What is Endocrinology?
Endocrinology is the study of the various hormones and their actions and disorders in the body. An endocrinologist is a specially trained doctor who has training in Internal Medicine / General Medicine with additional specialist training in endocrinology. Endocrinologists have the training to diagnose and treat hormone imbalances thus helping to restore the normal balance of hormones in the body.
Endocrinologist: Dr Natalie Harrison – MBBS (Hons), FRACP
Natalie obtained her medical degree at the University of Melbourne with honours in 1998. She went on to complete her training with a fellowship in Obstetric Medicine at the Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne in 2007, becoming a specialist physician, subspecialising in Diabetes and Endocrinology.
Natalie went on to work at Barwon Health, Geelong, and amongst endocrinology work, she also set up a diabetes foot clinic in 2009. Natalie founded Geelong Endocrinology & Diabetes in 2010 and has since started a paediatric insulin pump service in 2011 and an internet based telehealth service for patients in regional areas in 2012. She continues to work at the Geelong Hospital in the diabetes outpatient clinic and on the wards.
Natalie keeps up to date by attending meetings and conferences several times a year and believes that being part of an innovative and busy group private practice is a great way to maintain knowledge and interest.
Outside work Natalie loves spending time with her 5 sons, extended family, running, cooking, and gardening.
- PLEASE NOTE: Currently not taking any Referrals for New Patients.
Endocrinologist: Dr Kimberly Cukier – BmedSci, MBBS (Hons), FRACP
Kimberly obtained her medical degree at the University of Tasmania with first class honours in 2002. She completed her Endocrinology training at the Royal Adelaide Hospital working alongside some of Australia’s leading Endocrinologists and researchers.
She became a specialist physician, subspecialising in Diabetes and Endocrinology in 2010 after completing clinical research at the Geelong Hospital. Kimberly went on to work at Barwon Health, Geelong and has been actively promoting the management of patients with diabetes in the hospital and outpatient setting with policy development a key component. Kimberly joined Geelong Endocrinology & Diabetes in 2012 and continues to work at Barwon Health
Kimberly is a senior clinical lecturer at Deakin University, teaching and examining medical students and is passionate about teaching hospital doctors about endocrinology. She is actively involved in the training of new physicians.
Kimberly loves spending time with her family, reading, cooking and practising yoga.
- PLEASE NOTE: Currently not taking any Referrals for New Patients.
Endocrinologist: Dr Michael McNamara – MBBS, FRACP
Michael McNamara completed his medical degree at the University of Melbourne in 2003. He is an Endocrinologist and Diabetes Physician who has trained in Centres of Excellence in Melbourne at the Western and Royal Melbourne Hospitals and in Geelong at Barwon Health.
He completed his specialist training in 2012 and was the Endocrinology Fellow in Barwon Health in 2013 with involvement in clinical trials in osteoporosis and diabetes. He is interested in all aspects of endocrinology and diabetes and joined Geelong Endocrinology and Diabetes in 2013.
He is a consultant in Diabetes and Endocrinology and General Medicine at Barwon Health.
Michael enjoys spending time with his young family and is a passionate rock climber and mountain bike rider.
Endocrinologist: Dr Alice Hong – MBBS, BMedSci, FRACP
Alice obtained her medical degree at the University of Melbourne in 2010 and undertook basic physician training at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne. She went on to complete her Endocrinology and Diabetes training at Western Health, Royal Hobart Hospital and St Vincent’s Hospital.
Alice continues to work at St Vincent’s as a consultant endocrinologist in the Metabolic Bone Clinic and on the wards. She is also undertaking part-time research in pituitary disease.
Alice enjoys all aspects of diabetes and endocrinology and actively attends meetings and conferences to keep up to date with her knowledge.
Outside work Alice enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading and travelling.
Dr Alice Hong has a special interest in the following:
- diabetes
- thyroid disorders
- bone health
- pituitary disorders
- adrenal pathology
Endocrinologist: Dr Lan Lan – MD. FRACP
Lan Lan obtained her medical degree at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, USA. She completed her basic physician training in 2015 and became a specialist physician in Endocrinology in 2019 after working at Monash Health, Western Health and Barwon Health.
Lan Lan also currently works part-time at Barwon Health. She is interested in all aspects of endocrinology and diabetes.
Endocrinologist: Dr Elizabeth George – FRACP, MBBS, BBiomedSc
Elizabeth undertook a biomedical science degree majoring in the fields of anatomy and physiology at the University of Queensland. She then completed her medical degree at Deakin University.
She went on to complete her basic physician training at the Alfred Hospital, followed by her advanced training in endocrinology at Barwon Health, Monash Medical Centre and a clinical fellowship at Geelong Endocrinology and Diabetes. Teaching and medical education are two areas Elizabeth is passionate about and she assists with training and mentoring junior doctors. She is the co-director of physicians education at Barwon Health where she also works as an endocrinologist and general physician.
In her spare time, Elizabeth enjoys spending time with her husband and two young children and tending to her vegetable patch .
Dr Elizabeth George has a special interest in the following:
- premature ovarian insufficiency
- type 1 diabetes and technology
- pituitary diseases
- preconception management of endocrine disorders
- pregnancy management of endocrine disorders
Endocrinologist: Dr Florence Gunawan MBChB, FRACP
Dr. Florence Gunawan obtained her medical degree at the University of Auckland, New Zealand in 2010. She moved to Australia for internship and completed her Endocrinology and Diabetes training in Victoria in 2018. She had worked across different health networks in Victoria including Eastern Health, Barwon Health and The Royal Melbourne Hospital. She took up the position of Endocrinology Clinical Research Fellow at Barwon Health in 2019 and moved to Sydney in 2021 to be closer to family.
Dr. Gunawan is interested in all aspects of endocrinology including diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, thyroid, adrenal and pituitary disease. She enjoys teaching and has been involved with medical student and basic physician trainee teaching.
Dr. Gunawan keeps up to date by attending regular seminars and conferences. Outside work, she enjoys gardening, cooking and spending time with her young family
- Please note that Dr Florence Gunawan only does Video Telehealth Appointments.
Endocrinologist and Specialist General Physician : Dr Mina Mohammad Ebrahim
Mina obtained her medical degree from Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 2007. She moved to Melbourne in 2010. She undertook her basic physician training at Eastern Health in Melbourne and later on completed her specialty training in endocrinology and general and acute care medicine at Eastern Health and Barwon Health.
Mina is interested in all aspects of endocrinology and diabetes.
Outside work, she enjoys spending time with her young family, travelling and playing piano.
New Endocrinologist COMING IN 2024 : Dr Yee Wen (Audrey) Kong
Audrey obtained her medical degree at the University of Melbourne in 2015 and completed basic physician training in 2020. She undertook her specialist training at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, Royal Hobart Hospital and Barwon Health.
Audrey enjoys all aspects of endocrinology, particularly in the areas of diabetes and thyroid disorders. She has a special interest in type 1 diabetes and technology, and is engaged with ongoing research with the Diabetes Technology Research Group at University of Melbourne and St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne. She actively attends meetings and conferences to keep up to date with her knowledge.
Audrey will join the GED Team in March 2024