IBD School ran on Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 November 2025, its tenth year. More than 160 delegates graduated. The course is run by IBD Sydney, the not-for-profit organisation of which A/Prof Kariyawasam is a founding director, and he sits on its steering committee.
It began in 2016 as a course for gastroenterology advanced trainees and junior gastroenterologists. It now takes in the whole team who look after people with inflammatory bowel disease: gastroenterologists and surgeons, IBD nurses, general practitioners, dietitians, pharmacists, psychologists and physiotherapists.
What was new in 2025
Two things. The first was a dedicated allied health stream, which put the multidisciplinary management of inflammatory bowel disease on its own track rather than treating it as an aside. The second was intestinal ultrasound, which is changing how disease activity is assessed in the clinic and which is now taught at the course.
The programme
Over the two days the faculty covered getting the most out of aminosalicylates and immunomodulators, the small molecule classes, the newer antibody therapies and how to sequence treatment when the first choice does not hold. There were sessions on colorectal cancer surveillance in inflammatory bowel disease, on pregnancy and reproductive health, and multidisciplinary case discussions running through both days.
The steering committee
The 2025 committee was Prof Rupert Leong, A/Prof Viraj Kariyawasam, Dr Sudarshan Paramsothy, Dr Aviv Pudipeddi, Dr Nikola Mitrev, Alice Day, Daniel Lightowler, Dr Fei Yang Pan and Esther Lee. Faculty and sponsors have supported the course since it started.
IBD School 2026 runs from 6 to 8 November 2026 at Novotel Sydney Olympic Park, with a hands-on intestinal ultrasound masterclass on the Friday.
Make an appointment
Appointments are booked through the rooms directly. Have your GP referral ready when you call or ask your GP to send it ahead. Urgent inflammatory bowel disease, rectal bleeding and positive bowel screening referrals are prioritised.
Norwest & Rouse Hill (02) 8530 1800 Pennant Hills (02) 9875 2311 Macquarie Park (02) 9812 3880