Amalie Luneng Solli - Norway
Dual Focus: Clinical & Research
At the beginning of my second year of veterinary school, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my summer until I read an article that sparked my interest. I learned that Norway has the most conservative use of antimicrobials and immediately knew that I wanted to learn more about what makes their infectious disease management so effective. I reached out to Dr. Jimenez-Melendez at NMBU Veterinary School in the Parasitology Department to form an idea for a summer externship. Together we came up with a plan where I would get to learn about parasite ecology, diagnostic testing, and research from his department in addition to gaining hands-on clinical skills with production medicine.
I spent the first three weeks observing and conducting diagnostic tests which included McMaster fecal flotation, Direct Fluorescent Assays, PCR, and bee dissections to look for tracheal mites. Most samples are submitted by the veterinary teaching hospital, but the lab also receives water and berries to monitor for parasites of public health concern. The other part of my day was spent with Dr. Mathilde Varegg in cell culture. She taught me how to grow bovine enterocytes so that they form 3D structures that can be used to study the protozoa Cryptosporidium parvum. In the future, this method can be used to unlock secrets about its life cycle and reduce the number of cattle needed for research. Her work is incredibly important because the pathogen is a common cause of high morbidity in young livestock and a zoonotic risk with no vaccine and a single FDA-approved drug.
The last week of the globally engaged summer externship was spent with the ambulatory service under production medicine. We drove to multiple farms a day just outside Oslo to perform pregnancy checks, inseminate cattle, dehorn calves, castrate pigs, and conduct physical exams on goats to clear them for transportation. I noticed that Norway’s conservative use of antimicrobials is largely attributed to government regulations and monitoring. For instance, medical records are submitted to the public health department at the end of each day and the NORM-VET program publishes a yearly report on antimicrobial resistance. I also had to be tested for Methicillin-resistant Staph aureus before working with any of the swine especially when entering a Specific Pathogen Free (SPF) facility that is built to eliminate the spread of Actinobacillus spp.
On the weekends and in my free time, I had the chance to explore my Norwegian heritage. I learned about the history of the indigenous Sami people, indulged in “friluftsliv” known as the deep love for the outdoors, and admired Johan Dahl’s landscape paintings. Overall, I received the impression that the people have a strong will to protect nature and address social inequities. My Norwegian proficiency speaking to clients and other veterinary students also improved tremendously. The greatest highlight of the whole trip was making new friends – eating lunch with the parasitology group every day and even going out for karaoke!