My Summer Completing the Atlantis Shadowing Program in Athens, Greece
I was continually told to “keep an open mind” when I was going to shadow healthcare professionals abroad and I always kept that in mind during my time this summer in Athens, Greece. I have always had that mindset since healthcare works so differently everywhere in the world and since Greece specifically has a universal healthcare system. My main reason for going abroad this summer was to see how a different healthcare system worked compared to what I have seen in the United States. But, what no one told me about was how to step out of my comfort zone in a place where you don’t speak the language. It is hard standing in a hospital hallway halfway into your five-hour shift trying to figure out how to ask a question. It was hard at first, but at the end of my three weeks in Greece, I was able to learn to effectively communicate with all the staff and even joke with them. Their openness and willingness to help shaped my summer shadowing in a public hospital in Greece with the Atlantis program.
Waiting for the metro before heading to the hospital! We had about a 30-minute metro ride to go to the hospital.
Walking into the hospital in the morning, right before our shift started for the day.
Three Weeks with Three Specialties
Over three weeks, I rotated through anesthesiology, gastroenterology, and surgery. I was in each rotation for one week and shadowed for four days a week, about five hours a day. I was able to see medicine outside of the textbook and in an actual hospital in a different country. I got to hear firsthand from the doctors and nurses. During this time, it was a lot of standing, watching, and trying to figure out where to be without causing any disruptions but at the same time I enjoyed every second of it. The doctors and nurses would go out of their way to make sure we were doing well and would answer any questions we would have. As the weeks went by, I got more comfortable with asking them questions without feeling like a burden.
Each specialty offered a different perspective. In anesthesiology, I learned that some of the most important work happens quietly through constant monitoring and careful preparation.
Gastroenterology was a little slower paced, as procedures need a lot of patience as they move through the digestive system. Surgery was physically demanding, but I was able to see how a team works together well which was fascinating to see. Experiencing all three specialties during one program was an extremely unique experience.
There were a lot of cats walking around Greece and around the hospital too!
The Difference with Public Healthcare
The biggest difference between the US healthcare system and Greece’s universal healthcare system became apparent to me when I was observing gastroenterology. When I was observing a colonoscopy, I noticed that the patient was in a lot of pain. When I asked about it, the doctor explained how colonoscopies are usually done without anesthesiology unless there was a more complicated case where that was needed. In the US there are different levels of sedation but I assumed that there would be some level of sedation during the procedure. When I saw these patients experience it without any sedation, it was eye-opening. I knew that every country has different resources when it comes to providing care but it was interesting to see how they allocate their resources and what their priorities were.
The Language Barrier
Most of the conversations that the doctors had were in Greek and there were times where I had no idea what was going on. In surgery, they would have department meetings every morning where it would all be in Greek and we would not know what they were debriefing about. They would also do morning rounds in Greek. At first, I thought that I would have to figure it out myself and I didn’t want to bother anyone. But, I quickly learned that I didn’t need to be afraid to ask questions. When we asked, they were more than willing to answer and during rounds, there would even be some doctors that would stay back to re-explain things in English to us.
Sometimes the medical professionals would have a hard time explaining things and used Google Translate to make sure I understood. But, they would only approach you if you try to approach them first. If I just stood quietly they wouldn’t put in the effort. The times I learned the most were when I asked questions.
Walking to get to the operating room after changing in the locker room!
My Advice for Future Atlantis Students
My advice for future students completing an Atlantis program is to always ask questions. Even if you're nervous or feel like you're interrupting you should still ask. There are times and gaps in the doctors’ schedules where they can answer your question. You do have to figure it out but you can get the hang of it. At some point, they would just talk to us and would tell us about themselves. Shadowing for five hours a day can be a long time but when we took the time to talk to them, the time flew by. We got to learn about their lives and they would ask about ours. Most of the time, we got recommendations about what to do around town from them.
Me and other program students right before heading into the operating room.
The doctors and staff want to teach you but they can’t know that you want to learn unless you ask. Being curious opened a door to having both educational and casual conversations with them. When I look back, those conversations were one of the most memorable parts of the experience.