Philip H Brain graduated from the University of Sydney in 1985 and after 13 years in general practice, completed a residency program in small animal medicine at the Veterinary Specialist Centre, North Ryde, NSW and gained his Fellowship in Small Animal Medicine from the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in 2007. Previously Brain has been an examiner for the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in small animal and canine medicine and continues to be a mentor and supervisor for candidates.
Brain served on ASAVA executive for 19 years including a Presidential term, two terms as Honorary Secretary and ASAVA scientific convener for over 10 years. He was recognized with an AVA Meritorious Service Award in 1999, the ASAVA Distinguished Service Award in 2005 and a special ASAVA outstanding service award in 2010. He became the first veterinarian to receive a Chartered Membership (CMAVA) of the AVA in 2004. Brain was a scientific convener for the FASAVA Congress in 2014 in Beijing and the chief scientific convenor for the FASAVA Congress in 2017 on the Gold Coast, Queensland. He was recognized with a service to veterinary nursing award in 1997 and was the first veterinarian to be awarded honorary membership of the Veterinary Nurses Council of Australia in 2003. He was awarded a fellowship from the AVA in 2007 in recognition of his service to the profession. He received the Australian Small Animal Veterinary association Practitioner of the Year Award in 2017 and one year later was the first Australian to receive the International Hills-FASAVA Practitioner of the Year Award.
Brain is a registered specialist in small animal medicine and is currently practicing at the Small Animal Specialist Hospital (SASH) in North Ryde, Sydney and clinical interests include endoscopy, cardiology, endocrinology and interventional techniques.