The Faculty of Medicine of the University of Colombo was established in 1970.  As a medical establishment of 138 years it has been the mother of medical education in Sri Lanka.  The Faculty of Medicine has been actively in involved in all milestones of Health development in Sri Lanka.  It has been responsible for the training and graduation of medical graduates in Sri Lanka according to the health needs of the country.  The Ceylon Medical College Council based at the Faculty of Medicine, Colombo still continues to provide the certification of training needed for the licensing of para medical personnel.

The Colombo Medical Faculty has provided the leadership for changes in modern medical education.  In addition to training and graduation of medical under graduates the Faculty has extended its activities and responsibilities beyond the those of the traditional medical school by including the concepts of good professional behaviour, correct communication practices and extended community services. To ensure that the training is interesting and interactive the Colombo Medical Faculty developed the first laboratory for clinical skills training of medical undergraduates, computer assisted learning laboratory as well as a quality audio – visual and publication unit. The new medical education programme has been conducted under the guidance of the efficient and innovative Medical Education and Research Unit (MEDARC).

The Faculty at present provides for the education and training of undergraduates in allied health sciences.  The course in Pharmacy is a well established one at the faculty while that for Physiotherapy is now three years old.  In addition courses ranging from medico-legal sciences to those in medical education are regularly conducted.  There is also a strong ethics review committee for processing of research projects and training of staff in ethical practices. These have provided for an innovative and vibrant academic environment within the faculty. 

In the future the faculty is gearing it self for the rapid changes in the health and medical educational needs of the country.  It has taken the steps towards using advanced technologies by forward thinking. In doing so it is our intension to establish and strengthen Inter departmental, inter faculty, inter – university and international links. I wish the Faculty the very best in its progress towards being a centre of excellence in medical education in the future.

Prof. H.R. Seneviratne,
Dean, Faculty of Medicine,
University of Colombo