TRIAGE vs. Dr. Dave Nicol's Academy
An honest comparison of two credible, CE-bearing leadership programs built by veterinarians.
Both are built by veterinarians and carry CE. The model is different.
Dr. Dave Nicol's Veterinary Leadership Academy pairs online content with weekly group coaching and a cohort community, built on the Remarkable Veterinary Practice™ framework. Two tiers (Developing Leaders and Strategic Leaders, roughly 14 to 30+ CE hours), international reach, pricing on inquiry. It leans toward practice owners who want coaching and community.
TRIAGE is a systems-based leadership operating system built by a practicing emergency medical director. Six modules, sequential and self-paced, completable in as little as 15 hours, RACE-approved for 15 hours of CE, with transparent pricing and a role and pressure-context focus.
Want live coaching, owner-level breadth, and an international community → Nicol's Academy.
Want installable structure for the clinical floor, transparent pricing, and fast completion → TRIAGE.
At a glance
| TRIAGE Leadership System | Dr. Dave Nicol's Leadership Academy | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded / built by | Kaelyn Petras, DVM, Emergency Medical Director | Dr. Dave Nicol, veterinarian and leadership coach (UK, AU, US, CA) |
| Core framing | Leadership operating system | Coaching plus the Remarkable Veterinary Practice™ framework |
| Structure | Six modules (T·R·I·A·G·E), sequential | Two tiers: Developing Leaders, Strategic Leaders |
| Format | Self-paced modular (individual) Cohort delivery (hospitals / groups) | Online on-demand + weekly group coaching + cohort community |
| Live coaching | No (self-paced; team cohort scheduling) | Yes, weekly group coaching |
| CE credit | RACE-approved for 15 hours of CE. NZVA-Accredited for 15 hours of CE. | CE hours listed (about 14 to 30+ across tiers) |
| Individual price | $1,200 per seat (or $200/month × 6) | On inquiry (not published) |
| Team pricing | $900/seat (3–5), $750/seat (6–15) | On inquiry |
| Best for | Clinicians promoted into leadership under pressure | International practice owners wanting coaching and community |
Methodology: coaching versus systems
Nicol's Academy is coaching-led. On-demand content is reinforced by weekly live group sessions and a cohort community, organized around a single overarching framework for a "remarkable" practice. The value is in the relationship and the ongoing conversation.
TRIAGE is installation-led. Six modules install structure in order, and the goal is a working operating system you can run on shift, not a coaching cadence you maintain. It is built to survive the absence of the coach.
Audience: practice owner versus clinician under pressure
Nicol's Academy skews toward practice owners and aspiring leaders who want breadth across business, vision, and people, with an international community. TRIAGE is built for the people running clinical operations under pressure: medical directors, lead clinicians, and nurse and practice managers in emergency, urgent care, multi-site, and high-volume GP.
Format and time commitment
Nicol's is an ongoing, coaching-paced commitment tied to weekly sessions. TRIAGE is finite and self-paced: complete it in as little as 15 hours, on your own schedule, with no live sessions to attend. Hospitals and groups can still run it as a scheduled cohort.
Pricing
Nicol's Academy is priced on inquiry, which suits a coaching model but means you cannot compare cost upfront. TRIAGE is transparent: $1,200 one-time (or $200/month for 6 months), with team rates from $900 to $750 per seat, all including 15 hours of RACE-approved CE.
Who each program is best for
TRIAGE is best for you if:
- You were promoted into leadership under clinical pressure and need structure
- You work in emergency, urgent care, multi-site, or high-volume GP
- You want installable systems, not an ongoing coaching cadence
- You want transparent, one-time pricing with CE included
- You want to finish fast, as little as 15 hours, self-paced
Nicol's Academy is best for you if:
- You are a practice owner wanting breadth across business, vision, and people
- You want weekly live group coaching and a peer cohort
- You value an international community (UK, AU, US, CA)
- You prefer a coaching relationship over a self-paced install
- Inquiry-based pricing is not a barrier for you
When you should pick something else entirely
- Uncharted, if you want the lowest-cost entry and a skills library
- VetLead, if you want an established, CE-credited, whole-team coaching curriculum
- VLI Trek, if you want an immersive, in-person leadership experience
No one program is the answer for everyone. Better to pick well than pick fast.
How to start with TRIAGE
- Take the free Leadership Audit6 questions, immediate result. Tells you which of the six TRIAGE™ modules to install first.
- Try Module 1 freeFull module, no commitment. See whether the methodology lands.
- Start TRIAGEIndividuals can begin self-paced anytime. Hospitals and multi-site groups schedule cohort start dates on enrollment.