Mahmood MTM Ally received his MBChB degree in 1979 from the University of the Witwatersrand.He has been a rheumatologist since 2000 and  since 2005 to date, he has been head of rheumatology at the University of Pretoria and Steve Biko Academic Hospital.

He earned his PhD in 2015, focusing on research related to biomarkers in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). He is a past president of the South African Rheumatism and Arthritis Association (SARAA) and has served as Vice Chair and Acting Chair of the National Health Research Committee. Additionally, he has contributed to the University of Pretoria as an Assistant to the Dean for Research and Postgraduate Matters.

Currently, he is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Pretoria.