Our meeting on 01 May 2024 was a Face to Face Meeting at the Kenton Beefeater with one of our members as the Speaker, talking about his career in medicine both in Sri Lanka and in the National Health Service in the UK.
Announcements at the meeting included the Rotary Club of Harrow’s Quiz Night where some 9 people attended, a report on the load of aid sent to our friends in Ukraine the previous day, and the announcement of a plant sale on 18 May 2024 being run by the Inner Wheel Club of Northwick Park.
We then heard from Doctor Siva about his medical journey which had started in Sri Lanka in 1968 when he attended the Kandy Medical College in Sri Lanka. After a few statistics about Sri Lanka, we heard that the qualifications in Sri Lanka were not recognised for senior posts (e.g. consultants) until 1980! Siva qualified in 1974 and did his internship at the hospital attached to the college where the rule was one day on, one day off.
He then moved on through a variety of local hospitals, starting with just one doctor in the hospital, supported by an apothecary and a small staff. He next moved to a hospital with two doctors, and more staff where he served as a District Medical Officer and Judicial Medical Officer, working on postmortems for the local Coroner.
Specialism beckoned and he studied for the Royal College of Gynaecologists in Colombo Teaching Hospital, before travelling to the UK in 1980 to complete his studies, becoming a Mister rather than a Doctor. He moved through a series of hospitals in the UK, moving up the ladder successfully. Family pressures took their toll, and he decided then to move to general practice after yet more studying. He spent many years as a GP in North London before finally taking retirement.
This was a fascinating talk which led to many questions from those with medical people in their families and our former pharmacist. It was much enjoyed by all.
