Alan Donald Hewson graduated in Medicine with Honours from the University of Sydney in 1952, had three years general training as a resident at Royal Newcastle Hospital, then 2 years as Registrar in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Royal Hobart, 2 further years at Oxford in the Area Dept with Sir John Stallworthy after obtaining his MRCOG-working as Senior registrar and tutor in Obstetrics.

He began private practice in Newcastle in 1958,with Honorary appointments at Royal Newcastle, the Mater Misericordiae and Western Suburbs hospitals as well as appointments at most of the private hospitals as they developed over the years. He obtained the FRCS Ed.in 1966, the FRACS in 1980,was a foundation member of the RACOG in 1979, and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Newcastle in 1990.

He served for 11 years on the Council of the RACOG from 1981, chaired its Education committee for 6 years, was Secretary for 3 years , and played a leading role in the development of the College ground breaking obligatory Continuing Education programme for which he was awarded the Gold Medal of the College in 1989.

He was also heavily involved in the development of the new Medical School at Newcastle which opened in 1978, and has been on the teaching faculty since -and was appointed as Conjoint Professor in 2000. He chaired the medical planning committee for the John Hunter teaching hospital , served on the Board of the Greater Newcastle Area Health for 3 years ,and was the first Director of Gynaecology at John Hunter.

He was a founding member of the Hunter Post graduate medical institute in 1979, has been on the Board since, and was President 1981-1983. He was also President of the Postgraduate Federation in Medicine for 5 years, and has been invited Professor and lecturer to many centres in Australia and overseas.

Although primarily a clinician, he has contributed a wide range of articles to the literature on his own discipline -and on his special interest of medical education. His special O and G. interests have been perinatal mortality, vaginal surgery, genito urinary fistulae, and third world medicine .He was made a member of the Order of Australia in 1992.