In 1941 he was a resident medical officer at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital[1] before joining the Second Australian Imperial Force in World War II where he served with the 2/3 Commando Squadron.
[2] He went back to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital as the senior resident pathologist and in 1947 was a surgical associate there.
The next year Scott-Young joined the staff of the University of Sydney as a teaching fellow in the Department of Physiology.
[4] He became renowned for his attacks on the Premier of the day, Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen, and crossed the floor on occasions to vote with the ALP opposition.
His wife, Olive, was known to publicise the size of the potholes in Townsville streets by sitting in them and being photographed by the local newspaper.