From July 3rd, 2023 to July 22, 2023, I had the privilege of completing an internship at the privately held Fürst Medical Laboratory in Norway. Fürst is Norway’s largest medical laboratory receiving patient samples from all over the country and examining more than 10,000 patient samples a day. With more than 500 employees, the laboratory specializes in fields like medical biochemistry, hematology, clinical pharmacology, microbiology, molecular biology and anatomic pathology. In the three weeks at the laboratory, I had the opportunity to participate in the work of each department, contribute to routine tasks, and learn both practical and theoretical aspects, such as the chemical processes behind various procedures and the maintenance of numerous instruments.
Fürst is located at the outskirts of Oslo, Norway’s capital, making the commute from my apartment at the city center initially seem rather challenging. However, thanks to the well-developed public transportation and reasonably priced tickets, commuting proved to be easier than I expected.
My adventure began on Monday, July 3rd. On the first day, I received a general overview of the laboratory, which turned out to be quite a maze. After the tour, I immediately started working. The first three days I was part of the PCR department. They use molecular biology techniques like polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on patient specimens like spit, feces and urine to diagnose sexually transmitted or other infectious diseases. Each day, I followed a set of samples from reception and preparation to the final diagnosis, occasionally assisting with tasks like preparing pipette tubes necessary for the following processes. Even though I was not allowed to operate the analysis instruments on my own, I actively observed, learned, and contributed practically to the pre-processing of the samples before they were transferred to the instrument. The second department I attended in the first week was NAT (Nucleic Acid Technology). There, DNA from patient samples is sequenced to identify mutations causing genetic diseases such as lactose intolerance or inherited blood disorders. Here, I followed the preparation of the analytical process, and under the supervision of a physician, I was allowed to transfer feces samples of patients into pipette tubes. (picture 1) I was pleased that I also had the opportunity to attend a meeting where physicians, geneticists and technicians analyzed the DNA sequence of patients and evaluated different mutations that could be the potential reason behind certain diseases. I was particularly fascinated by how doctors could predict where mutations in the DNA might occur just by looking at simple laboratory values.
In the second week, I spent time in the departments of Special Analyses and Pathology. Special Analyses focuses among others on allergy testing, but also screens for a specific type of bone marrow cancer, called multiple myeloma. I learned how to interpret various graphs from protein electrophoresis (electropherograms) to detect this type of cancer and to identify patients with this disease. The Pathology department became my personal favorite, as it was completely different from the other departments. All tasks are done manually and strict protocols must be followed to avoid errors. Like in other departments, the analytical process involves sample preparation, processing, and diagnosis. But Pathology does an extra step, the so-called macroscopic description, where the weight and the appearance of samples, which could range from small skin birthmarks to large parts of the gut, are recorded. During specimen preparation, I helped in sorting the samples by body part, for example from breast biopsies, and by urgency for analysis. Samples were preserved in a solution during processing and then sliced into extremely thin sections. (picture 2) To experience a pathological diagnosis, a physician showed me skin samples under a microscope, two from patients with different stages of skin cancer and one with a fungi infection. That was my personal highlight.
The third week was full of unique experiences. First, I was assigned to the Automation department, which combines all departments at FÜRST that operate fully automatically. Automation utilizes a transport belt, over a hundred meters long and the longest in Northern Europe, to transport samples to their respective machines based on the required analysis. (picture 3). Even though the entire system is automated, maintenance of the machines and ensuring smooth operations are crucial, which is why the system is always monitored by a technician. My task was to monitor the machines on a tablet and inform the technician on call about any technical problems that had to be solved immediately. My second stop in the last week was Bacteriology and Chromatography. In Bacteriology, I learned about testing bacteria for antibiotic resistance and how to identify some bacteria on specific plates based on color and odor. (picture 4). Chromatography, for me, was probably where I learned the most, because there I had the least prior knowledge. A bioengineer showed me how analytical chemistry techniques, such as chromatography, are used to determine the concentration of individual substances in a mixture, for example vitamin D levels or drug concentration in the blood.
