Anyone Can Do It, With Some “Resilience & Adaptability” (AAMC Competency #8)
Only you can tell whether Atlantis will be as impactful to you as it has been to our alumni. If you decide that Atlantis is a good investment for your future, there are ways to make the finances work, even without family support.
Read more on how medical schools filter for resilience, and how that relates to financing
Here’s an overview of ways to finance Atlantis, which we’ll summarize in more detail below this section:
Two Ways to Pay
- Pay in full (upon signing up)
- Monthly payments (between signing up and the actual program)
Two Forms of Financial Aid
- Vocation-Driven Fundraising (possibly the best of these)
- Scholarships
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
Anyone Can Do It
How To Pay
Despite the advantages of the other options, particularly fundraising, most students choose to pay directly to Atlantis. Both options below start by reserving your spot with a $900 deposit (which is included in the listed program price).
Two Payment Timelines
1. Pay in Full
2. Monthly
Financial Aid
We believe everyone on track to med/PA school can afford Atlantis. It takes the same “resilience and adaptability” that medical schools will want you to have. If you’re determined enough to pursue med/PA school, and believe Atlantis fits your path, then Atlantis is possible for you – and we’re here to help.
If you do not plan on paying for the program using one of the two options above, you have can cover (or partially cover) the cost through fundraising and/or scholarships.
Two Forms of Financial Aid
1. Vocation-Driven Fundraising (possibly the best of these two)
Fundraising may seem daunting, but it’s actually one of the fastest, easiest ways to pay for your program. Pre-health students, we believe, greatly underestimate how much they can fundraise, and so we are constantly reminding prospective students about this. All it takes is an authentic story and being brave enough to ask. Starting a GoFundMe and mailing support letters is a winning combination for reaching your goals.
If you share how Atlantis fits into your personal story – and how it will help you in pursuing your vocation to healthcare – people will be excited to help you.
Based on online activity and anecdotal evidence, the average student who follows our fundraising advice raises over $2,000 and many students raise the entire cost of the program. Plus, you can consider using the story of your fundraising efforts in your med school applications and interviews, since it directly highlights AAMC competency #8, Resilience & Adaptability.
When you apply, our admissions team can help you get fundraising started. If you’d like to learn more before applying, feel free to contact us or ask to be connected with an Atlantis alum to understand their perspective on fundraising. You can also see examples of student’s GoFundMe campaigns below.
Atlantis GoFundMe Examples
Claire Hembree
- Raised $3,720 to shadow in Italy
Miles Warren
- Raised $4,828 to shadow in Greece
Lexi Hardeman
- Raised $1,871 to shadow in Spain
Elechi Egwuekwe
- Raised $2,700 to shadow in Italy
Ariyan Cox
- Raised $3,540 to shadow in Portugal
Sheridan Waldrop
- Raised $4,000 to shadow in Europe
Reagan Knightstep
- Raised $3,760 to shadow in Portugal
Caleb Lopez
- Raised $5,400 to shadow in Spain
Jeremy Nelson
- Raised $2,803 to shadow in Europe
2. Scholarships
Many students apply for scholarships and grants through their university or through outside organizations. There are programs that sponsor students for valuable educational experiences domestic or abroad, so be sure to search for these. For some universities, there may be funding for summer experiences. In applying for these, consider explaining how Atlantis has impacted many of its alumni, and explain why this has happened, i.e. why Atlantis programs work well.
Atlantis also offers a limited number of need-based partial scholarships to certain programs. These are credited to the program invoice and not given out as cash. Scholarships are awarded on a rolling basis, so it’s best so apply early. Get more information and start your application here.
We Can’t Emphasize Enough How Well Vocation-Driven Fundraising Has Worked For Many Of Our Alumni
Atlantis Alumni Very Often Fundraise with GoFundMe (Usually Very Successfully)
Don’t let money keep you from participating in Atlantis. Check out the GoFundMe pages started by past students and download our Fundraising Guide for pro tips.
Atlantis GoFundMe Examples
Claire Hembree
- Raised $3,720 to shadow in Italy
Miles Warren
- Raised $4,828 to shadow in Greece
Lexi Hardeman
- Raised $1,871 to shadow in Spain
Elechi Egwuekwe
- Raised $2,700 to shadow in Italy
Ariyan Cox
- Raised $3,540 to shadow in Portugal
Sheridan Waldrop
- Raised $4,000 to shadow in Europe
Reagan Knightstep
- Raised $3,760 to shadow in Portugal
Caleb Lopez
- Raised $5,400 to shadow in Spain
Jeremy Nelson
- Raised $2,803 to shadow in Europe
Fundraising is Smart: If You Were a Med/PA School, Which of These Two Applicants Would You Pick?
