Hershberg Scholarship Recipient, Jack McFarland’s Study Abroad Trip to Scotland

My name is Jack McFarland and I am a senior at Morehead State University and a proud recipient of one of the 2025 David Hershberg Scholarships for Summer Study Abroad. My summer study abroad trip was a six week adventure across the wonderful country of Scotland. I was drawn towards a trip to Scotland because of their fascinating history, its natural beauty, and my Scottish heritage. This was my very first solo trip to another country and I started big, spending over 40 days exploring the far reaches of Scotland. The entirety of this extensive trip was self-coordinated. From flights, transportation between cities, housing arrangements, activities, and shadowing experiences, I planned and budgeted the entire six weeks. Finding a program in Scotland would have certainly been much easier and less time consuming but these did not fulfill the dreams I had for this trip. The personally tailored trip required lots of effort and hours of work but in the end, I believe it has taught me invaluable lessons about independence and planning.

My trip to Scotland centered around shadowing at four veterinary clinics across the country. I reached out to each of these clinics and coordinated weeks-long shadowing experiences with them. I have gained lots of veterinary experience in large cities while in the United States so I was drawn to the more remote and rural towns and cities of Scotland. While shadowing at the clinics, I made connections with the veterinarians and learned a lot about veterinary practice. I had never seen large animal practice until this trip to Scotland. It was eye opening being able to work with cattle for the first time and I loved it. I had a wonderfully wide range of sights to see in Scotland and all of these experiences have made me really interested in learning about large animals and food animal medicine.

My favorite aspect of Scottish culture lies in their people. I loved working with the Scottish farmers, they were some of the most pleasant people I have ever met. All of them were incredibly interested in me and my story. They always welcomed me to work on their animals and a couple of times invited the veterinarian and me in for a meal. Sharing meals with these people resulted in some of the fondest memories I have from this trip. While I was in Thurso, I shadowed predominantly with an older veterinarian named William and one farm visit in particular sticks out to me. We drove out to a farm and were due to perform a procedure on two cows that required significant physical effort and strain. Because William is older, he asked me to step up and do the heavy lifting. I obliged and was absolutely exhausted by the end, huffing and puffing while crouched in the hay after the first procedure. As I steeled myself for round two, the farmer and his son returned and offered to help this time around. They got it done in a quarter of the time without breaking a sweat! They told me not to feel so bad because they are professional athletes. The farmer was once a world champion in the caber toss performed in the Scottish Highland Games and his son competes internationally in the hammer throw for the games. Once the job was done, we were invited to come back to the house for a bite.

The Scottish people have been all around the most hospitable and kind folks I have ever had the privilege of meeting and living around. Even while in Edinburgh, I never was treated rudely or with anything other than respect and kindness. They brought us in to have a seat around the table in their parlour patio. I say parlour because it certainly fit the bill as being a room where you accept guests but it was also a farm house so it was not a fancy place. There were tools, old newspapers, boxes, rows of boots, and two open metal kennels which housed a large boxer and a less large corgi dozing lazily in the sunny warmth let in by the walls of windows. This is my kind of parlour. I am not a fancy person, I feel much more at home surrounded by farm buildings, mooing cows and bulls, sleeping dogs, and muddy boots than in some spotless couch filled party room. The grandmother of the family brought us out a full Scottish Breakfast. The food was delicious and listening to William and the farmers chat as old friends from a close knit community was delightful.

Continuing with culture, I did not know I loved museums so much until this trip but now I am a huge fan! The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum was my favorite place in Glasgow. This place introduced me to the Glasgow Boys who were a group of radical young painters from the 1880’s that represent the beginnings of modernism in Scottish painting. They painted contemporary rural subjects, and often worked outdoors sketching and painting directly in front of their subject. Their focus on animals, average people, and humble scenes really resonated with me. The National Museum of Scotland was perhaps my favorite place of the entire trip. I made a half dozen trips over to their extensive galleries of worldwide artifacts and each time I entered that massive museum I found new things to appreciate. I also found that I loved the National Galleries of Scotland just as much. Once again I went back at least five or so times to walk the galleries and marvel at the innumerable wonders from Scottish and European masters. I have had the privilege of seeing works from Dali, Titian, and so many famous artists in person, however I think my favorites came from lesser known Scottish artists. Their works just seemed to resonate with my soul more because of their subject matters. The natural beauty of this wonderful nation and its people are just something to behold and it was a fantastic experience to see this from the artistic viewpoint of such talented painters.

Reflecting on my time in Scotland, I can see just how much I have grown in both my personal life and my professional aspirations. I learned how to independently plan and execute an international trip, which gave me confidence and a deeper appreciation for crafting my own adventures. I strengthened my communication skills and became more comfortable engaging with strangers, learning how to connect with people across cultures through shared passions and experiences. The hands-on veterinary work opened my eyes to the world of large animal and food animal medicine, sparking a new interest that could shape my future career path. Even outside of the clinics, I discovered new passions, such as my love of museums and Scottish art, that have expanded my perspective on culture and history. While there were challenges and missed opportunities, each experience pushed me to grow more resilient, adaptable, and curious. This trip not only broadened my horizons but also gave me the drive and confidence to continue seeking out new opportunities for growth, both as a traveler and as a future veterinarian.