Students shadowing in the hospital. — Atlantis students shadowing in the hospital(Athens, Greece).

Applying to Med/PA School, Atlantis

What I’d Do Differently: Lessons Learned on My Atlantis Program

May 4, 2018 4 mins Rachel Reese

About Rachel

Rachel Reese is a junior at the University of Oregon, where she studies human physiology. A lover of all things science and desirous to help others, she is very excited to be pursuing a career in healthcare. In summer 2017, Rachel’s participation in The Atlantis Fellowship in Budapest, Hungary solidified her decision to work in the medical field.

As I stood in the operating room, with my feet aching and sweat beading on my forehead…

I didn’t dare sit down in fear that I would miss something amazing. In that moment, my mind flashed back to the day many weeks before when I had stood perusing the wares of the scrubs store. The isles were filled with lab coats, shoes, stethoscopes, and anything else a medical professional might need. I stared at two pairs of footwear, holding one shoe from each set in my hand. One was comfortable and professional, while the other was, well, twenty dollars cheaper. I bid farewell to the former as I purchased the cheaper pair. And there I stood, during a two-hour surgery, regretting that choice immensely.

“There are many things I could have done differently. Even so, my Fellowship was the best thing I’ve ever experienced.”

If I were to experience my fellowship again, I would definitely invest in a more comfortable pair of shoes. Looking back, however, there are a few more things I would have done differently as well. After reading my article, I hope that you can learn from my mistakes and plan more intentionally for your own Fellowship.

Reach out to the other Fellows in your group.

Looking back, I also would have reached out to my co-fellows before our Fellowship. I’m normally a pretty shy person, so I did not feel comfortable emailing or messaging everyone before we met. However, many of my friends used email or GroupMe in order to get to know each other and coordinate travel plans before the trip. Some of them even met before we left! I cannot imagine how nice it would have been to know a few people before I left the country, or even share a taxi with them on our way out of the airport. It is intimidating to get into a taxi with a person you don’t know and drive into an unfamiliar city. If I could do my Fellowship over again, I would have made the effort to connect with friends beforehand.

Even though I felt like my friends and I took thousands of pictures, and I thought the memories in my head would stay vivid forever, neither turned out to be true. I was lucky enough to have a friend with a great camera and a love for photography. Despite my distaste for being in front of a camera, I ended up having a good number of pictures. Nonetheless, I was shocked at how quickly the memories began to blur and fade. I wish I had brought a diary or journal along so that I could preserve the memories forever.

“Even though I felt like my friends and I took thousands of pictures, and I thought the memories in my head would stay vivid forever, neither turned out to be true.”

Explore your new city every chance that you get.

When I first travel to a new place, it seems so huge. However, even after only a week, the city began to feel comfortable. When I got to this point, I stopped exploring as much and started going to my favorite places more. There was a café down the street that made the best latte and had delicious pastries, so we kept going there. A few blocks away was a beautiful view of the river with popular pubs and restaurants right on the riverside. Why wouldn’t we go there multiple times a week? But the weeks go by so much faster when you’re abroad and before we knew it, it was time to go home. All of a sudden, I realized I didn’t know the city as well as I thought I did, and I found myself wishing I had the time to visit more places. If I were to go on my Fellowship again, I would keep forcing myself out of my comfort zone so that I could see as much of the world as I could.

Take advantage of being in Europe.

In the same vein, I wish I had set aside time after my fellowship to travel. Once you’re abroad, especially in a place like Europe, it is so much easier to travel than it is in the United States. Here I drive seven hours and I’m still in the same state, but in many places around the world, other countries are just a couple of hours away. During the Fellowship, we had the weekends to ourselves. So, my friends and I enjoyed taking the train to neighboring countries. Even though I saw more of the world than I ever have before, I can’t help but regret not seeing more while I had the chance.

With that being said, I wouldn’t trade my experience for anything. There are many things I could have done differently but even so, my Fellowship was the best thing I’ve ever experienced. I hope that you can learn from my mistakes and remember to prioritize the following:

1. Comfortable Shoes

2. Reach out to other fellows before the trip starts

3. Take more pictures and keep a journal

4. Keep exploring and getting out of your comfort zone

5. Travel before or after the program

No matter what, you’re set to have a great time. Get excited!

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

Yong-hun Kim

Atlantis '17
Stanford '19
Mayo Clinic MD '24

Megan Branson

Atlantis '18
U. of Montana '19
U. of Washington MD '24

Sarah Emerick

Atlantis '19
Eckerd College '20
Indiana U. MD '25

Elorm Yevudza

Atlantis '16
Amherst '19
Columbia MD '24

Elorm Yevudza

Ciudad Real, Spain ’16 || Amherst College

Program:

Ciudad Real – Spain – 2016

Undergraduate:

Amherst College class of 2019

Major:

Neuroscience

Extracurricular Activities:

Track and Field, International Students Association, Charles Drew Health Professions Society

Describe Atlantis in three words:

A transformative experience.

Why did you choose the Atlantis program?

The opportunity to shadow doctors in a European country greatly appealed to me. As an international student from Ghana, I value the subtle differences in approach that doctors, depending on the country in which they are trained, use to achieve a common result: alleviating illness and improving the quality of lives.

How is Atlantis Unique?

In an increasingly globalized world, having first-hand experience with the subtleties of healthcare in different parts of the world is vital to a future health professional. Atlantis exposes participants to these nuances in healthcare approaches, and in effect helps aspiring health professionals gain a global perspective on healthcare.

What was your favorite experience as an Atlantis participant?

Experiencing the city and culture of Ciudad Real was an experience that is etched in my memory. As I practiced my very elementary Spanish with the locals and discussed various health-related issues with the doctors I shadowed, I was reminded of the uniqueness of human life. I was also reminded of the role of a health professional in society: to preserve and improve the quality of human life.

What was the most meaningful aspect of your time shadowing?

My discussions with doctors about their relations with patients was most meaningful to me. Our discussions highlighted a trend I had spotted when I shadowed doctors in Ghana: that the core of healthcare is about alleviating illness and improving the quality of life. My conversations with doctors in Ciudad Real underscored the importance of treating patients not just as cases, but as people.

How has Atlantis helped equip you for the future?

The Atlantis program has given me a broader perspective on the field of healthcare. The program has also brought wonderful people into my life. The participants that I shadowed, explored, and conversed with impressed me with their passion for healthcare. The program has also taught me to be a lifelong leader, and the importance of fostering a curiosity that will help prepare me for my future in the medical field.

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

Kayla Riegler

Atlantis '18
U. of Kentucky '20
U. of Kentucky MD '24

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Atlantis is the leader in pre-health shadowing and clinical experience, offering short-term programs (1-10 weeks) over academic breaks for U.S. pre-health undergraduates. Medical schools want 3 things: (1)healthcare exposure, (2)GPA/MCAT, and (3)certain competencies. Atlantis gives you a great version of (1), frees you to focus on (2), and cultivates/shows (3) to medical school admissions committees.

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