John Laidley Dowling worked as resident medical officer for the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, 1937-39. During the second world war he was with the RAMC and the AAMC and then became student supervisor to St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney. He was a Gordon Craig Travelling Scholar 1945-47 and during this time worked at the Manchester Royal Infirmary as chief assistant neurosurgeon. Returning to Australia he became assistant honorary neurosurgeon to St Vincent's Hospital 1948-60 and held further consultant neurosurgical posts at St Joseph's Hospital, Bankstown District Hospital and Liverpool District Hospital among others. He was honorary consultant neurosurgeon to the Prince Henry and Prince of Wales Hospitals in Sydney 1965-74 and honorary consultant neurosurgeon to the Sutherland District Hospital in Sydney in 1969. He was a member of the AMA. He died on 5 June 1981.