(This is page about me. If you’re reading this, then it means you have some at least some interest in what I currently do. So, I’ll beat my chest and document what I do, but what’s more important to me is to help you understand why I do it.)
Nic Lucas is a founding Director of Vertigo Media Limited – an online education company specialising in continuing education solutions for professionals. He has over 15 years experience in tertiary and private education, has worked at universities and colleges in Australia and New Zealand, and has been involved in curriculum development, research and regulation. He has formal qualifications in pain medicine, clinical epidemiology, and osteopathy, and is a PhD Research Fellow at the Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney.
Nic adopted online learning and education early in his career as an academic, starting by simply placing notes online in advance of lectures, so that students could focus on the insights he brought to his lectures, rather than just the information. This evolved to include online discussion and tutorial groups and the development of complete online learning modules.
He is a founding editor of the International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, published by Elsevier, and which is the largest international journal of its type. It is the official journal of the General Osteopathic Council (UK), Australian Osteopathic Association, the Ontario Association of Osteopaths, and is recognised by the British Osteopathic Association.
He is also a founding Director of Digital Media Strategy Pty Ltd - a company specialising in helping business owners align their branding, digital marketing, and online sales by using research, testing and best-practice technologies. His business partners are Mike Rhodes and Steve Ovens. Clients they have helped include McGrath Estate Agents, The Children’s Cancer Institute, The Pew Environment Group, The Fortune Institute, Swimwear Galore, Wynstans, and PrescriBED.
He is a coach and consultant, working in collaboration with key business advisors to help individuals understand their purpose, improve their focus, determine their strategy and implement their essential actions. Business advisors he collaborates with include David Bullock and Glen Campbell.
He is an author and speaker, having given presentations in the USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.
“I have some strong personal characteristics that explain why I do what I do”
Nic explains further …
“First and foremost, I am dedicated to my own learning. If I’m honest, it’s the reason I get up in the morning. I’m insatiable. Learning is everything to me – because everything we do is a result of our brains experiencing the external world and our internal world, and then making sense of it. I find it euphoric to move from ignorance to competence.
I bring my own learning to life by teaching and sharing what I’ve learned. I thrive on helping other people see and understand what they had not seen or understood before. I am an imagination hunter. Not only do I want to capture peoples’ attention, but also their imaginations.
Because I love to teach and inspire others to engage with information in the same way I do, I really value effective communication. The way that information is presented to me has always had a significant effect on how I understand it, and how I am inspired by it. This is why I am driven to find effective methods to communicate what I’ve learned – to teach and inspire others.
And so this is also why I am involved in digital media, coaching and online education, which is really just another channel for effective communication. There are critics of online education, and no doubt some of their concerns may have validity.
What I can say, however, after obtaining numerous degrees and participating in numerous ‘live’ workshops, is that many of the best learning experiences I have had, have been online.
Having found satisfaction and enjoyment in learning and teaching, I am still left with a sense of discontent unless I am actively working toward something. And this is what drives me to continue applying what I’ve learned in a practical way to effect an outcome or goal. The continual improvement of HealthProfessionalCPD is an example of this, as is the work we do with our clients at Digital Media Strategy – and many of the other ventures, projects and activities I’m involved in.
I measure myself not on what I learn, think or say, but on what I do and what I help others achieve. I only feel alive when I’m putting myself through a process of change and activity – even though at times this is stressful and uncertain. I don’t typically wait until everything is “known” before making a decision and taking action. I get bored of high level talks that don’t result in activity. I want to know when I can start, and then I just want to start – and I expect those around me to start as well. I know where I’m headed, because this is something I need to know on a daily basis.”
“Learning, teaching, communication, achievement and focus – that’s what I’m about”
