Dace Eglīte on pursuing a career in clinical microbiology: what does the new residency programme offer?

Photo: Courtesy of Dace Eglīte

We continue our series introducing residents and graduates of Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU). 

Dace Eglīte is in the final year of the RSU Clinical Microbiologist residency programme. Her journey to this programme has been long and courageous. 

When and how did you realise that you wanted to become a doctor? 

I do not remember it myself, but several years ago my mother showed me a photo from my final year of kindergarten with a caption that read: ‘I want to become a doctor’. I remember that my sister and I spent our childhood summers in Bērzciems, where one of my favourite games was pretending to be either a doctor or a teacher.

At school, I was particularly interested in biology. I am grateful to my biology teachers at Riga English Grammar School and Riga State Gymnasium No. 1 for this. In secondary school, I was interested in and good at both the arts and the sciences, which made it very difficult for me to choose a field of study after graduation, as I could not decide between disciplines as different as cultural anthropology and engineering.

I enrolled in the Medical Engineering and Physics programme at Riga Technical University (RTU), where, I believe, during my second year of study, some courses were held at Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU). At that point, I realised that it was the medical aspect of the programme that truly interested me. Since I had not taken the state examination in either biology or chemistry, I attended weekend preparatory courses alongside my studies at RTU, without telling anyone, to prepare for the centralised state examination in biology, which was required for admission to the Medicine programme. 

After two years of study at RTU, I enrolled at RSU. Sometimes, I am still surprised by the courage and determination I had to change my field of study back then. 

How did you choose your future medical specialty? 

My path to Clinical Microbiologist residency programme specialty was longer than usual. 

During my undergraduate studies, I completed clinical placements after both my third and fifth years of study in Münster and Aachen, Germany. Following my placement at a clinic in Münster, I spent an additional month studying medical German through a DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst) scholarship. I was pretty certain that, after completing my undergraduate studies, I would undertake my residency in Germany.

As securing a residency in Germany is a time-consuming process, after completing my undergraduate studies I noticed vacancies at the RSU Department of Biology and Microbiology. At the time, I did not realise that the advertised positions were for elected academic staff, but after an encouraging conversation with Professor Juta Kroiča, I accepted the challenge of becoming a lecturer in microbiology. I completed my undergraduate studies in Medicine at RSU in a mixed group with international students, so working with international students seemed particularly appealing.

At the department, I was given the opportunity to participate in phage research alongside Associate Professor Kārlis Rācenis. Scientific work inspired me and drew me in. Two years later, I enrolled in a doctoral programme, where, under the supervision of Professor Juta Kroiča and in collaboration with RTU Lead Researcher Līga Stīpniece, I began studying the immobilisation of bacteriophages as an alternative to antibacterial agents in biomaterials, with the aim of enabling the use of such innovative biomaterial-based bacteriophage systems in the prevention and treatment of biomaterial-associated infections. 

From left: evaluating the results of phage tests together with Assoc. Prof. Kārlis Rācenis; evaluating phage host bacterial isolates; before visiting a patient undergoing phage therapy in summer 2025 together with colleagues from the RSU Phage Research Group, Dr. Renāte Rūta Apse and Dr. Sandis Mauriņš 

During my years in this department, I considered applying for residency programmes in infectious diseases or laboratory medicine, as I felt that working at one of the university clinical hospitals would significantly broaden and complement my academic and scientific work. In 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic began, which gave me the opportunity to start working as a medical intern at the Joint Laboratory of the Pauls Stradiņš Clinical University Hospital (PSKUS), where working with patient samples in the laboratory really appealed to me. That year, a new Clinical Microbiologist residency programme was also established. Since I was already familiar with microbiology in an academic and scientific context and had become convinced during the pandemic that I was passionate about working in a laboratory environment, it seemed like a logical step to enrol in the newly established residency programme. 

How did you prepare for and enrol in the residency programme? 

Since such a residency programme had not yet been established during my undergraduate studies, my preparation for the Clinical Microbiologist residency programme took place, in a sense, unconsciously through my work with students and my research. 

When I started my residency, I was quite anxious because a considerable amount of time had passed since I had graduated from medical school. 

