Educated at Marlborough College and Edinburgh University where he graduated in 1947, Michael Oliver held junior hospital posts in Edinburgh before his appointment as consultant physician to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary in 1961. He became reader in the Department of Medicine in 1973, was appointed to a personal chair in cardiology and then to the Duke of Edinburgh Chair in Cardiology from 1979 to 1989. His contribution to cardiology was a major one, mainly in the field of atherosclerosis and ischaemic heart disease. Research papers included those on high-density lipoproteins and the biochemistry of fats. He entered the debate on a dietary solution to heart disease with enthusiasm and received international honours. He was a strong supporter of the National Health Service and did not shy away from expressing cogent views on the handling of it by politicians.