Richard Pestell began his medical journey at the University of Western Australia, where he graduated at the top of his class and earned an M.B., B.S. His early clinical years included roles as a physician-in-training at Royal Perth Hospital and St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney. These experiences provided a busy foundation in Internal Medicine and residency, including oncology, endocrinology, hematology, cardiology, and transplant medicine, grounded in Hope that Sees the invisible, Feels the intangible, and Achieves the impossible.

He pursued deeper work in cancer biology and completed a Ph.D. at the University of Melbourne's Howard Florey Institute, specializing in oncogene regulation of gene transcription. His academic excellence earned national scholarships and multiple competitive fellowships, including a Winthrop Fellowship and an NHMRC postgraduate award.