Dr McDonald, has been the director of the Gastroenterology unit at Wollongong Hospital for over a decade, and in private practise for a decade.

She came to Wollongong after training at St George, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hepatology research at the Royal Free Hospital London (on HBV), Liver transplant registrar at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Sydney for 2 years, then enrolled in a PHD at Sydney University (on HBV), before coming to Wollongong. She established Gastroenterology services in Wollongong, recruited other Gastroenterologists to the area, set up subspecialty GE interest groups, as well as multidisciplinary meetings with surgeons and radiologists. She has mentored about 20 gastroenterologists in training, a few are now consultants at Wollongong Hospital. This was done at the same time as she raised a family.

Her role in private practise, is to provide quality care for those with GE disorders.