Michael's story

Dr-Michael-Toon-450x450.jpgDr Michael Toon is a man of many talents: pharmacist, anaesthetist, Olympian and stand-up comedian.

Michael completed a pharmacy degree at The University of Queensland in 2001. It was during university that he first got involved in comedy through the Med Review. However, back then, his real passion was rowing.

“I was the cox. That’s the little guy who sits at the back of the rowing boat and steers and yells,” Michael said. 

After completing his degree, Michael moved to Sydney to pursue Olympics selection, and made the team for the 2004 Athens Olympics where he won a bronze medal as part of the Australian eights rowing team.

“After the Olympics, I decided it was time to settle down to full-time work, so I came back to be a pharmacist and did that for two years. But it wasn’t quite all that I had expected.

“I was born with a heart condition and started reading up about it and found it fascinating. It drew me to medicine.”

Michael commenced his Bachelor of Medicine in 2007 and graduated in 2010, before undertaking an internship at Mater in 2011, then commencing as a medical registrar in 2013 before switching to anaesthesia.

Something was still missing from Michael’s life and it was comedy and performing. 

In 2013 he revived his interest in performing by putting on a play adapted from Brisbane author Nick Earl’s novel, World of Chickens.

“The story was about two medical students doing their obstetrics rotation and also working in a barbecue chicken shop in Brisbane.

“Our cast was a mixture of Mater staff and medical students, along with other junior doctors from around Brisbane.

“It was a big success. The play ran for four nights and the opening and closing nights sold out.”

Since 2013, Michael has also been honing his skills in stand-up comedy.

In August, he debuted his first solo comedy show, ‘While You Were Sleeping’, at Bris Funny Fest. The show incorporates Michael’s knowledge of science, pharmacology and anaesthesia.

“A lot of the content comes from my own experiences as a cardiac patient. And I put a funny slant on a lot of pharmaceutical and medical terminology."

Michael can find the funny side to most situations, but he has a serious side. As a Provisional Anaesthesia Fellow, he is serious about the wellbeing of his patients and the responsibility of his role.

“What I really enjoy about anaesthesia is that I’m looking after people at their most vulnerable. They’re often quite anxious and it’s my job to make them safe and feel comfortable. It’s very rewarding.

“A lot of people say anaesthesia is boring. But I take that as a compliment because anaesthetists work very, very hard to make it boring. 

“Only a hundred years ago, anaesthesia was anything but boring. It was incredibly dangerous. The fact that it’s ‘boring’ these days is testament to how much we put into safety and quality in everything we do.”

His career as an anaesthetist is his priority these days, but Michael hopes to keep his hand in performing.

“I find stand-up comedy is a good release!”