Has anyone heard of Atlantis Project?

[koolsmn]

Hey guys,
I just got accepted to an internship program for the summer called the Atlantis Project.
So far my clinical hours include volunteer work and shadowing my doctor but I thought I might consider expanding on that and applied for this opportunity when I received an e-mail from them.
Since I'm planning on applying for med school this coming June I wanted to get some opinions on whether this experience would benefit me. Also, I've done some research on my own but it seems like this program is relatively new and there aren't enough reviews for me to get a solid idea of whether this would just end up being a waste of money that I'll regret.... If anyone has heard or experienced this internship any insight would be highly appreciated...
Thanks guys!

PS. here is there website http://atlantis-project.org/
Also they made it sound like it was a competitive spot but I heard back from them the day after I submitted my application... I'm uncertain whether I should be glad that I snagged a spot or not.

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[referee3]

Looks like you will be paying to shadow a foreign doctor...

Really doesn't seem like a good idea to me unless you plan to apply to medical school in a European country. U.S. adcoms always look at these programs suspiciously. I would say don't go. I'm sure they would accept anyone who applied.

 

[DokterMom]

A foreign medical vacation -- Looks like fun!

But it doesn't look like anything that will impress an admissions committee with anything other than your parent's financial commitment to your becoming a doctor...

 

[koolsmn]

Thanks for the feedback guys!!
I was actually thinking of taking out a loan to perhaps participate in this internship but I I've decided that I'd rather not...

 

[karayaa]

Thanks for the feedback guys!!
I was actually thinking of taking out a loan to perhaps participate in this internship but I I've decided that I'd rather not...

That sounds a little risky.
I think it'd be great if it's an integral part of your whole application - eg if you're interested in healthcare systems or policy, or want to work in another country. If it's a random EC though, it loses significance fast.

 

[koolsmn]

I actually do have a genuine interest in the European Health system and was thrilled to experiencing it myself so if i had the money i surely would have decided to go but the cost of it definitely outweighs my interest for the program at this moment...

 

[Jersanta]

Hi OP! I was just wondering if you can recall how much the program was for 1-2 weeks (preferably winter)?

I know it will depend on which country (let alone travel expenses). I am interested in exposing myself to the European health system and its culture prior to medical school!

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[koolsmn]

I don't know off the top of my head but I do remember getting a quote from them over the phone. They will give you quotes for all the different options and additional fees too. Definitely give them a call since I'm sure there's gotta be some price changes


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[Jersanta]

I don't know off the top of my head but I do remember getting a quote from them over the phone. They will give you quotes for all the different options and additional fees too. Definitely give them a call since I'm sure there's gotta be some price changes


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Oh okay, thanks anyways!

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[GodsGem]

I found this that might be helpful.
https://www.studyabroad101.com/programs/atlantis-project-pre-health-internships
Worth is a personal thing, you know?
Good luck!

 

[gyngyn]

I found this that might be helpful.
https://www.studyabroad101.com/programs/atlantis-project-pre-health-internships
Worth is a personal thing, you know?
Good luck!

These things are not generally recognized as positive additions to an application: https://www.aamc.org/download/474346/data/clinicalexperiencesshadowingsurvey.pdf

 

[Goro]

Medical tourism

Hey guys,
I just got accepted to an internship program for the summer called the Atlantis Project.
So far my clinical hours include volunteer work and shadowing my doctor but I thought I might consider expanding on that and applied for this opportunity when I received an e-mail from them.
Since I'm planning on applying for med school this coming June I wanted to get some opinions on whether this experience would benefit me. Also, I've done some research on my own but it seems like this program is relatively new and there aren't enough reviews for me to get a solid idea of whether this would just end up being a waste of money that I'll regret.... If anyone has heard or experienced this internship any insight would be highly appreciated...
Thanks guys!

PS. here is there website http://atlantis-project.org/
Also they made it sound like it was a competitive spot but I heard back from them the day after I submitted my application... I'm uncertain whether I should be glad that I snagged a spot or not.

 

[Med Ed]

I actually do have a genuine interest in the European Health system

The first thing you should realize is that there is no singular European health system. Comparing the health systems in Norway, Germany, Greece, Portugal, Switzerland, the UK, and Bulgaria is like comparing apples to oranges to boots to roller skates to violins to porcupines to geology to VHS.

 

[To be MD]

Link below is from AAMC's Group on Student Affairs Committee on Admissions. It is a very brief summary of a survey on medical school requirements for clinical experiences for medical school applicant with 43% of allopathic school's responding. They seem to really dislike these kind of medical trips

https://www.aamc.org/download/47425...al-shadowing-experience-executive-summary.pdf
Member schools expressed significant concern with regards to premedical students engaging in unsupervised clinical activities in international settings [emphasis added]. In particular, 45-50% of those schools completing the survey described applicant involvement in invasive procedures in international settings as either harmful to, or of no value to, their application. Examples of such invasive procedures include giving vaccinations, suturing an injury, pulling teeth, and delivering a baby. This concern of admissions officers persisted, albeit at lower levels (35-40% of respondents), when the students were supervised by a health professional while performing such invasive procedures in international settings.

These things are not generally recognized as positive additions to an application: https://www.aamc.org/download/474346/data/clinicalexperiencesshadowingsurvey.pdf

Well, the Atlantis Project is a shadowing program. There are no "procedures" done, and they don't do anything "invasive". They just pay to study abroad + watch doctors practice in other countries.

 

[Mad Jack]

I found this that might be helpful.
https://www.studyabroad101.com/programs/atlantis-project-pre-health-internships
Worth is a personal thing, you know?
Good luck!