Within the internship, I was most struck by the seriousness associated with making a diagnosis. The protocols are extremely strict because the smallest errors can have an extreme impact on people’s lives. For example, can even the tiniest measurement error of an illegal drug make the difference between someone going to prison for years or not. Thus, I developed immense respect for the employees who, despite the somewhat impersonal nature of their work (e.g. most patients are represented by numbers within the laboratory), performed with the highest precision and seriousness to provide patients with the best possible diagnosis.
Outside of the laboratory, Oslo had much to offer. As Norway is not known for good weather, I often engaged in indoor activities. Fortunately, Oslo provides a wealth of options with museums, cinemas, and more, ensuring I was never bored. Some of my favorite places included the Munch Museum, which displays the works of the famous Norwegian artist Edvard Munch, including his iconic piece „The Scream“(picture 5). The National Museum was another personal highlight, featuring a vast collection of artworks by Norwegian artists, ranging from the Norwegian queens’ evening dresses to a wall covered by enormous balls of colorful fabric. (picture 6). And of course I had to try typical norwegian food. My working colleagues recommended, that I should try a national food called “fiskekake”, which essentially translates to fish cake. Although it looks rather questionable, to me it tasted so good that I ate a whole pack of nine in what felt like two minutes. Well, I can’t really say that I am eager on those anymore, but it was and is definitely worth trying. (picture 7)
During my time in Norway, I also noticed some differences compared to Germany. Norway, with its small population and ample resources, appears to have a more future-oriented mindset. Urban planning is more forward-thinking, with a strong emphasis on green city planning. Parks are abundant, and trees line nearly every street. The mobile network infrastructure is superior, ensuring almost perfect coverage even in remote areas. Society, in general, appears to have a strong focus on social welfare with a desire to ensure the well-being of everyone. When I felt lost walking around, almost everyone on the street was willing to help. Moreover, Oslo is remarkably quiet. Crowds in Norway are quieter compared to Germany, and traffic is almost silent as most vehicles are electric. However, one thing that left an impression on me was the situation of the homeless. In Norway, cash is hardly used anymore. Instead, the electronic payment method Vipps has been developed in Scandinavia and has become the main means to send money between people in the private sector. Thus, every homeless person has a Vipps account as well, so that people passing by can make cash-less donations using a code, and homeless persons can still receive donations. This way of sending money has even entered the Norwegian language, and Norwegians may say: “Can you please vipps me the money?”
Overall, I gained valuable experiences both in the internship and outside of it, and I am glad I had the chance to dive into Norwegian culture and values. My time in Norway was and will always be unforgettable to me, and I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to experience these wonderful and inspiring three weeks.
Erik Reiter Anhang:
Allen zukünftigen TUM-Kollegiaten wünsche ich natürlich viel Spaß beim Praktikum. Genießt es, denn es sind in der Regel drei tolle ereignisreiche Wochen. Allgemein kann ich euch nur raten früh mit der Wohnungssuche zu beginnen. Wenn ihr euer Praktikum bereits früh organisiert, könnt ihr bei Studentenwohnheimen anfragen, ob diese Zimmer für Kurzaufenthalte anbieten. Das spart natürlich eine Menge an Geld. Sonst funktionieren AirBNBs auch super, kostet dann nur etwas mehr. Zu Norwegen habe ich auch noch ein paar Tipps, falls es wen dorthin verschlägt. 1. Sowohl Lufthansa als auch Norwegian bieten Direktflüge nach Oslo an. Je früher ihr dran seid mit Buchen, desto billiger. Es lohnt sich die Preise zu vergleichen. In Oslo am Flughafen angekommen, macht euch nicht die Mühe ein Taxi zu bestellen, der „Flugbus“ (flybuss) oder der „Flugzug“ (flytoget) bringen euch zügig nach Oslo. In Oslo selber rate ich über die sog. Ruter App (Ruter ist quasi das Äquivalent zum MVV) ein Monatsticket zu bestellen. Das kostet umgerechnet etwa 30 Euro. Bargeld braucht ihr so gut wie keins, in Norwegen werden schon die allerkleinsten Beträge mit Karte bezahlt