Factor
Person A
Person A
Person B
Factor
- Mid to Low
- Mid to Low
- Same as Person A
- Median
- Median
- Same as Person A
- Has basic US shadowing from local hospital
- Has basic US shadowing from local hospital
- Same as Person A
- Enrolled in 360 Shadowing with Atlantis
- Enrolled in 360 Shadowing with Atlantis
- Spent lots of energy finding beyond-basic shadowing
- The same as before since most was fundraised and the rest was paid by part-time work with the time saved from not searching for shadowing
- The same as before since most was fundraised and the rest was paid by part-time work with the time saved from not searching for shadowing
- No change
- Fundraised most of the Atlantis fee following
Atlantis’ fundraising methodology, showing entrepreneurialism and initiative, showcasing that in med/PA school applications and interviews
- Fundraised most of the Atlantis fee following
Atlantis’ fundraising methodology, showing entrepreneurialism and initiative, showcasing that in med/PA school applications and interviews
- Median
- Higher GPA/MCAT due to focus on classes
- Higher GPA/MCAT due to focus on classes
- Median
Value for Money
Why 360 Shadowing?
Medical schools want 3 things: healthcare exposure, GPA/MCAT, and certain competencies. Atlantis programs can give you a great version of the 1st, free you to focus on the 2nd, and cultivate/show the 3rd to medical school admissions committees.
Atlantis Costs Little in Comparison with Other Elements
Avoid Burnout:
First Clarify if Medicine is for You
11%
In the words of one study, “approximately 11% of students have serious thoughts of dropping out of medical school each year.” These numbers suggest that severe burnout is not uncommon for medical students.
81%
81% of alumni who have been accepted to med/PA school said Atlantis impacted their passion for medicine. Even among alumni who don’t attend med school, we repeatedly hear that Atlantis helped them make the right decision.
Watch Video: 20+ Alumni Now In Med School Explain:
Atlantis Is a Major Reason I Got In Here
Atlantis Can Contribute To What Med Schools Want In Their Applicants:
Value For Money
Other Ways Atlantis Proves Its Value
Read about more how Atlantis proves its value, including covering a lot of ground on medical school applications and making the most of your break.
Atlantis Covers a Lot of
Ground on Your Med School App
Shown above is a simplified screenshot of the AMCAS application. Highlighted parts indicate areas where Atlantis makes an impact. Most of the unhighlighted area is purely biographic – contact information, where you went to school, course history, etc. In areas like #5 (Work/Activities) and #8 (Essays), Atlantis easily sets you above 90%+ of med school applicants.
Watch The Atlantis Experience
Compare Standard Break
Opportunities with Atlantis
| Standard Break Options | Possible Advantages of Atlantis Over Each Option |
|---|---|
| Volunteer in a Low-to-Middle-Income Country (sometimes doing hands-on work with patients, which can result in automatic rejection by med schools) |
Do observation-only shadowing (AAMC compliant), interacting closely with doctors who have jobs more similar to those in the U.S. Add a diverse perspective to your future medical school class, since pre-med international experience in Europe is more rare |
| Study abroad in a non-healthcare-related program | Make study abroad a major help for your pre-med path, instead of something that does not contribute directly to your goals |
| Work to earn money | Shadow for a few weeks and work the rest of break – keeping in mind how valuable the investment is and the available payment plans you have |
| Shadow domestically | Supplement domestic experiences with shadowing in Europe in order to gain depth, breadth, quantity of hours, and intercultural perspective |
| Research | Get clinical experience – required by all med/PA schools, whereas research is usually not required. For schools that do not require research, great healthcare exposure beats research, if you have to choose. |
Take this as just one set of reasons. Any option on the left is a fair and reasonable option for certain circumstances. However, we are seeking to equip you with data you can use to make the decision that is best for you.
What’s Included
Atlantis programs include ~20h/week of shadowing (Service-Research Project programs do a full-time project instead), housing, breakfast daily, some other group meals, transportation, travel health insurance, and more. The majority of fees go toward year-round partnership development as well as ongoing operations, logistics, and promotion. Students are responsible for flights, transportation to and from the airport, and other meals. Based on past students’ experience, we advise budgeting $150 of spending money per week. See the full list of what’s included here.
Questions and Answers
How much will I spend on flights?
Flights cost less than you might expect. In fact, students who search smartly can usually find flights for under $800 total. That might not be the first price you see on the first search you do, and it depends on where you’re flying to and from. We encourage students to research flying from various U.S./Canadian cities and to look at various departure dates, as you may want to take advantage of traveling before or after your program – especially if it will drastically reduce the price of your airline ticket. Check out our flight tips for some helpful advice!
What about Service-Research Projects (non-shadowing programs)?
The same “what’s included” list applies to all Atlantis programs, shadowing and non-shadowing. When you read the list, just skip the few points that are clearly about shadowing hours at the top.
Refund & Program Credit Policy
The $900 deposit is not refundable, but it will carry over as program credit (except in the case of last minute withdrawals, as seen below). See the full policy below:
| Policy | Date Effective |
|---|---|
| Full refund, deposit counted as credit toward future programs | >90 days before program |
| No refund, 100% of paid fees (including deposit) counted as credit toward future programs | <=90 (but >45) days before program |
| No refund, 20% of paid fees (including deposit) counted as credit toward future programs | <=45 days before program |
Alternatively, See a More In-Depth Version of The Above Table
Compare A Typical Med School Applicant With an Atlantis Alum
Some Key Atlantis Stats
- Alumni are in 40 of the top 50 medical schools, and also in DO/PA & more
- 93% of alumni progressed on the 15 AAMC competencies on which medical schools assess applicants (PhD-authored Outcomes Study, 2019)
- 1/10 of U.S. pre-health advisors has been to our programs.