Dr McNeil graduated MBChB in 2006 from the University of Glasgow. During his undergraduate training he also did a 2 year intercalated BSc (Hons) degree in Immunology in 2004. He won an Otago scholarship to study in Dunedin, New Zealand in 2005.

He completed Foundation training then Core Medical Training in the West of Scotland between 2006-2010 and passed the Membership of the Royal College of Physicians (MRCP) exam in 2010. At this early stage he developed a passion for Haematology having worked in the specialty at Gartnavel General Hospital and the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow.

In 2010 he started higher specialist training in Haematology in the West of Scotland gaining experience  in laboratory and clinical aspects of the specialty in both city teaching hospitals (including the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre) and district general hospitals . He passed the Fellowship examination of the Royal College of Pathologists UK (FRCPath)  in 2014.