Three sisters – all docents at KI in 2024
In 2024, sisters Lisa, Maria, and Anne Örtqvist were all appointed as docents at Karolinska Institutet, a unique achievement that has garnered attention both within their family and the research community. Despite pursuing different career paths and research fields, they have inspired one another and drawn strength from their shared passion for medicine and research.
Different Paths to Docentships
Lisa Örtqvist, 47, is a docent in surgery and works as a pediatric surgeon and urologist at Astrid Lindgren Children’s Hospital. Her research primarily focuses on long-term follow-ups of children with congenital malformations. Maria Örtqvist, 44, is a docent in physiotherapy and a specialist in pediatrics. She also works at the same hospital, focusing her research on early detection and interventions for high-risk neonates. The youngest sister, Anne Örtqvist Rosin, 38, is a docent in clinical epidemiology and a resident physician in obstetrics and gynecology at Visby Hospital. Her research addresses women’s and children’s health, with a particular emphasis on vaccinations and infections during pregnancy.
Inspiration and Support from One Another
Although their paths to becoming docents have been different, the sisters describe how they have inspired and supported each other along the way. Lisa shares that she hadn’t planned to apply for a docentship yet but was motivated when her sisters did. Maria and Anne emphasize the importance of sharing experiences and supporting each other through both successes and setbacks, such as grant rejections or articles requiring extensive revisions.
A Family Rooted in Research
The sisters grew up in a family deeply interested in research, with parents Eva and Åke Örtqvist both being physicians and researchers themselves. Medicine and research were frequent topics at the dinner table, although the focus has shifted over the years.
“Now it’s more about talking about our families and life in general,” says Lisa.
What’s Next?
With three docentships in the same year, the question arises: who will become a professor first? The sisters look forward to continuing to contribute to research in their respective fields while balancing their roles as researchers, clinicians, and parents. One thing is certain—their shared journey in medicine is far from over.