctors abroad in Spain. Known for its Mediterranean charm, world-class beaches, and relaxed lifestyle, the city offers an inspiring environment for both professional and personal growth.

Each of Barcelona’s distinct districts brings its own personality—whether you’re exploring the historic Gothic Quarter or the trendy streets of El Born, there’s always something new to discover. The city is also a cultural treasure, home to the iconic architecture of Antoni Gaudí, including the world-famous La Sagrada Familia, and the Picasso Museum, honoring one of Spain’s most influential artists.

For those exploring summer shadowing programs for pre-med students, Barcelona offers the perfect blend of clinical experience and cultural immersion. When you shadow a doctor in Barcelona, you’ll gain first-hand exposure to international healthcare while experiencing one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Beyond the hospital, Barcelona is a food lover’s paradise, offering everything from traditional tapas to innovative global cuisine. Barcelona provides an unforgettable medical shadowing program abroad that combines learning with adventure.

Destination Information

The City

Ciutat Vella, the old town, is the heart of Barcelona. It comprises historic areas, such as the Gothic Quarter or the Born and nice beaches like La Barceloneta.

An important tourist attraction that you don’t want to miss is Park Güell – one of Gaudí’s masterpieces and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

If you are interested in shopping, there are iconic streets like Passeig de Gràcia and Rambla de Catalunya, with amazing stores that sell both local and known brands. Cafés and bars also adorn the streets, which makes this a great place to spend an afternoon.

Dates & Availability

  • Summer Break 2026

Dates

Price

Availability

May 16, 2026 - May 29, 2026 2 weeks

$6,999

Open

June 20, 2026 - July 3, 2026 2 weeks

$6,999

Open

You may pay over time, fundraise, consider scholarships, and more. Learn about our significant partial need-based scholarships here.

Participants may transfer to another program or receive a refund up until a predefined amount of time before the start date.

What’s Included

Atlantis programs include ~20h/week of shadowing, housing, some meals, transportation, travel health insurance, and more. Airfare is not included but can be very affordable.

Hospital Overview

Hospital General de Catalunya

Located in Sant Cugat del Vallès, just 15 kilometers from Barcelona across the Serra de Collserola hills, Hospital General de Catalunya has been a leading institution in healthcare since 1984. With a capacity of more than 300 beds, it operates as a full-service general hospital, offering advanced tertiary care across more than 25 medical specialties. It is part of Grupo Quirónsalud, a major European healthcare network present in eight countries and supported by a workforce of over 16,000 professionals. The hospital is both ISO-certified and holds the distinction of being the first in Europe to receive accreditation from the Joint Commission International, recognizing its cutting-edge facilities and high standards of care. Since 2001, the hospital has undergone extensive modernization, continually investing in the latest medical technologies to maintain its status at the forefront of European healthcare.

Alumni Favorite

Park Güell

Park Guell is a UNESCO World Heritage site and an architectural masterpiece designed by renowned architect, Antoni Gaudi. It’s an iconic attraction that you do not want to miss!

Students sitting on a set of stairs enjoying the atmosphere.
Atlantis students sitting on a set of stairs enjoying the atmosphere (Barcelona, Spain).

I met amazing people and saw incredible things shadowing in the hospital. I am very thankful for this experience and would recommend it to everyone!

Students outside the hospital where they are shadowing.
Atlantis students outside the hospital where they are shadowing (Barcelona, Spain, 2019).
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Excursions

Our excursions are designed to offer a deeper look into your host culture, for both the educational benefit and the enjoyment of exploring a new place with others who share your interests in travel and medicine. Excursions range from historical tours to culinary and cultural explorations.

Your Site Manager will inform you of the excursions they have planned during your program orientation. If you make travel plans outside of your city for a weekend and it conflicts with the events your Site Manager has planned, notify your Site Manager several days in advance so that they can plan accordingly.

Atlantis students on a program excursion.
Atlantis students on a program excursion (Genoa, Italy).

Language Skills Not Required

Most participants do not speak the local language at their Atlantis program. English levels vary within the hospital, but no knowledge of the language is required for Atlantis to be valuable. There is enough English spoken in the hospital for participants to benefit from the programs, as you can read in our testimonials. 

Many patients in your future career will not speak your language and will come from a different cultural background, so the Atlantis experience prepares you for that intercultural perspective. Any slight language barrier you may encounter at Atlantis also helps you develop “resilience and adaptability,” an AAMC core competency.

Clinical Experience that Stands Out to Schools

Medical schools want 3 things: healthcare exposure, GPA/MCAT, and certain competencies. Uniquely, “360 Shadowing” gives you the best version of the 1st, frees you to focus on the 2nd, and cultivates/shows the 3rd to medical school admissions.

Two students walking out of a hospital wing.
Atlantis students in a hospital wing (Lisbon, Portugal).

Funding Your Future

The cost of Atlantis isn’t too dissimilar from the cost of many study abroad programs that you may find. And we’re here to help: from our extensive fundraising guide to flexible payment plans and financing options, we make the process simple and easy, allowing you to focus on what really matters.

An Atlantis student smiling while shadowing abroad.
An Atlantis student on an excursion experiencing culture while shadowing abroad (Athens, Greece).

Bring a Friend

Consider bringing a friend to the same program you’re applying to. Although the vast majority of Atlantis alumni have gone on programs without knowing someone in their cohort, bringing a friend allows your experience to be shared in a unique way, while still allowing you one of the benefits of Atlantis: meeting new pre-health friends from across the country. Consider sharing this idea with your friends.

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students walking and smiling.
Atlantis students exploring together on a program excursion (Athens, Greece).

Med School Interview:
Atlantis Alum vs. Typical Pre-med

Compare a possible medical school interview of an Atlantis alum with that of a typical applicant by looking at responses to common questions.