He was educated at the Edgecliff Preparatory School and Sydney Grammar School and studied medicine at Sydney University, graduating MB ChM with honours in 1923. He had 2 years at Sydney Hospital and soon after went abroad to study dermatology in Vienna which was then a famous teaching centre in this field. In 1927 he went to London to work at the London Hospital under Sequeira.

On his return to Australia, Murray-Will took over the practice of Dr W McMurray who had been a specialist in this field since the latter part of the nineteenth century. In 1928 he was appointed honorary dermatologist to Prince Henry Hospital and he later took up appointments at St Vincent’s Hospital and Sydney Hospital. In his latter years he devoted most of his time to Sydney Hospital and was responsible for the development of a thriving department in dermatology. He was an outstanding teacher. His clinic at Sydney Hospital began at noon. For 2 hours he treated patients and sorted out those suitable for teaching so that, when his students arrived, they had his undivided attention.

At the outbreak of the Second World War it was not thought necessary to have specialist dermatologists in the services but the folly of that soon became apparent to the authorities in the Middle East theatre of war. In 1941 Murray-Will was 1 of 2 dermatologists sent to this area to set up dermatology departments in general hospitals. He continued to serve in the AIF until 1945 and his service was recognised when membership of the Order of the British Empire was conferred on him.

Ewan Murray-Will played a prominent part in the development of dermatology in the years after the Second World War. After holding various offices in the NSW branch of the British Association of Dermatology he became president in 1948. In 1959–60 he was president of the Dermatological Association of Australia and in 1961 he was admitted to Fellowship of The Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

Murray-Will was a lover of pictures, books, music, ballet, gardening and travel. He was a member of the board of trustees of the Art Gallery of NSW and had a fine collection of pictures in his home. He had a large library and a beautiful garden. He travelled extensively mainly to pursue his interest in music, ballet and art. In his lifetime Ewan Murray-Will made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of dermatology and he played a significant role in supporting the arts in Australia.