Josland was initially a cadet in the Agricultural Department in Christchurch during which time he attended classes at Canterbury College. In 1921, he was appointed Assistant in the Bacteriological Department of Southland Hospital in Invercargill, where he was employed for eighteen months. Josland then became a Bacteriological Cadet attached to the Departments of Bacteriology and Pathology at the University of Otago Medical School where he worked under the supervision of Professors Eric D'Ath (pathology), Alexander Murray Drennan (pathology) and Charles Hercus (bacteriology). During his time at the Medical School, among other things, Josland worked on the chemical methods of pollen extraction and the preparation of these extracts for the diagnosis and therapy of hay fever. He also received training in recently developed methods of blood analysis from Dr Cedric Stanton Hicks. Additionally, Josland spent a brief period employed as relieving bacteriologist at the District Hospital in Whangarei.