DrNicolle Kirkwood

Dr Nicolle Kirkwood is a Senior Lecturer in Small Animal Primary Care at the Sydney School of Veterinary Science and a practising veterinarian with extensive experience in general practice. Her work focuses on improving companion-animal health and welfare through evidence-based primary-care medicine, fear-free clinical practice, and innovative approaches to veterinary education.

Nicolle leads the emerging Companion Animal Veterinary Wellness Hub, a collaborative research hub dedicated to improving the welfare of animals in the clinic and strengthening the wellbeing and capability of the veterinary workforce. Her research spans applied clinical studies—such as validation of temporal artery thermometry, parvovirus immunity and vaccination protocols, and parasitic disease prevalence—through to education scholarship exploring workplace-based assessment and competency development in clinical training.

She teaches widely across the DVM program and plays a key role in curriculum renewal, assessment design, and vertical alignment of clinical skills. As Primary Care Unit Head, she also contributes to hospital leadership, student mentorship, and community outreach through the Hope Street clinic.

Nicolle’s work brings together clinical expertise, research translation, and a commitment to developing confident, compassionate veterinarians prepared for contemporary general practice.