Dr Marlene Soma

Dr Marlene Soma is an accomplished Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) surgeon with a particular interest in paediatric airway surgery. After completing her undergraduate medical degree at the University of New South Wales, Dr Soma trained in General Surgery before realizing her passion for ENT surgery. She obtained her Fellowship from the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, becoming the only female candidate in Australia and New Zealand in her year, and was the 6th female ENT surgeon in NSW. She then devoted three years to advanced specialist training in Paediatric Otolaryngology, including 18 months at Great Ormond St Hospital for Children, London, 12 months at Cincinnati Children's Hospital in Ohio (one of the world's largest centres for paediatric airway surgery), and four months split between children's hospitals in Paris, Lyon, and Lausanne.

With such extensive training and experience, Dr Soma is well-versed in the full breadth of Paediatric Otolaryngology, enabling her to offer well-balanced and considered opinions to her patients. She is actively involved in teaching and research, running courses for nurses, ENT surgeons, and registrars, and frequently speaking at national and international conferences. Dr Soma has many publications on different aspects of her field of expertise and has also written several book chapters. As a member of the International Paediatric Otolaryngology Group (IPOG), Dr Soma helps shape consensus statements on the management of complex paediatric ENT conditions. She's also been actively involved with the Australian New Zealand Society Paediatric Otorhinolaryngology (ANZSPO) since 2011 as the treasurer and an executive member, and has served as scientific convenor for the Paediatric section of the Australian Society for Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgeons (ASOHNS) Annual Scientific Meeting as well as the South Pacific ORL Meeting on multiple occasions. With her passion for teaching, research, and her extensive experience, Marlene Soma is a widely respected and sought-after ENT surgeon in Australia and internationally.