I qualified as a veterinary surgeon in 1992. After a short period in 1st opinion, working for a charity, I undertook a research training in Molecular approaches to epidemiology and diagnosis of ovine toxoplasmosis, leading to a PhD. I worked in 1st opinion private practice briefly before I was lucky enough to be accepted onto a residency programme in small animal surgery (orthopaedics). I started this training in Liverpool, but the majority of the teaching and learning happened in Glasgow Vet School. Immediately following this position, I moved to Bristol to lecture in small animal orthopaedics for about 10 years. I moved to a large specialist practice, as head of orthopaedics (which was only me initially!), then after 7 years I co-founded East of England Vet Specialists with Mark Bush. This is where I am now. I have been fortunate to have been able to do stints on committees for ECVS, RCVS and the BVOA.