Conribution as a Clinician: My first appointment was to the District General Hospital, Nuwara Eliya, a peripheral district with an estate and rural background. I was the first board certified Consultant Respiratory Physician appointed to the Hospital and was instrumental in establishing the bronchoscopy service as well as regular clinics. The burden of respiratory diseases is significant in this region including tuberculosis, malignancies and obstructive air way diseases. I was able to canvass for the fully equipped, three storied District Chest Clinic instead of the two roomed structure that was available at that time. I initiated the procument of equipment for starting the thoracoscopy service, non-invasive ventilation, upgrading of the bronchoscopy service, and was able to get a pledge from the administrators for a fully equipped ward that was not earlier available. I served the people of Nuwara Eliya from March 2013 to March 2016. There after I was appointed to the Provincial General Hospital, Badulla as the only Consultant Respiratory Physician. This hospital served the whole province of Uva with a population of 1.6 million. It is the main tertiary care center for this Province with a significant respiratory disease burden. The hospital already had a 40-bed respiratory unit equipped with bronchoscopy, thoracoscopy and non- invasive ventilation. I was able to enhance the facilities further by obtaining the much needed Ultrasound facility that helped streamline the pleural disease services. I was able to obtain facilities to establish lung function assessment by procuring equipment for measuring diffusion capacity, and to obtain a digital X-ray imaging facility with work stations at the District Chest Clinic, Badulla to enhance efficiency and patient care. With funds obtained I was able to upgrade the Broncoscopy suite, build a small conference hall and enhance facilities to the staff. The process of refurbishing the unit is underway with a complete color wash and repair. I was appointed to the Teaching Hospital, Rathnapura from February, 2019. I am involved actively and passionately in improving patient care in this region far away from the center and his own home. Conrtibution as a Academic: I am very passionate on improving the knowledge base of our juniors and other health related staff and was able to contribute as a speaker in many regional and National academic events. I was first appointed as a temporary lecturer at the department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Peradeniya before the commencement of my Internship where I commenced undergraduate teaching. During my pre-MD training as a Registrar in Medicine and post MD training in Respiratory Medicine, I was an enthusiastic clinical teacher involved in bed side teaching, instilling in the undergraduates the love for clinical medicine. I was involved in conducting lectures to nurses and para medical staff, understanding the importance of empowering staff with knowledge facilitating improved patient care. Since returning to Sri Lanka and being appointed as a Consultant, I have conducted lectures in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya and Sri Jayewardenepura to undergraduates as a Visiting Lecturer. I am an external examiner in these Universities. I was a resource person for post graduate training for the Diploma in Chest Medicine and post graduate diploma in Physiology conducted by the Post Graduate Institute of Medicine, University of Colombo. I am a certified examiner and trainer of the Post Graduate Institute of Medicine, Colombo. During my tenure in the peripheral hospitals I was able to conduct programmes for continuous medical education to medical professionals. As a result, I was elected as President and President elect at regional medical societies. I was able to conduct many regional academic events including collaborative programs with the Sri Lanka Medical Association and the Ceylon College of Physicians. I have been a council member of the Sri Lanka College of Pulmonologists from 2014 to 2018 and served twice as its Joint secretary in 2015 and 2018.I was the assistant editor of its official journal, Respire. I was a member of the academic committee during the annual academic scientific sessions of the college in 2017 and the Chairperson of the scientific committee in 2018. During my tenure I was an active organizer and a resource person for many regional and national CME programmes and workshops conducted by the college enhancing knowledge of medical and para medical professionals. I was