By COOPER RATHMANN
Fresh off achieving First-Team All-American status in the 400 meter hurdles, Nate Otis’26 flew overseas to participate in the Doctors in Italy program. The program is meant to serve as a selective shadowing opportunity for pre-med and health-focused students into international clinical settings.
The quick transition from track and field competition to a foreign exchange can be daunting. However, Otis did not feel too overwhelmed by the change of scenery, saying, “Once I finished the season, I took a much needed break to shift my focus onto family and summer plans… Going into an abroad program right after was definitely a huge turnaround, but I wouldn’t have done it any differently.”
According to Alessandra Vargas Rossi, Project Manager for the Doctors in Italy, the immersive experience “allows participants to observe physicians and healthcare professionals firsthand, gaining valuable insight into international healthcare systems while deeply engaging with a new culture. Many of our fellows describe the program as performative, shaping their academic and professional paths in meaningful ways.” The fellowship program has a wide selection of medical practices and specialities. Otis said he shadowed vascular, thoracic, osteopathic, and cardiovascular surgeries. In addition to these operations, he mentioned how “I also gained insight into dermatology and plastic surgery which are interests of mine.”
Similar to Doctors in Italy, many foreign exchanges allow for the student to immerse themselves in the local culture and enjoy the new city setting. Otis stayed at a student campus for the duration of his time in Europe, and once he and other medical students finished their shadowing hours, they were able to extensively explore Milan, where the fellowship program took place. Outside of Italy, he also visited Switzerland and Spain.
In addition to exploration, students abroad will form memory-filled connections with those they may be collaborating with during their time away from home. Otis is grateful for those connections he made, saying “I was able to make friends from all over the world, including Brazil, Italy, the UAE, and Ukraine — all people that I still talk to.” Otis highlighted how accepting the programs are to their students, especially if they may not be familiar with where they are. “There was a language barrier between some of the surgeons and I,” he explained, “therefore I had to learn how to communicate with body language and basic Italian phrases which really enhanced my experience.”
Overall, Doctors in Italy is a great opportunity to showcase how Beloit College students are able to immerse themselves in a variety of medical fields across the globe. Otis’s advice to students looking for similar opportunities is “to find a place totally out of your comfort zone, and to learn as much as you can about the people you are in the program with, including the surgeons and medical professionals. They were really excited to talk about what they do. I found the program by looking up programs and fellowships online as well as talking to career works.” Thus, if one is looking to gain more experience in a certain form of medical practices, then Doctors in Italy would definitely be a great place to go!
Featured image: Nate Otis’26
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