Can't tell if spam or foolish

 

[To be MD]

the point here is that because some programs have this reputation of allowing students to work outside of typical areas as well as the impression that some programs are more like a vacation than typical hospital shadowing in the US, international programs like Atlantis have become suspect in a large fraction of adcom and may not have the significant positive impact that applicants hope for.

That's fine. I've been on one, and all you do is literally watch doctors practice medicine for 20h/wk.

It doesn't help your app per se, but it does let you shadow and see what life as a doctor is like. Also exposes you to a different way of practicing medicine.

The Atlantis Project isn't a "do surgeries in foreign countries!" program. It's just shadowing, and I can't imagine anyone cares for better or worse if you've done it.

 

[To be MD]

Could you explain?

responses like this is why my avatar looks like that.

 

[DokterMom]

Want to impress an AdCom with your medical vacation? Go to rural Appalachia and volunteer in a free clinic. Be a counselor at a camp for children with life-threatening illnesses or developmental disabilities. Help run a Special Olympics event. THEN spend a week enjoying a tropical island where you're just having fun and owning it.

 

[Goro]

This type of thing doesn't tell you a damn thing about how American doctors do their job, which is why we want you to shadow in the USA.

Well, the Atlantis Project is a shadowing program. There are no "procedures" done, and they don't do anything "invasive". They just pay to study abroad + watch doctors practice in other countries.

 

[veebo]

Removed

Highly impressed with the patience it takes to create an account and wait four years for an Atlantis Project thread to come up to create an ad.

 

[koolsmn]

Wow.. I only came back here because of the recent email that was sent out about a possible network breach and didn't realize this kind of blew up.
If anyone is wondering, I ended up not joining the Atlantis project and I think it was the best decision (money wise) I've made now that I'm about to rack up close to 200k in debt in the coming years.

 

[MB Med]

whether or not what the actual experience was, the perception by adcoms, which were recently surveyed and a brief AAMC executive summary noted, tends to look down on these. In addition to the perception that student do more than they should discussed previously, the shadowing hours/experience are often not considered or even counted with US experiences. So my point is, people do care for worse not the better about these things. And I stress that for future readers who may be considering these trips

I actually went as an AP fellow this past summer and am currently serving as an ambassador. They have in depth ethics training before the program to stress that it is strictly shadowing and no hands on learning. We don't touch or take picture of patient, simply observe and learn. We also went on group dinners and took weekly trips with our local site manager and learned a ton about the area, healthcare, and we did some volunteering. A great experience in my book and a great way to compare US medicine with any foreign medical system.

 

[Lannister]

I actually went as an AP fellow this past summer and am currently serving as an ambassador. They have in depth ethics training before the program to stress that it is strictly shadowing and no hands on learning. We don't touch or take picture of patient, simply observe and learn. We also went on group dinners and took weekly trips with our local site manager and learned a ton about the area, healthcare, and we did some volunteering. A great experience in my book and a great way to compare US medicine with any foreign medical system.

Sure, sounds fun, but to others reading this thread: don't do it. Paid shadowing experiences are seen as a big negative by the admissions committee at my school, and I imagine other schools feel similarly.

 

[KarinaCallirgos]

Wow.. I only came back here because of the recent email that was sent out about a possible network breach and didn't realize this kind of blew up.
If anyone is wondering, I ended up not joining the Atlantis project and I think it was the best decision (money wise) I've made now that I'm about to rack up close to 200k in debt in the coming years.

I am going in June for 3 weeks. I wanted to go to Italy this coming Summer but was feeling guilty that i was taking time away from doing something school-related.
I am just concerned if Atlantis is real, and that when I pay them I am getting what they say I’m getting. (A place to stay, transportation and shadowing hours).
I mean I had looked up staying in Italy and just the apartment costs $3500 for the month with airbnb. I can pay a little extra to these people and also get some shadowing hours. I might actually stay an extra couple of weeks and check out Venice, Bologna, Milan, **** even Rome!
But do you guys actually know someone who has gone to this? I already get A LOT of shadowing hours in the US as my weekly schedule so that is not as important to me as being in Italy with a group of people I know staying in a safe place. Most of my friends dont want to pay to go to Europe for a month or can’t take the time off work. I don’t have a tons of money by any means, but I make it a point to work extra hours and be mindful with my money so I can save and go somewhere nice sometimes!

 

[nontrad2020]

I am going in June for 3 weeks. I wanted to go to Italy this coming Summer but was feeling guilty that i was taking time away from doing something school-related.
I am just concerned if Atlantis is real, and that when I pay them I am getting what they say I’m getting. (A place to stay, transportation and shadowing hours).
I mean I had looked up staying in Italy and just the apartment costs $3500 for the month with airbnb. I can pay a little extra to these people and also get some shadowing hours. I might actually stay an extra couple of weeks and check out Venice, Bologna, Milan, **** even Rome!
But do you guys actually know someone who has gone to this? I already get A LOT of shadowing hours in the US as my weekly schedule so that is not as important to me as being in Italy with a group of people I know staying in a safe place. Most of my friends dont want to pay to go to Europe for a month or can’t take the time off work. I don’t have a tons of money by any means, but I make it a point to work extra hours and be mindful with my money so I can save and go somewhere nice sometimes!

I saw your post and wanted to see if ended up going? I studied Italian in undergrad and have been a few times but Im really curious about their healthcare system. Im applying this cycle but was considering doing one off their 3 week programs in Rome after I get my secondaries turned in.

 

[gyngyn]

I saw your post and wanted to see if ended up going? I studied Italian in undergrad and have been a few times but Im really curious about their healthcare system. Im applying this cycle but was considering doing one off their 3 week programs in Rome after I get my secondaries turned in.

This thread has been dead for 5 years and she hasn't been here since 2019.
...and I recommend a vacation in Italy instead.