About Us
Both graduates of Glasgow Vet School, we’re a husband and wife team with a variety of experiences of the veterinary world.
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Mary has had a varied career starting out in mixed practice, then focussing on veterinary dermatology, veterinary nursing, medical education, animal welfare, supporting owners and clinical decision making and was awarded Fellowship of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2017 for Meritorious Contributions to Practice.
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Working both as a clinician and academic Mary has a MRes in Clinical Veterinary Research, focussing on Clinical Decision Making, which is currently her main area of interest.
She also has a PhD in immunological aspects of canine atopic dermatitis and RCVS Certificate in Veterinary Dermatology, worked in referral practice, and set up her own first opinion/referral small animal practice in rural Perthshire.
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In between this, she had the opportunity to work in veterinary nursing at both FE and HE levels becoming a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and Member of the Academy of Medical Educators, and alongside Simon, setting up the Advanced Programme in Veterinary Nursing of Exotics.
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She worked with Guide Dogs when completing her PhD and more recently to develop a training programme for veterinary professionals in providing better care for pet owners with sight loss and was awarded an RCVS Innovation Award for this work.
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She is an accomplished researcher and author, with over 100 published articles, book chapters, books and papers. Areas of work include veterinary dermatology, medical education, preparing students for practice, the challenges of clinical decision making, providing better support in practice for clients with sight loss, and the application of evidence based medicine in practice.
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Dr Mary Fraser
BVMS MRes PhD CertVD MAcadMEd MIoD PGCHE FHEA FRSPH FRSB FRSM FRCVS
and Missy!
During her time as a veterinary nursing lecturer she also taught ‘human nurses’, and more recently moved into human medical education, now working with medics, as Director of Education, Training and Assessment at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. Working across human and veterinary medicine and nursing has given her a unique insight into One Health & Medicine.
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She is currently an Associate Lecturer At Glasgow Vet School, focussing on Evidence Based Practice; Chair of Veterinary Nursing and Academic Board Member at ISVPS, and an Associate Editor of the journal, Veterinary Evidence.
As founder and host of the Animal Welfare Conversations podcast she has the opportunity to chat to some of the most influential people in the animal world and raise awareness of amazing individuals who are making animals’ lives better.
Prof Simon Girling
BVMS (Hons), PhD, DZooMed, DipECZM(ZHM), CBiol, FRSB, EurProBiol, FRCVS
RCVS Recognised Specialist in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, EBVS® European Veterinary Specialist in Zoo Health Management
Simon worked in general practice and government before focussing on zoological medicine. He was awarded the RCVS Certificate in Zoological Medicine in 1999 and the Diploma in Zoological Medicine (Avian) in 2002 and RCVS Specialist status in 2003 being the first vet in the country to obtain the avian specialism.
​In 2012 he became the first vet in the UK to be awarded European Veterinary Specialist in Zoo Health Management and was awarded Fellowship of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2016 for Meritorious Contributions to Practice
Simon is a past president of the British Veterinary Zoological Society and the European College of Zoological Medicine and set up the first UK veterinary residency training position in 2013 that leads to EU recognition as a veterinary specialist in Zoo Health Management. He currently advises the UK and Devolved Governments on animal welfare, both captive and wild through his work on a number of committees including DEFRA's Zoo Experts Committee (which he has chaired since 2018), DEFRA's Animal Welfare Committee and the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission.
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Simon recently completed a PhD focussing on the reintroduction of the Eurasian Beaver to the UK.
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He lectures widely in the UK and Europe on many different aspects of zoological medicine, both to vets and veterinary nurses and has written widely on this subject, including the core text for veterinary nurses on exotics - 'Veterinary Nursing of Exotic Pets' now in its 2nd edition (almost 3rd!).