Nicola qualified from the University of Cambridge in 1997. She spent 3 years working in first opinion equine practice before joining the Royal Veterinary College in 2000 to undertake a residency in equine medicine. She then undertook a PhD in equine endotoxemia and became a Diplomat of the European College of Equine Internal Medicine in 2005. She was appointed as a lecturer in equine medicine at the RVC and has been sequentially promoted to Professor of equine medicine.