Going through Colombo Medical School

Some real-life experiences

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Although I loved the study of anatomy, life in the Block was a nightmare. There was this need to learn the subject in such great detail which when we look back now was totally and utterly pointless. Thankfully, Dr Leicester Jayawardene was kind and reasonable.

The rest persisted in making the weekly signatures a stressful ordeal. Some tutors even enjoyed the humiliation they caused the hapless students who sat in a circle. We were surrounded by our peers waiting to grab any pearls of wisdom or to laugh at their mistakes. There was much giggling at the sarcastic comments by the tutors. That was indeed the circle of death.

Physiology and Biochemistry were taught and administered well. Prof Koch, Prof Hoover and Carlo Fonseka helped to bring some sanity onto an otherwise manic two years.

As we moved on to the third and fourth years, we gained confidence. The third year without examinations was a shelter from the turmoil and strife around me. During our holidays Nalin Nanayakkara and I went on a motorcycle journey to the central hills on his impressive red Moto Guzzi. It was a most memorable journey that will remain with me forever.

After the Block the subjects we studied seem more relevant. Prof GH Cooray, Prof HVJ Fernando, Prof Kottegoda, Prof. Chapman, Prof Abhayaratne and Prof Dissanayake were great teachers who treated the students with kindness. I admire them greatly and remember them with much affection.

In the third year we started clinical work with the stethoscopes round our necks. Whether we needed them or not it never left our collar. My first clinical appointment was with Dr Thanabalasunderam. He was a superb teacher and one of the best. He made us work hard and taught us well. His fine approach to clinical problems and their solutions has remained with me ever since.