ɹᵻtˈɜːnɪŋ tʊ ˈɛdɪnbʌɹə ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹtiːn, hiː wʌz ᵻlˈɛktᵻd ɐ fˈɛloʊ ʌvðə ɹˈɔɪəl kˈɑːlɪdʒ ʌv sˈɜːdʒənz, ænd bɪkˌeɪm ɐ pˈɑːɹtnɚ wɪð dʒˈɑːn bˈɛl, hɪz ˈoʊld mˈɛdɪkəl tˈuːɾɚ, ænd ɹˈɑːbɚt ˈælən.
Returning to Edinburgh in 1814, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, and became a partner with John Bell, his old medical tutor, and Robert Allan.