Dr. Paul qualified as a veterinary surgeon from Cambridge University in 1981. Since then he has worked in both first opinion and referral veterinary practice. He obtained the Diploma in Veterinary Radiology from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1983, and was awarded a PhD from the University on Bristol in 1986 for research elucidating the role of mechanical factors on fracture healing. During his career he has taught at veterinary and medical schools both in the UK and abroad. He has also worked on a number of varied research projects from which the results have been directly applicable to both human and veterinary medicine. He has published widely in the scientific literature and has been involved in examining veterinary students both in the UK and abroad. Away from veterinary medicine he has a long-standing interest in history, and in the last 10 years has published two biographies.