elected as a council member to the Sri Lanka Medical Association in 2018. I was involved in organizing regional meetings and was appointed as a member of the steering committee for the 131st International Medical Congress,2018. I was able to contribute with my organizing skills as well as his knowledge as a resource person during this event. I represented Sri Lanka and contributed as a resource person at the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation) regional training of trainers on Peadiatric tuberculosis in 2017 and 2018. This regional programme was intended to facilitate training of Consultant Pediatricians and other stake holders from the SAARC countries. Furthermore, I contributed as a resource person for the Training of trainers in Peadiatric Tuberculosis organized by the National Programme for Tuberculosis and Chest Diseases, Sri Lanka College of Peadiatricians and the Sri Lanka College of Pulmonologists. I contributed as a resource person to many academic events organized by the Sri Lanka Medical Association, Ceylon College of Physicians, Sri Lanka College of Pulmonologists, Sri Lanka Society for Microbiology, Sri Lanka College of Radiologists and The Ministry of Health on a wide range of topics including Respiratory infections in Pregnancy, Interstitial Lung diseases, Viral Infections of the respiratory system, Tuberculosis, oxygen therapy, Imaging in critically ill patients etc. I was a speaker at the Joint meeting organized by the Royal College of Physicians and the Ceylon College of Physicians on Post MD education in the United Kingdom. In regional academic events organized by clinical societies, he had delivered presentations on Fungal Infections of the lung, pleural diseases, asthma, obstructive air way disease, drug induced lung diseases, Non-invasive ventilation and Tuberculosis. He conducted workshops to Doctors, nurses and other para medical staff on Non-Invasive ventilation and oxygen therapy. Conrtibution to the Community: I was able to contribute to educate the public and make them aware regarding common respiratory disorders through media. The following are some articals in national news papers on Asthma,COPD, Tuberculosis and Air Pollution • “It is time to clean the air”, The Daily Mirror, 2 February, 2018 • “Stop TB with early diagnosis”, The Sunday Observer, 2 April, 2017 • “Challenges in Managing Tuberculosis”, The Sunday Observer, 9 April,2017 • “Every breath counts”, The Daily News on Monday, June 13, 2016 I was able to participate in media briefings, radio interviews and publish articals in Sinhala news papers as well. Contribution as a Researcher: In spite of being a busy clinician, I was able to actively involved in research activities. My main interests are on respiratory infections, especially on Tuberculosis and non-tuberculous Mycobacteria. I was awarded a Silver sponsorship by the European Respiratory Society for this study on Non-tuberculous Mycobacteria which I presented in Amsterdam. I was able to join with many collaborative studies, mainly with the Institute of Fundamental Studies in Sri Lanka. Publications: 1. Weerasekera, Dulanthi & Pathirane, Harshani & Madegedara, Dushantha & Dissanayake, Neranjan & Thevanesam, Vasanthi & Magana-Arachchi, Dhammika. (2019). Evaluation of the 15 and 24- loci MIRU-VNTR genotyping tools with spoligotyping in the identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains and their genetic diversity in molecular epidemiology studies. Infectious Diseases. 1-10. 10.1080/23744235.2018.1551619. 2. Ekanayake, Anuradha & Magana-Arachchi, Dhammika & Weerasekera, Dulanthi & Madegedara, Dushantha & Dissanayake, N. (2016). Determination of rifampin resistance in selected tuberculosis populations. 10.13140/RG.2.2.12406.50242. 3. Weerasekera, Dulanthi & Magana-Arachchi, Dhammika & W.P.E.H., Hemamali & Madegedara, Dushantha & Dissanayake, N & Thevanesam, Vasanthi. (2016). Discriminatory power of mycobacterial interspersed repetitive units -variable number tandem repeats (MIRU-VNTR) for differentiating Mycobacterium tuberculosis. 10.13140/RG.2.2.12649.49768. 4. Keerthirathne, T., Weerasekera, D., Magana-Arachchi, D. and Dissanayake, N., 2016. Molecular diagnostics in a tuberculous patient with clinical non response to standard treatment. Sri Lankan Journal of Infectious Diseases, 6(2), pp.119–125. DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/sljid.v6i2.8103 5. Weerasekera, Dulanthi & Magana-Arachchi, Dhammika & Madegedara, Dushantha & Dissanayake, Neranjan & Thevanesam, Vasanthi. (2015). Genetic diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates obtained from three distinct population groups in the Central Province, Sri Lanka. