Geert Paes

I graduated as a veterinarian from Ghent University in 2006, after which I completed an internship and residency in small animal internal medicine. I remained affiliated with the university until 2012, after which I moved to Western Canada. There, I initially worked in primary care for several years, before making the switch back to emergency and secondary care. This combination has given me a strong affinity with the daily reality of practice and the challenges veterinarians face every day.

Teaching has always been a common thread throughout my career. I find it important to make complex subject matter clear and practical, so that colleagues can put it into practice immediately. In doing so, my focus lies not only on the ideal approach, but also on what is feasible and realistic in practice.
Based on this vision, I started Online Vet Training (OVT) in 2019. In the early years, I mainly built this myself, step by step — alongside my clinical work. In the meantime, OVT has grown into a fully-fledged platform, and I am particularly grateful for that. Today, I still combine my role as an instructor with that of manager within OVT. What makes the biggest difference for me is that I no longer do this alone. I now work with a strong and driven team, and it is precisely that collaboration and mutual support that I find incredibly valuable. At the same time, this also gives me more room to focus on clinical work again, something I still enjoy doing immensely. Together, we continue to build a platform that supports veterinarians with accessible, high-quality, and above all, practically applicable continuing education.
In addition, I still have the travel bug and love heading out to explore the world. I prefer doing this with a heavy backpack on my back, during multi-day hikes with my family. At home, I am kept company by two energetic, vocal Balinese dogs whom I adore — and who occasionally provide their “input” at perfect time during a recording or lesson.