John Michael Woodward qualified in Melbourne in 1963. He passed his Fellowship of the College in 1968 and the following year became senior registrar to the Bristol Regional Neurosurgical Unit until 1971 when he returned to Australia. He was appointed neurosurgeon to the Austin Hospital, Heidelberg, Victoria in 1971 and Associate Professor to the University of Melbourne department of surgery in 1977. He was a member of the British Medical Association. He was living in Melbourne at the time of his premature death on 7 March 1987, survived by his wife.