Michael graduated from the University of Sydney in 1989 with First Class Honours. He completed his residency and advanced surgical training at Westmead Hospital, obtaining Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 1996. He was then Clinical Superintendent in Surgery at Westmead Hospital and locum VMO at Auburn District Hospital. During this time he developed his interest in Surgical Oncology collaborating with the Sydney Melanoma Unit at RPAH. He also published a major study on injuries to the gastrointestinal tract due to blunt trauma.

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In 1998 and 1999 Michael was a fellow in Surgical Oncology at the Royal Marsden Hospital, London. Here he was involved in the clinical management of patients with melanoma, sarcoma and breast cancer and completed a major melanoma research project assessing the role of pelvic lymphadenectomy in the management of melanoma metastatic to the groin.

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In 1999 Michael was appointed lecturer in Surgical Oncology at the University of Sydney and the Sydney Melanoma Unit. In late 2000 he moved back to Westmead to establish the first Surgical Oncology service in Western Sydney and subsequently set-up a training fellowship program in surgical oncology – one of very few in NSW. At the same time Michael commenced as an AMO at the San. Over time his practice flourished at the San. In 2005 he was instrumental in the establishment of the San Breast Multidisciplinary Breast Cancer Team and remains the team Lead and Chairman. In the same year he established his own practice at the San, Northern Surgical Oncology. The practice has now grown to support six surgeons at various stages in their careers, all with a common interest in surgical care of cancer patients. In 2017 Michael established the San Surgical oncology Multidisciplinary Team and continues to also lead and chair this group.

In 2011 Michael decided to be part of the newly established SAH Clinical School of the University of Sydney and was appointed as an Associate Professor. In order to be able to dedicate time to this role and more time to the San he gave up his appointment at Westmead. In 2018 he was appointed as deputy head of the Clinical School and in the following year was appointed Head of the Clinical School. He has maintained that leadership as AHCL transitioned from the University of Sydney to the Australian National University.

In 2015 Michael took on the role of Head of Department of General Surgery at the San. He then established and Chaired the Surgical Services Committee. He became very involved in advocacy for doctor engagement and clinical governance. Michael became the initial Clinical Director of the Division of Surgical Services in March 2019, a role from which he stepped down from in December 2023 in order to dedicate more time to his work with the University, clinical research, and his patients.

Michael is committed to providing the highest quality care to his patients. Michael ensures that the care given to his patients is the best and safest possible through his significant involvement in research, education, leadership and quality management systems at NSO, the Sydney Adventist Hospital and more broadly at State and National levels. He has over 45 scientific publications, 5 book chapters and has made numerous contributions to a wide variety of policy and guideline documents.