Change could be "a little scary but also invigorating", she told more than 200 law and health science graduates attending a 4pm graduation ceremony at the Regent Theatre, Dunedin, on Saturday.
Prof Nicholson, who is dean of the Otago School of Medical Sciences and a former head of the Otago anatomy department, told graduates that many would face a career change at least once.
In her own case she had earlier trained as a urologist in the UK and subsequent roles had included research, being a family planning doctor and an anatomist "before ending up in New Zealand as a dean as well as my most important role of being a mum".
"One of the things that makes change unsettling is that we are often frightened of making mistakes."
But graduates could learn from their own bodies which had been designed to "get over or remove mistakes, whether these be abnormal cells or more major disasters".
As long as the ends of broken bones were reasonably close together, they could usually grow new bone to mend the break.
"What's more, with time the bone will be as strong and as functional as before.
"Just as the body expects and plans for mistakes, so we need to accept that we will make mistakes and these will often be important times of learning for us.
"So embrace change in your life and learn from your mistakes."
She told graduates she had three messages, all starting with the letter C - the first being to embrace change, and the second involving "connectedness".
People should maintain their connections with others, because, as individuals, "we do not have all of the gifts or abilities to survive well alone".
Graduates should also "cherish", care for and encourage other people around them, including members of their work teams.
