Nicol is a graduate of Glasgow University Veterinary School in Scotland. He initially set out with plans to become a surgeon, but almost immediately was drawn into general practice by the interaction with pet owners and the problem-solving opportunities that cropped up each day. Initially, this meant finding and fixing animal problems, but quickly it became clear that there were plenty of problems with how practices worked as well.

Driven to fix these problems, Nicol was a constant thorn in his bosss side and eventually, after years of nagging, was given the opportunity to mentor his first junior vets. After his initial attempts fell someway short of expectations, he realised that raw enthusiasm alone was not going to be enough. So he began a journey to educate himself on how to be a better leader and coach.

Fast-forward more than a decade and Nicol has undertaken a huge amount of business training and research, building a reputation as a successful business leader within the veterinary industry. He has managed large teams of vets in corporate practices in Britain and has more recently owned, managed and successfully sold his smaller veterinary hospitals in Australia too.

Prior to relocating back to the UK, Nicol sat on the board of Love That Pet Group Australia as Chief Veterinary Officer, where his principal responsibilities were creating and maintaining the standard of clinical care and the building and development of the clinical teams.

Nicol has authored four books, published hundreds of articles in Europe, North America and Australia, and produced a best-selling online training course for vets, nurses and managers.

It is his personal mission to help pets and their people live happy, healthy lives by exploring the daily challenges we face, creating solutions and helping others to grow.

 educator Dave Nicol, BVMS, Cert. Mgmt MRCVS, answers colleagues' questions on the business of veterinary medicine. Here, Dr. Mary asks, "Does every veterinarian feel like a fraud, or is it just me?"

	"That's imposter syndrome," says Dave. (Pro tip: Check out this CVC-inspired doodle that addresses “

why many high-achieving professionals so often feel they're never good enough

.”) Don't hide from the feeling-embrace it! That sensation will push you outside your comfort zone-and toward being better at your job. “If you never feel like a fraud, it's because you're not growing,” Dave says.

	Want more from Dr. Nicol? Go to the full video to hear about 

money being hidden from veterinary associates and paperwork from hell

	Would you like to get Dr. Dave's take on your veterinary business question? Reach him through all the likely channels: Use the hashtag #VetsAskDrDave on Twitter (

Expert Interviews

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Leadership & Personal Growth

You're not alone in wondering. CVC educator Dr. Dave Nicol takes on imposter syndrome.

Vets Ask Dr. Dave: Am I a fraud?

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