Shadowing, Individual Pre-Health Stories
Three Weeks Shadowing in Barcelos, Portugal [Testimonial]
About Lauren
Lauren grew up in St. John’s, the most easterly city in Canada, and studied psychology at Memorial University. Currently based out of Wellesley, Massachusetts, she is completing the final semester of her Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree at Wellesley College through the Killam Fellowships Program. In her spare time, Lauren enjoys volunteering, playing music, and spending time with her friends, family, and wonderful dog. In the future, she hopes to become a practicing physician and research scientist, with a focus on mental health and health promotion. Lauren will begin her medical career in August 2018 as a member of Memorial University Faculty of Medicine’s Class of 2022.
As a pre-med student in Canada and the United States, it can be difficult to shadow doctors. Most shadowing placements are given to medical students and resident physicians, leaving few opportunities for pre-med students who want to experience clinical and surgical shadowing first-hand.
Riverside view of Barcelos on a sunny day: perfect for fishing!
However, through The Atlantis Fellowship, I found a solution to this struggle: clinical and surgical shadowing placements in Europe and South America. At first, it sounded too good to be true. However, after I applied and was accepted to the program last summer, I spent nearly a month shadowing doctors at Hospital Santa Maria Maior in Barcelos, Portugal. Over the course of the three week fellowship, I made some amazing friends and had so many incredible experiences that will help inform my studies when I begin medical school this fall. Below I will share a few of the highlights.
“Over the course of the three week fellowship, I made some amazing friends and had so many incredible experiences that will help inform my studies when I begin medical school this fall.”
At Hospital Santa Maria Maior, our shadowing program was arranged by our wonderful site leader Bernardo and a dedicated group of final-year medical students who served as our guides on each of our week-long rotations. My first rotation was with internal medicine. In this rotation, I encountered very interesting cases that highlighted some of the public health issues facing rural populations in Portugal. When discussing these issues with my medical student guide – Daniel – I was struck by their similarities to the public health concerns facing Canada, and my province, Newfoundland and Labrador, in particular.
Both regions have rapidly aging and large rural populations and must adapt their healthcare systems to meet the needs of these two patient demographics. I will be able to incorporate the lessons that I learned about rural medicine and treating aging populations in Portugal into my clinical rotations in Newfoundland and Labrador’s rural communities following my first year of medical school.
Global Connections
My province is connected to Portugal by more than aging populations and a large rural patient base, however. For hundreds of years, Portuguese fleets fished off of the coast of Newfoundland in an area called the Grand Banks. In fact, my father used to watch fishermen from the Portuguese White Fleet (named as such because all of their ships were painted white) play soccer by the edge of St. John’s Harbour when he was growing up.
While Portuguese fishing on the Grand Banks ended before I was born, I had the opportunity to see the hospital ship that served the White Fleet on one of our Wednesday excursions to Viana do Castelo, where the ship is docked. Having the opportunity to experience part of the shared history of Newfoundland and Labrador and Portugal was incredible, and it served as a reminder of just how connected the world is today.
On that note, Portugal itself is well connected, and it was thrilling to be able to experience multiple regions of the country, and even Spain, during my Fellowship. My group of Atlantis co-fellows was relatively small, which made it easy for us to travel and explore together. On weekly excursions to Porto, Viana do Castelo, Braga and Guimarães, we learned about the history of Portugal and explored some of the famous landmarks in each municipality.
Beyond these scheduled trips, my friends and I made several of our own weekend excursions to see more of what Portugal had to offer. We explored Barcelos, took a canal ride in Aveiro (this town is called the “Venice of Portugal” because of its canal system), Porto and Gaia, Lisbon, Braga, and even Barcelona, Spain. These adventures helped form lasting friendships among our shadowing cohort and another group that was shadowing at a hospital in Viana do Castelo. We are still in contact almost a year later, and I think that we will continue to be friends for a long time to come.
The Physician Perspective
In the second and third week of our shadowing placement, I rotated between several specialties: oncology, pediatrics, pediatric emergency medicine, and surgery. I have always been curious about these specialities, and it was very exciting to be able to experience them firsthand. Further, considering the time I spent in the hospital as a child, it was especially eye-opening to experience patient care from the perspective of the physician.
When I was four years old, I was diagnosed with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia type 2A (MEN2A) – a genetic condition that causes tumours in various endocrine glands. The tumours associated with MEN2A tend to develop early in life, and I had a total thyroidectomy at age six in order to prevent the eventual development of thyroid cancer. It was at this point that I decided that I wanted to pursue a career in medicine. I loved and admired the doctors who cared for me as I recovered from surgery, and I knew that I wanted to spend my life helping others in a similar manner.
“It was fascinating to see the mechanics of the surgery that has allowed me to live a healthy life, and it was hilarious to see the surgeon’s reaction when she noticed the scar on my neck and realized that I had undergone the same surgery that she had just performed!”
While shadowing, I had the opportunity to leave my patient role and step vicariously into the caregiver role. Moreover, during the final week of shadowing, I was able to watch two thyroidectomies during my surgical rotation.
It was fascinating to see the mechanics of the surgery that has allowed me to live a healthy life, and it was hilarious to see the surgeon’s reaction when she noticed the scar on my neck and realized that I had undergone the same surgery that she had just performed! This experience left me with a sense of closure, as if my life had come full circle in a short fifteen years to leave me at a point where I can be comfortable with my diagnosis, and everything that has come along with it.
Overall, my physician shadowing experience with Atlantis was absolutely incredible. It was full of learning, exploring, and bonding with life-long friends – fellow pre-meds and Portuguese doctors alike. If you would like to participate in your own version of this amazing, adventurous learning experience, head to the Atlantis website and apply today!
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
About Atlantis
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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