Caves in Algarve, Portugal (an Atlantis site).
Caves in Algarve, Portugal (an Atlantis site).
Streets in Algarve, Portugal (an Atlantis site).
Streets in Algarve, Portugal (an Atlantis site).
Cliffs in Algarve (an Atlantis site)

Portugal

Algarve

$5,999

Overview

The Algarve is in the south of Portugal, famous worldwide for their beautiful beaches, cliffs and sandy coves. Along the coast you will find from fishing villages to high end hotels, from golf resorts to traditional bars and restaurants. Apart from relaxing at beaches with turquoise waters, people from all over the world go to the Algarve for surfing, snorkeling, kayaking and hiking. And if you are a globetrotter, you will also be interested in visiting the most southwestern point of Europe, Cabo de São Vicente. 

Destination Information

The City

Algarve’s breathtaking sights and overall great weather in the spring and summer months are just the beginning for those who spend more time in Faro. Its unique old town, surrounded by medieval walls, is a network of winding, cobbled pedestrian streets, squares and buildings that were reconstructed in a variety of styles. Faro is home to an impressive marina, well-preserved parks and plazas, museums, churches, a bone chapel and al fresco cafes. Within its old town you will see architecture that dates back to the Renaissance next to modern pedestrian leisure areas. And just south of the city you will find Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, a system of islands and lagoons that is considered one of the seven natural wonders of Portugal. Additionally, Faro has its own international airport, which means you will be connected to several other European cities and will be able to book a very convenient arrival to your program.

Dates & Availability

  • Summer Break 2023

Dates

Price

Availability

June 24, 2023 - July 14, 2023 3 weeks

$5,999 from $286/month

closed

July 15, 2023 - August 4, 2023 3 weeks

$5,999 from $286/month

closed

You may pay over time, fundraise, consider scholarships, and more. See more on the financing and aid page.

Dates may be subject to change, in rare cases, depending on hospital availability. Students may transfer to another program or receive a refund up until a pre-defined amount of before the start date. All fees include an initial $900 deposit, which is non-refundable. Accepted students or their parents are welcome to apply for financing through Uplift (up to 24-month terms, with a 4% to 36% fixed APR based on creditworthiness). Monthly payment amounts are for those paying via Uplift and are for illustration purposes only.

What’s Included

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

Hospital Overview

The Hospital de Faro is one of the three Centro Hospitalar do Algarve units, and is integrated into the Portuguese National Health System (SNS). It is a medium sized hospital with 582 beds and covers an area of influence of over 450,000 Portuguese residents, which can exceed 1 million in the high season.

Alumni Favorite

Beaches

In the Algarve, coastline framed by cliffs stretches for about 100 miles with beach options for every taste. There are long sandy beaches protected by golden cliffs, small bays nestled by rocks, areas dotted with islands, water channels and lagoons, as well as other idyllic settings.

People enjoying beaches in Algarve, near the Faro district (an Atlantis site).

It was the best experience of my life. I remember standing in the OR and saying to myself “I don’t care how long it takes, how hard it will be or how much money it will cost. I’m going to become a doctor.” I have told all my friends that are pre-med that they need to do this. Not only did I have an amazing time in the hospital but I also made friends that will last a lifetime.

Atlantis students lined up with surfboards on the beach (Lisbon, Portugal, 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 pure enjoyment of exploring a new place with others who share your interests in travel and medicine. If you happen to make travel plans outside of your city for a weekend, and thus your travel plans conflict with the events your Site Manager has planned, we ask that you notify your Site Manager several days in advance so that they’re able to plan the excursion accordingly. Excursions range from historical tours to culinary and cultural explorations. Your Site Manager will inform you of the different excursions they have planned during your program orientation.

Atlantis students on a program excursion.
Atlantis students on a program excursion (Genoa, Italy, 2019).

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, 2019).
Students tubing in the ocean in Greece.
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Watch the Atlantis Experience

Language Skills Not Required

Almost all alumni have not spoken the local language. English levels vary within the hospital, but no knowledge of the language is required for Atlantis to be valuable. There is English ability in enough places in the hospital for participants to benefit, as you can read in our testimonials. Moreover, a program in an English-speaking country would take away some of the value of Atlantis, particularly the intercultural perspective that Atlantis participants gain, in a world where many of your future patients in your career later on will not speak your language and will come from a different cultural background. Any possible language barrier you may encounter at Atlantis, even if slight, is also an opportunity to develop “resilience and adaptability,” one of the 15 AAMC core competencies for entering medical students.

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, 2019).

Hear More Directly From Our Alumni

Hear more from them on their experiences during and after Atlantis.

An Atlantis student standing outside the hospital where she is shadowing.
An Atlantis student standing outside the hospital where she is shadowing (Barcelona, Spain, 2019).

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, 2019).

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.

Greek ruins on a sunny day.

Gain the Exposure, Stats, and Competencies that Med Schools Want

  • The vast majority of alumni accepted into med/PA school said Atlantis “strongly” or “very strongly” impacted their admittance
  • 81% of alumni accepted into med/PA school said Atlantis impacted their passion for medicine
  • 93% of our pre-health alumni progressed on the AAMC Core Competencies for Entering Medical Students