Selina Kofler & Kerstin Beutl

We completed our second internship from 6 June to 5 August 2016 at the United Laboratories of Tartu University Hospital in Tartu, Estonia.

On 2 June, we flew with Air Baltic from Vienna to Tallinn and then took the LuxExpress long-distance coach from the airport on to Tartu. The journey lasted around 2.5 hours. During our stay, we stayed at a centrally located student residence at Pepleri 14. Both the city centre and hospital were within walking distance. Tartu also has a well-developed public transport network at relatively affordable prices. A monthly pass costs around 15 euros.

The move into the student residence went smoothly and the price-performance ratio was fine. If needed, you can order towels and bed linen in advance for 53 euros. Tartu University also provides free WLAN. There are three large shopping centres just a 5 to 10-minute walk away which cover all requirements.

Country & culture

The university city of Tartu with its approx. 97,000 inhabitants is Estonia’s second largest city after the capital, Tallinn. It is situated in the south-east of the country.

Despite its small size, Tartu has a wide range of cafés, restaurants and bars. There is also no shortage of shopping facilities here. The long opening hours of all shops in Estonia are very unusual and the shops are even open on Sundays. The prices are comparable with ours. Tartu also has lots of beautiful parks and green spaces where various monuments to Estonian history can be admired. On the (rare) hot days, the nearby Annen Canal is perfect for cooling down.

The weather in Estonia is very variable but the temperatures are mostly very pleasant. The average temperature is around 22 degrees. It is highly recommended that you pack an umbrella because the weather often changes suddenly, even in good weather.

Nature lovers can explore numerous footpaths in the nature reserves, which are difficult to access using public transport alone. And note: many of the nature reserves contain lakes and marshland so there are swarms of gnats! Tartu also has plenty of culture to offer. There are various events virtually every week, especially music-based events.

The majority of the local population speak good English and sometimes even German so communication is not a problem.

The lab

The lab at the Tartu University Hospital covers various fields of laboratory medicine – clinical chemistry, haematology, haemostaseology, immunohaematology, immunology, microbiology, genetics and a PCR lab for pathogen diagnostics and leukaemia – making it the largest laboratory in Estonia.

During our internship, we took part in a programme compiled especially for students which gave us the opportunity to explore all areas of the laboratory. After completing the programme, we worked in the field of pathogen diagnostics in the PCR lab. Our activities focused primarily on DNA extraction, preparing and implementing PCR analyses and then interpreting the results. In the field of DNA extraction we used the QIAGEN instruments QIAsymphony and QIAcube, depending on the sample materials.

Our activities in this case were limited to preparing patient samples and loading and starting up the equipment. During the first step, secondary test tubes were allocated to the samples using the lab information system. The samples were then prepared with the relevant internal controls and carriers, loaded onto the rack and the equipment started. Depending on requirements, the concentration of the extracted DNA had to be measured and recorded or diluted to the required concentration. The samples were then sent on once the DNA had been extracted successfully.

Our second field of activity was to set up, carry out and evaluate the PCR reactions. The first stage of work, PCR setup, involved pipetting by hand, with the exception of Epstein Barr virus and cytomegalovirus, which were set up using an automated QUIAGEN system, QIAgility. Two methods were used: real-time PCR and classic PCR followed by electrophoresis.

The real-time PCR was carried out using a Rotor-Gene Q thermocycler and the results were then evaluated with the corresponding programme. The classic PCR was carried out using the Eppendorf mastercycler at the end of the working day. The evaluation took place the next morning with MultiNA from SHIMADZU. The electrophoresis phase took place here and the result was forwarded to the computer in the form of fractionation images. Interpretation of the PCR reactions is initially recorded on worksheets and then transferred to the lab information system.

We had various different supervisors during our internship, depending on the field: first and foremost, they were biomedical scientists but also doctors. Aside from the practical lab work, we were also provided with lots of theory-based knowledge. In addition to loading the machines, we carried out manual tasks either under supervision or independently, following the test instructions. The working environment in the lab was very pleasant and there were no communication problems.

In summary, the Tartu University Hospital is a good choice for an internship abroad. The lab employees are all very committed and helpful and we consider ourselves very fortunate to have been part of this team.