Dr Welch completed his postgraduate studies in ophthalmology and vitreoretina sub-specialty at the world-renowned Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami’s School of Medicine in Florida, USA.

Subsequently, he devoted a year to consulting and lecturing in ophthalmology at the University of Auckland’s School of Medicine.

Dr Welch’s interest in refractive surgery saw him gain his C-LASIK diploma in 1996. He was a pioneer of phacoemulsification IOL and vitreoretinal surgery on the Gold Coast. He was also the first local surgeon to use Botox treatment to relieve facial spasms.

Dr Welch is a fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Surgeons and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO). He is also a fellow of the Australian Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons and the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons. He is also a member of the South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society and an associate member of the Oceania Retina Association.

Dr Welch has served as a Visiting Consultant at Greenslopes Private Hospital in Brisbane, and at the Gold Coast Hospital where he has been President of the Visiting Medical Officers Association. Dr Welch has also been a Founding Director of the Gold Coast’s Pindara Day Procedure Centre and a member of the Pindara Hospital Medical Board of Advice.

Dr Welch founded  the Moree Eye Service in 1996, where he provided a regular service to the Moree area, operating on a surgical bus, and then providing eye surgery through the Moree Base Hospital. From 2007 – 2022, he has also been a consultant to the Pius X Aboriginal Health Care Corporation at Moree.  

Dr Welch is an active presenter at Society and College meetings. He is active in registrar and medical student teaching for local Universities.