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Disease. 5. 10.1016/S2222-1808(14)60802-1. 6. Ratnatunga, C., Thevanesam, V., Madegedara, D., Dissanayake, N., & Kumara, K. (2015). T-SPOT. TB assay and tuberculin skin test for diagnosis and screening of tuberculosis: First report in a Sri lankan population. Asian Journal of Medical Sciences, 7(1), 14-19. https://doi.org/10.3126/ajms.v7i1.12595 7. Weerasekera, Dulanthi & Magana-Arachchi, Dhammika & Madegedara, Dushantha & Dissanayake, N. (2014). Polymerase chain reaction – restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis for the differentiation of mycobacterial species in bronchial washings. The Ceylon medical journal. 59. 79-83. 10.4038/cmj.v59i3.7468. 8. Keerthirathne, Thilini & Weerasekera, Dulanthi & Magana-Arachchi, Dhammika & L. A. Dissanayake, N. (2014). Identification of a Non-tuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) belonging to Mycobacterium chelonae- Mycobacterium abscessus group (MCAG) using SYBR green mediated real-time PCR. 10.13140/RG.2.2.22243.96800. 9. Madegedara Dushantha, Wirasinghe C , Monerangala L, Yasaratne Duminda, Wijerathne A & Dissanayake N. (2011). Two Cases Of Pulmonary Mucormycosis: Similarities And Differences In Presentation And Treatment Strategies. Respirology. 16. 64-65. 10. Nandadeva, D & Madegedara, Dushantha & Yasaratne, Duminda & Dissanayake, N & Weerasinghe, V. (2012). Unilateral Diaphragmatic Paralysis: How Far To Investigate?. Respirology. 17. 60-60. 11. Dissanayake, N.L.A & Madegedara, Dushantha. (2011). An unusual case of fatal pulmonary hemorrhage in pregnancy. Lung India : official organ of Indian Chest Society. 28. 205-8. 10.4103/0970-2113.83979. 12. Role of medical thoracoscopy in a developing country: A single unit experience from Sri Lanka Dushantha Madegedara, Neranjan Dissanayake, Duminda Yasaratne, Chandana Kulathunga, SamadaraNakandala, Prasanne Wijerathne, Chathura Wirasinghe European Respiratory Journal Sep 2011, 38 (Suppl 55) p3700 13. N Dissanayake, D Madegedara, D Magana Arachchi, U Karunarathna, D Yasarathna, C De Silva, C Kulathunga, S Nakandala, P Wijerathna, C Wirasinghe (Kandy, Sri Lanka).High burden of rapidly growing non-tuberculosis mycobactria in patients with respiratory disease undergoing elective bronchoscopy.Oral Presentation with the award of Silver Sponsorship; Europian Respiratory Society Congress: 2011, Amasterdam. 14. D.Madegedara, P Wijerathna, L.Monaragala, D.Yasarathna, N.Dissanayake. (Kandy, Sri Lanka). An analysis of mortality among patients with tuberculosis (TB) in Sri Lanka Thematic Poster, Europian Respiratory Society Congress: 2011, Amasterdam. 15. D.Yasarathna,D.Madegedara, K Weerawardhana, P Wijerathna, K Nishantha, S Nakandala, N.Dissanayake, C Wirasinghe (Kandy, Sri Lanka). Practicing empirical anti-tuberculosis treatment 9ATT) in suspected spinal tuberculosis (STB): Follow up of 33 cases from Sri Lanka, a limited resource setting with an intermediate disease burden.Thematic Poster, Europian Respiratory Society Congress: 2011, Amasterdam. 16. D Madegedara, N Dissanayake, D Yasarathne, C Kulathunga, S Nakandala, P Wijerathna, C Wirasinghe, (Kandy, Sri Lanka). Role of medical thoracoscopy in a developing country: A single unit experience from Sri Lanka, Thematic Poster, Europian Respiratory Society Congress: 2011, Amasterdam. 17. K Weerawardena, C.N Kulathunga, S.Kapilawansha,S.C Nakalanda, N.L.A Dissanayake, P Wijerathne, D Yasarathne, C Wirasingha, D Madegedara. A Description of Histology and Cytology Findings of Bronchoscopic Materials Related to Malignancy, KSM Annual Session, 2011. 18. D Madegedara, HMDPK Seneverathna, K. Dharshani, Saman Kapilawansa, Neranjan Dissanayake, Sumedha Samankantha. The Prevalence of Respiratory Illness Among Internally Displaced Persons at Menik Farms, Vavuniya, Sri Lanka, KSM Annual Session, 2011. 19. N.L.A.Dissanayake ,IRACS Ranabahu,D.Medagedara. Utilization of the COPD assesment test (CAT) in a COPD clinic in Kandy, Sri Lanka, KSM Annual Session, 2011 20. R M D Madegedara, V Weerasingha, N Dissanayake, AACP Wijerathne, K Weerawardane Diaphragmatic Paralysis : A Case Series, Poster Presentation.KSM Annual Session 2012. 21. Madegedara RMD, Yasarathna BMGD, Dissanayake NLA, Wijeratne AACP, Wirasinghe C, Nagahatenna WCH, Weerawardena KSS, Monaragala LM, A Survey on respiratory health of traffic control officers in Kandy division,Oral presentation,.KSM Annual Session 2012