Saetre, Siv Brit, MD

Education

Medical School: University of Oklahoma
Residency: University of Oklahoma
Fellowship: University of Michigan

Profile

I grew up in a town called Sandnes in southwest Norway. I worked as a Med Tech in Stavanger for five years before moving to the USA in 1981.  I met my husband at a disco in 1977, in Stavanger, Norway, while he worked there as petroleum engineer for Phillips Petroleum. He convinced me to join him in Oklahoma and pursue my goal of going to medical school. In retrospect, the move was quite stressful and I believe I did not really overcome my homesickness until we started our own family 11 years later. Still, I tend to look at the positive side of things so my “longing’” never slowed me down. Americans are very open and welcoming people. Everyone I met made me feel right at home immediately. The same can be said about Drs. Bill and Ronn Hofmann, whose practice I joined here in the Quad Cities in 1993. Not only did they provide me with a wonderful Ophthalmology practice but they also became my extended “family.”

My husband and I have two children: Solveig is 17 this year and James will be 14. My husband, Jim, left engineering and has been a house husband since the children were born. He’s very supportive and plays an active role in the Iowa Medical Society Alliance.  As a family we love to travel. We’ve covered five continents thus far. We have done RAGBRAI several times and plan to go again this year. I also enjoy knitting, embroidery and sewing, which is part of my Norwegian heritage. I spin at the YMCA to stay in shape.