Dr Ken Leong

I graduated from Monash University School of Medicine in 1996 with an MBBS and BMedSci (Hons). During my medical degree I undertook a research project in examining the “molecular basis of beta thalassaemia” and earned a BMedSci (Bachelor of Medical Science) degree. Beta thalassaemia is an inherited blood condition that affects people from the Mediterranean region. I studied a novel PCR (polymerase chain reaction) detection method known as ARMS used for screening gene mutations that cause beta thalassaemia.

After my graduation, I spent the first three years as a hospital medical officer at the Monash Medical Centre Victoria and subsequently worked as a junior registrar in the busy Emergency Department of the hospital. There I learnt about acute and emergency medicine which helped form a solid grounding in general medicine before embarking on specialist training. I started my specialist training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Monash Medical Centre in 2000. I spent the last two of my six specialty training years as the senior registrar at the Box Hill Hospital Eastern Health where I was involved in supervising and teaching of junior medical staff. It was during those last two years of my specialty training I developed a very strong interest in advanced laparoscopic surgery and infertility. I worked closely with various key personnel at the hospital to further develop my open surgical and laparoscopic skills.

Upon completion of my specialty training in 2005, I spent a short stint with the Flying Obstetrics and Gynaecology Services based in Roma, Queensland, providing women’s health care services to remote and outback communities. Following this memorable work experience, I undertook further advanced laparoscopic preceptorship training with the esteemed endosurgery units at the Monash Medical Centre in 2007 and SWEC (Sydney Women’s Endosurgery Centre) in 2009. I also travelled to Ohio Columbus USA for an advanced robotic surgery training on the intuitive da Vinci robotic system in 2008.

My affiliation with Monash IVF started in 2007 under the guidance of Professor Gab Kovacs and Dr. Bruce Downing. Both are very well respected in the field of infertility and IVF. Dr. Bruce Downing is a pioneer of tubal surgery in the country and I had the good fortune to learn from him his techniques of laparoscopic tubal reversal surgery. Upon Dr Downings retirement in 2008, I took over his fertility and IVF practice with his blessing.

I undertook further subspecialty training in reproductive medicine by completing a Masters in Reproductive Medicine with the University of New South Wales in 2011. I was also at the time a consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Box Hill Hospital Eastern Health. I was involved in teaching specialist trainees in laparoscopic surgery and mentoring medical students during their undergraduate years. I am also a frequent speaker in General Practitioner lecture series in the area of advanced laparoscopic and robotic surgery as well as topics on Infertility & IVF, endometriosis and uterine fibroids. I am a keen educator and have given numerous patient focused webinars (web-based seminars) on infertility, endometriosis and fibroids in the Asia Pacific region. I now perform the majority of my surgeries at Epworth Richmond. I also perform IVF lists at Epworth Hawthorn and my obstetric patients deliver at Epworth Freemasons in East Melbourne.

Aside from my clinical role, I am also the medical director of Borderless Healthcare Group (BHG) involved in the development and implementation of healthcare ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) in the Asia Pacific region. BHG capitalises on multimedia platforms, consumer-centric digital health content, global network of affiliate partners, industry expertise and back-end knowledge-process-outsourcing call centres staffed with trained nurses (medical butlers) in the provision of “digital universal healthcare” directly to patients, clinics and hospitals.

I am conversant in Cantonese, Mandarin and Bahasa Malaysia.

My medical practice is now central to Richmond and I consult once a week in the eastern suburbs at Ekera Medical Centre, Box Hill. My administrative staff, Heather, Laura and Ivy are here to support you. My rooms nurse Sue will help making the steps from that first appointment as easy as possible. Sue is pivotal in guiding you through the complex logistics of timed investigations, follow-up appointments and treatment plans involved in infertility and advanced laparoscopic surgery. I also have Monash IVF affiliated nurses, in Richmond and Clayton who help co-ordinate and manage the complex process of an IVF cycle and manage your IVF journey.

I am also practising obstetrics, providing pregnancy and delivery care to those who would like to confine at Epworth Freemasons in East Melbourne.