After passing the MB in 1934 John Russell Barbour was house surgeon to the Royal Adelaide Hospital in 1935 and to the Adelaide Children's Hospital in 1936. In 1939 he became house surgeon to the Southend General Hospital and passed his FRCS. He was surgical registrar to the London Hospital and surgeon with the EMS between 1940 and 1942. He was a Captain in the AAMC 1939-46 and, by 1960, had been promoted to Colonel. After the second world war he became honorary orthopaedic surgeon to the Royal Adelaide Hospital in 1956 and medical officer to their paraplegic unit in 1962. He was a member of the AMA and on the Council of the South Australian branch of the BMA. He died on 14 March 1977.