Tias is a 1988 graduate from the University of Queensland. The early part of his career was in private practice in Queensland and Victoria and focused on large animal practice and surgery. The last 10 years of this time was spent in Warwick where he cofounded and operated a practice with a strong equine component. After this, he joined the University of Melbourne and during 8 years with this institution gained his fellowship in Equine Surgery and went on to head the Equine Centre.

A move back to Queensland followed with a year at University of Queensland as a specialist surgeon before migrating back into private practice. His practice is currently based at his equine facility just outside Warwick where he and his team of vets and nurses provide a range of services to the equine industry including surgery, reproduction, hospitalisation and ambulatory care as well as consultancy surgical services to practices in South East Queensland.

He has been involved in training and supervising residents, and mentoring large numbers of students, nurses and graduates. He has served as Chief Examiner and Council Member, Equine Chapter president, and membership and fellowship examiner for the ANZCVS. He remains on the Board of Examiners of this organisation and continues to be actively involved as an examiner.