In 1972 Dr. Physick-Sheard graduated of the University of Bristol School of Veterinary Science. Dr. Physick-Sheard completed his masters in Guelph, and finished his Royal College Fellowship (by thesis). He then trained in Guelph in large animal surgery, and moved to medicine in 1976 to develop large animal cardiology after having spent 2 years in equine practice in southern Ontario. Subsequently, Dr. Physick-Sheard joined the Department of population medicine in 1987 to develop an additional specialty of equine health management. His primary interest in the area of research is with performance horses, specifically cardiovascular contributions to performance, and industry-level (career aggregate) performance.