About
Dr Douglas Samuel BSc(Med) MBBS(Hons) MMed GradDipClinEd FRACP
Dr Douglas Samuel graduated from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science (Medicine) and an honours degree in Medicine (MBBS Hons). He was also awarded the prestigious UNSW Foundation Medal for Leadership and Fellowship.
He undertook his clinical training at leading Sydney teaching hospitals, including St Vincent’s, Royal North Shore, Royal Prince Alfred and Prince of Wales Hospitals. After becoming a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP) in 2003, he spent two years undertaking advanced subspecialty training at St Mark’s Hospital and University College London Hospitals. There, he further developed his expertise in Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and colorectal cancer prevention, including the endoscopic removal of large and complex colorectal polyps.
Dr Samuel holds a Master of Medicine (Research) from UNSW, awarded for original research undertaken in London using artificial intelligence (AI) and optical spectroscopy to help prevent bowel cancer.
His ongoing research interests include novel treatments for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, and prevention of colorectal cancer. Since 2008, he has participated as an investigator in more than 30 multicentre clinical trials in inflammatory bowel disease, including 15 as Principal Investigator.
Dr Samuel has held Senior Lecturer appointments at both UNSW and the University of Sydney. He also holds a Graduate Diploma in Medical Education from UNSW and has twice received Teacher of the Year awards for his contributions to medical education.
He has played an active role in developing undergraduate and postgraduate medical training programs and has led train-the-trainer workshops in Australia and the United Kingdom. In London, he was a faculty member at the National Endoscopy Training Centre, teaching specialist doctors how to train others in gastroscopy and colonoscopy.
He has presented at national and international gastroenterology conferences and regularly contributes to educational programs for general practitioners and specialist physicians. He supervises doctors undertaking specialist training in general medicine and gastroenterology through the Royal Australasian College of Physicians.
Dr Samuel personally authors the medical education content published on this website.
Dr Sonia Alley
Dr Alley is a visiting Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist at the Mayo in Taree and Forster Private hospitals, and works as an associate of Dr Samuel. She is also available for telehealth consultations from Sydney, and face to face consultations at our St Leonards rooms.
She studied medicine at the University of Sydney, followed by residency, basic physician training and her first two years of Gastroenterology Advanced training at Royal North Shore Hospital. Her final year of Gastroenterology training was at Blacktown Hospital.
Dr Alley is accredited with the Conjoint Committee for Recognition of Training in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (CCRTGE) to perform diagnostic and therapeutic upper endoscopy and colonoscopy, and is a member of the Gastroenterological Society of Australia.
She is a general gastroenterologist and hepatologist, so she manages a wide range of conditions including iron deficiency, coeliac disease, gastroesophageal reflux, bowel cancer screening, inflammatory bowel disease and fatty liver disease. She has a particular interest in disorders of gut-brain interaction (previously known as functional gut disorders) such as irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia. She is passionate about the role of diet in health and disease.
Dr Alley provides wholistic, empathic care to her patients, and takes the time to listen to, understand, and educate her patients.
Outside of medicine, Dr Alley enjoys cooking, traveling, being a mum, and spending time with family and friends.
