The Faculty of Medicine of the University of Kelaniya located in Ragama, is one of eleven state medical schools in Sri Lanka. It is on a 35-acre (140,000 m2) campus at Ragama, and the faculty began classes with the admission of 120 students in September 1991. Before that it was called the North Colombo Medical College (NCMC).
Overview
The faculty has about 1000 students on its roll. This includes some foreign students, mainly from other South Asian countries, who have been admitted on a self-financing basis. The faculty also welcomes students for elective appointments and many students from medical schools in Europe, United States and Australia have spent their elective periods here. The faculty has a full range of academic departments consisting of about 140 academic staff members, including 23 professors. They are complemented by over 60 visiting staff, including consultants who are based in the affiliated teaching hospitals and other universities. In keeping with the need to expand and improve allied health services in the country the faculty established the Disability Studies Unit in 1993 and the Centre for Tropical Medicine and International Health, which conducts courses for primary health care workers, in 1999. The Molecular Medicine Unit was established in 2003 with the aims of improving molecular diagnostic facilities for infectious diseases and providing DNA fingerprinting. In 2007 the Disability Studies Unit was upgraded to the Department of Disability Studies, the only one of its kind in the South Asian region.
The faculty provides an undergraduate teaching curriculum for the MBBS degree based on two years of basic sciences, followed by the clinical science training sessions held at the North Colombo (Teaching) General Hospital, Ragama. The curriculum is organized around weekly tutorials at specific tutorial rooms supported by lectures, problem based learning sessions, small group discussions and practical classes.
The faculty also provides hostel facilities for most of its students. It also has an open air theatre, a sports ground, a multipurpose court and gymnasium. A cultural center was opened in January 2009 and programmes in music, dance, art and photography are conducted.
Location
The Faculty of Medicine of the University of Kelaniya is situated on a spacious 35-acre campus at the corner of Thalagolla Road, Ragama. Surrounded with trees and nature, the faculty provides the students with a peaceful environment. The faculty also has a well maintained botanical garden with rare species of plants and a lot of animals and birds.
History
The Faculty of Medicine of the University of Kelaniya in Ragama, was established in 1991 and has advanced to be one of the leading medical faculties in Sri Lanka. Its inception was brought about by the affiliation of The North Colombo Medical College to the University of Kelaniya as the Faculty of Medicine by an act of parliament on the 2nd of September in 1991. Professor Carlo Fonseka was the founder dean of the faculty. At the inception, there were 120 students and that number has increased to one thousand students at present. Since then it is known as the Faculty of Medicine, Ragama which has had 4 deans up to now. Professor Carlo Fonseka, the founder dean of the faculty, Professor Janaka de Silva, Professor Rajitha Wickramasinghe and Professor Nilanthi de Silva, the present dean of the faculty.
Buildings and sites
The faculty of medicine of the University of Kelaniya is situated on a 35-acre campus at Ragama city. The North Colombo Teaching hospital is the main teaching hospital, and is situated next to the campus premises. University clinical departments have wards in the hospital.
The faculty has an open-air theatre, a multi-purpose court and a gymnasium. A cultural centre was opened in January 2009.
The faculty comprises sixteen academic departments, a medical education centre, a centre for tropical medicine and international health, a disability studies unit and a molecular medicine Unit. A liver transplantation unit is aligned to the faculty. A computer centre is also established within the faculty.
There are two main lecture halls which are used for teaching purposes, and two main examination halls. Students are provided with a separate study area in the pre-clinical building and the libraries.
There are hostels for both male and female students. There are two canteens and a milk bar in the faculty premises. A common room is in the same area as the main canteen.