Hamish Morrin

(he/him)

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I came to academia the long way round. Having spent much of my younger life working in manual jobs, I became a zookeeper and then a veterinary nurse in my 30's. Having become hugely passionate about animal welfare, I then pursued any opportunity to develop and learn. This involved moving countries several times to develop my practical experience, but also my enrolment in Edinburgh University's MSc in International Animal Welfare, Ethics and Law. This is where I became to make myself a truly evidence based practitioner. After a while, though I became somewhat disillusioned by my roles and wanted to find a place where I could make more difference, and where better than in the classroom, helping the next generation to develop their ideas?
As an aspiring educator without a degree or much of a publication history, I started out in a succession of FE/HE colleges where my life experience was an important asset. This gave me a chance to develop my pedagogical skill and also to begin writing articles and presenting at conferences. With a bit of experience under my belt, I moved to teaching veterinary nurses at the Royal Veterinary College and eventually to my current role as Veterinary Lecturer in Clinical Communication Skills at UCLan Veterinary School.
This is perfect for me, as my research passion lies in the challenging psychological, emotional and moral challenges of animal work. To further this I completed a Certificate in Veterinary Human Support from the University of Tennessee, and I'm currently a student at the Institute of Education at University College London, completing a Professional Doctorate of Education. As an EdD candidate I complete several pieces of work rather that a single thesis, but my main interest is the development of communications skills, especially seen through the lens of personal and professional values. There are many related topics that feed into this, especially ethics, trauma and the human-animal bond. My other focus as an academic is developing interprofessional education for human and animal health professionals.

Experience

  • –present
    Veterinary Lecturer in Clinical Communication Skills, University of Central Lancashire

Education

  • 2027 
    University College London, Professional Doctorate of Education
  • 2024 
    University of Tennessee, Certificate in Veterinary Human Support
  • 2017 
    University of Edinburgh, MSc International Animal Welfare, Ethics and Law
  • 2011 
    Unitec NZ, Diploma of Veterinary Nursing
  • 2008 
    Unitec NZ, Certificate in Captive Wild Animal Management

Publications

  • 2024
    Veterinary Nursing Journal, Barriers to veterinary nurse confidence in rabbit anaesthesia
  • 2023
    The Veterinary Nurse, Bereavement and the veterinary nurse
  • 2023
    The Veterinary Nurse, Values conflict resolution
  • 2023
    UK-Vet Equine, Ethics in practice: Schwartz rounds and veterinary clinical ethics committees
  • 2022
    Veterinary Nursing Journal, Management of forelimb wounds in a juvenile captive capybara
  • 2022
    Professionalism and Reflection in Veterinary Nursing, The professional RVN
  • 2020
    Routledge Handbook of Animal Ethics, Defensible zoos and aquariums
  • 2020
    Veterinary Nursing Journal, Welfare considerations for zoo veterinary nurses

Professional Memberships

  • Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons

Contact Hamish for

  • General
  • Media request
  • Speaking request
  • Consulting / Advising
  • Research collaboration