What is the reality of residency like? 

A typical workday in the laboratory largely depends on the rotation schedule and the number of samples received that day. Work in the microbiology laboratory is organised so that, while new samples are being tested, the results of identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing for previously received samples are reviewed simultaneously – this is important so that doctors receive timely information regarding potential treatment options for patients. 

Our specialty does not involve night shifts, but to ensure the laboratory’s continuous operation, there are certain weekends when we work in the microbiology laboratory. 

The workday in the wards, however, depends on the number of patients and their health status. Working with patients is challenging, but it always takes place under the supervision of a certified physician or a senior resident specialising in the relevant field – this allows us to discuss cases together while also sharing my perspective as a clinical microbiologist.

I still remember the moment when I had to work independently with samples for the first time – it was stressful; however, this experience cannot be replaced by shortcuts: independent work in a real laboratory setting is exactly what allows one to gain experience and develop clinical thinking.

I felt similarly anxious when, for the first time, other doctors approached me with questions about interpreting the results of additional examinations. At the same time, it is very rewarding to realise that clinical microbiologists are also an important part of patient care and the hospital team, and that they have a real impact on patient treatment. 

Since this is a brand-new residency programme, it is often challenging to determine the full scope of a clinical microbiologist’s practice – the boundaries of the specialty are still being defined. 

For this reason, I believe it is particularly important to seek opportunities to participate in exchange programmes, observerships, workshops, conferences, and congresses. Such experiences provide not only knowledge but also networking opportunities that cannot be gained by reading books, guidelines, or scientific publications. 

I also find working with students inspiring, and I believe that we learn knowledge and skills best when we are able to explain them to others, which is why I have taken the opportunity to teach a course in clinical microbiology to future doctors.

I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to the RSU Phage Research Group for the opportunity to continue my scientific work there – it is certainly broadening my knowledge and skills in clinical microbiology. In collaboration with infectious disease specialists and physicians, we have administered phage therapy to several patients with multidrug-resistant and biofilm-forming infections. We have published most of these clinical cases to share our experience with researchers and physicians outside of Latvia as well. It is often hard to believe just how much our working group and the Phage Research Group have grown. 

What surprised you the most during your residency? 

This academic year, I participated in an Erasmus+ traineeship and spent nine weeks at Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden. Under the supervision of Dr. Māra Saule, I had the opportunity to gain highly valuable experience and see the role and day-to-day work of a clinical microbiologist in a hospital setting. During this traineeship, I was certainly surprised by just how broad the scope of a clinical microbiologist’s daily work actually is at this hospital, including the interpretation of results from serological tests and molecular testing, such as 16S rRNA sequencing.

I definitely recommend participating in exchange programmes, conferences, and congresses – these experiences broaden one’s horizons and provide an opportunity to see how similar issues are addressed elsewhere, as well as to meet specialists in one’s field outside of Latvia. I myself am still part of several WhatsApp groups where, after attending conferences or workshops together, we continue to exchange information with doctors from other countries. 

I highly recommend that other residents build relationships both within and outside their home hospital, as good relationships with colleagues from other departments or inpatient units are invaluable both during training and when working independently. 

Do not be afraid to ask questions – even if you think that your question might sound self-evident or overly simple. 

Asking questions is one of the fastest ways to learn, and experienced colleagues appreciate it more than you might think. 

Perhaps you would like to add anything else important about residency and the medical profession? 

Based on my experience, I would like to encourage people not to be afraid to change their professional path – it is only human for one’s initial perception of a specialty or profession to change over time. 

After all, we spend such a large part of our lives at work that it is essential to be in a field that fulfils us and brings us satisfaction. 

It is equally important to be surrounded by people who create a safe environment where you can be yourself, feel accepted and included, receive support, and share moments of joy together.

I would also like to remind everyone to take care of themselves, because even when doing the things, you truly love and find meaningful, you can eventually become exhausted. It is important to know your limits and to be aware of what restores your energy after a day’s work, because our loved ones and friends, our patients, and – most importantly – we ourselves need us to be healthy, energetic, and fulfilled.