Observation & Research Internship Placements in Scotland

Living and working in Scotland is a great way to immerse yourself in the Scottish culture, both independently and with the people you meet. I enjoyed the professional aspect of it, waking up and heading to my local bakery for my morning coffee and jumping on the train to Queen Margaret university, as well as the times going out into the city and socialising with my roommates. The main highlight of my trip was the amazing weather in Edinburgh that summer... laying in the city gardens and exploring parts of town with this sunshine was incredible. I loved my experience and would recommend it to anyone!

I loved my time in Scotland! I got to spend every day watching unique surgeries, learning different veterinary techniques, and assisting with research. I received more hands-on experience during the Observation/Research assignment than I have in any veterinary clinic in the United States. I may even be listed as an author on a research study that is being submitted this fall. I also took a chance to travel around the UK and Ireland every weekend! There is no end to the fun stuff you can do in Edinburgh!

This program was absolutely amazing. I have learned so much from working at The Royal (Dick) Veterinary School. I was able to see more surgeries than I ever thought I would working in a general practice in the States. I have built ties with the people I worked with and I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to work with these people for 6 weeks. Living in Scotland is unbelievable and I have never been more at home in a different country in my life. The only difficulty I encountered while being in Scotland was getting sick with strep throat. It was a little confusing on which Doctor or which hospital to go to. I found that NHS 24 is where you will go at the Royal Infirmary and they are open from 6pm-8am and you must call and make an appointment before hand.

I worked 40 hours a week and saved my money to spend during the weekend when I travelled to cities such as: Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aviemore, Blair Atholl, Skye, Fort William, etc. I had some difficulties with the public transportation at times; simply because I would get lost or I just wasn't use to the systems. Asking the locals is always useful and everyone is so sweet!

The experience was amazing as far as gaining work experience and becoming part of a different culture. It is important to be willing to do things on your own and be interested in meeting others and making memories. Without this, in my experience, the trip would have been unpleasant as the people I lived with had no desire to become open-minded to a new culture and become part of it, or even get to know anyone including their roommates.

Edinburgh, one of the most charming cities I`ve ever visited, full of mysteries and warm, open-minded people, who despite the rainy weather, can really make you feel at home.
I studied at the SAC (the Scottish Agricultural College) and I am really satisfied with this experience. My advisor helped me carrying out many different short researches on food policy, consumer behaviour and agricultural economics, coming up with a project almost every day. I was glad I did not have to work on just one single project for the whole period of my stay, so that I could see everything under a bigger prospective. I focused a bit more on the CAP (the Common Agricultural Policy) reform, since it was a hot topic for the European Union at the time, and analysed all the implications of the reform for the main Member States. The data we used to analyse the different policies came from publications of European research centres, official documents of the European Commission and a specific and rare database that the SAC had in its archives. I had the chance to talk with many researchers at the college and from them I've always received very useful insights. I am also really grateful for all the help and suggestions my advisor provided me with. I think this experience will be a guideline and a benchmark for my future career.
When not working in Edinburgh there is plenty to see: dramatic castles, old underground tunnels, beautiful gothic churches, interesting museums, florid gardens and so on and so forth. The highlands are also an unforgettable experience. The landscapes there are so stunningly beautiful that they do not seem even real. The food is not that bad as in the rest of the UK, at least as far as my Italian taste is concerned… The Scottish salmon is a delicacy, then for less sophisticated palates, there is the traditional haggis, which is better not to know how it is made, but it tastes really good, especially with a whisky cream on top! Drinks are much more famous than the food; there are probably more types of beer than the whole Scottish population and it is well worth trying them all!
The accommodation was really comfortable from the second week on, with very large rooms and close to the city centre. I had some troubles during the first week due to an overlapping of students, coming (another girl and I) and going (other students who had almost finished their projects), but nevertheless we managed to survive and after some moving, I got along very well with my housemate.
I would definitely recommend this experience, I enjoyed myself improving my skills at the same time, just a small advice, do not forget closed waterproof shoes and an umbrella!:)

Make sure to tell everyone involved exactly what you want to get out of the program (and make sure you know as well!). The only way to know what you're getting into and if it's right for you is to ask questions until you get answers.

This has been a great experience! My supervisors at the internship that I was placed gave me plenty to do and I learned a lot from them. I spent the first few weeks researching and visiting different sites around the city that the supervisor had scheduled previously. Then the last few weeks were spent working on a study that they allowed me to run! Definitely a great resume building opportunity all around! Additionally, the living conditions were also phenomenal, I was certainly not expecting to be living in such a nice apartment in such a good part of the city. It was right near the bus stop, all the good restaurants and grocery stores. The only problem that I really had from the living situation was the fact that our apartment didn't have Wi-Fi for 3 weeks, but other than that it was pretty luxurious! The only complaint that I would really have is that it is pretty expensive, not to mention the fact that the city is expensive to begin with. All in all, I had a great time and I'm sure anyone who was looking to intern abroad would feel the same!