DrShamiKathurusinghe

I am a specialist gynaecologist with extensive experience in high-volume, complex laparoscopic and robotic surgical procedures, including bowel endometriosis surgery. I work across both public and private sectors, operating at the Reproductive Services Unit and Gynaecology 1 Unit at the Royal Women’s Hospital and Eastern Health, where I co-led the establishment of a multidisciplinary colorectal endometriosis service, enhancing coordinated care for patients with complex disease.

After completing my specialist training at the Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne, I was awarded Fellowship of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (FRANZCOG). I further undertook a two-year Advanced Laparoscopic Gynaecology Fellowship at the Royal Women’s Hospital, accredited by the Australasian Gynaecological Endoscopy & Surgery Society (AGES) as a level 6 surgeon.

I was the first Australian gynaecologist to be awarded a fellowship in Endometriosis and Advanced Minimal Access Surgery at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust—the UK’s largest endometriosis referral centre—where I gained advanced skills in minimally invasive surgery and multidisciplinary holistic care. I was also awarded a Travelling Fellowship by the British Society of Gynaecological Endoscopy (BSGE), during which I trained with Professor Horace Roman in Bordeaux, an internationally recognised expert in bowel endometriosis. This experience deepened my expertise in the surgical management of bowel and extra-pelvic endometriosis.

Additionally, I am the first Australian gynaecologist to complete Level 1 and Level 2 Certification in Neuropelveology through the International School of Neuropelveology (ISON) under Professor Marc Possover. This training has enhanced my ability to diagnose and manage complex pelvic nerve-related conditions surgically.

I have held several leadership and academic roles, including serving as a past Board Director for AGES, Lead for Gynaecology Simulation Training at the Royal Women’s Hospital, FRANZCOG and AGES Fellowship Training Supervisor, and Senior Lecturer at the University of Melbourne. I am actively engaged in research, having published in peer-reviewed journals and received multiple research grants. I am currently completing a Master’s in Clinical Trials through the University of London, reflecting my long-term commitment to advancing gynaecological research.

I am also an alumna and mentor of the Joan Kirner Emerging Leaders Program through Leadership Victoria, supporting the next generation of women in leadership.

Shami is an affiliated gynaecologist with the Julia Argyrou Endometriosis Centre at Epworth.