Episode Details

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In this episode of the Blunt Dissection podcast, Dr. Dave Nicol interviews veterinary surgeon and professor Liz Mossop.

After graduating from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, at the University of Edinburgh in 2000, Liz worked in practice (mainly with horses) for several years before commencing her academic career in teaching and learning.

Liz’s interest in how we teach and learn led her to start a Masters in Clinical Education at the Medical school in Nottingham.

Whilst studying for her master’s, Liz became a lecturer in Clinical Veterinary Education. Her first day as a teacher began when the first cohort of students was admitted in 2006. After finishing her master’s, Liz went on to gain a Ph.D. Both her Master’s and Ph.D. studies focus on the work she did at Nottingham developing the professional skills/professionalism side of the curriculum.

Liz’s experience and expertise lie in innovative curriculum and assessment design, student engagement, workplace-based teaching and learning, and the development of professionalism.

Liz worked her way up through the academic ranks at Nottingham University finally becoming a Professor of Veterinary Education and the sub-dean for teaching, learning, and assessment in 2017. Since then Liz moved to the University of Lincoln as Deputy Vice-Chancellor for student development and engagement.

In 2016, Liz was been awarded a National Teaching Fellowship from the Higher Education Academy for her work in veterinary education and also her FRCVS for Meritorious Contributions to the Profession. She also published Enhancing Clinical Learning in the Workplace: a qualitative study, and has research interests in veterinary patient safety and human factors.

Tune in to find out how Liz got into veterinary medicine, why she choose to leave practice to carry out her pathway in education, and the influence her new curriculum teaching has had.

Outline of this episode:

• [04:30] How did Liz Mossop get into veterinary medicine and why choose Edinburgh University?
• [06:20] Dr. Liz talks about how she grew up breeding guinea pigs
• [09:22] Dave asks Liz about her family life and how this has shaped her, they discuss her father and the influence his career as a vicar had on her.
• [12:34] Dave discusses James Herriot’s book ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ 
• [15:05] Dr. Dave asks Dr. Liz how her early experiences shaped her
• [20:25] Dave and Liz talk about leaders and management in veterinary medicine and how we should teach students management skills as well as clinical
• [23:33] Liz talks about how she got into veterinary education and the transition her career working at a veterinary school 
• [26:33] How did Liz go about putting together the teaching curriculum for veterinary school and how is this has different from ‘traditional’ veterinary school teaching
• [34:45] What was the impact of the Nottingham veterinary school? What research has shown?
• [39:46] Are we succeeding in veterinary education?
• [45:22] Dr. Dave and Dr. Liz talk about their favorite aspects of clinical practice 
• [56:40] What do we need to do as a profession to support and help the group of students / new graduates more in the future through covid and after covid?
• [1:00:05] What has changed in veterinary medicine since the rise of social media?
• [1:07:40] What is your advice for recent graduates as they bridge from student life to professional life?
• [1:12:13] Liz discusses Vet Set Go
• [1:15:15] Dave does a quickfire round of questions to Liz. The first question being ‘what was your best and worst advice’
• [1:18:00] Liz talks about what books are helpful to read
• [1:19:15] What one piece of advice would Liz give herself if she could go back in time?
• [1:21:47] The quick fire round questions continue with the next questions being, what’s one tweet you would send to the whole world if you could, and what’s the most controversial thing about you?
• [1:25:15] What is there to learn from Dr. Liz’s thesis? 
• [1:29:19] The conversation begins to come to an end.

Resources Mentioned:

• James Herriot: ‘All Creatures Great and Small’
• Vet Set Go

Connect with Dr. Liz Mossop:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter