Sri Lankan doctor elected to lead top professional body in Australia

Professor Tissa Wijeratne, a Sri Lanka-born senior neurologist, has been elected by majority vote to the Board of Directors of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) — the leading professional body representing specialist doctors in Australia and New Zealand.

Professor Wijeratne, who serves as Head of Neurology and Stroke Services at Western Health in Melbourne, secured the prestigious appointment following a vote held on May 29, receiving strong support from specialist physicians across both countries.

The RACP, a long-established institution, is regarded as a key leader in Australia and New Zealand in areas such as medical standards, health policy, medical education, and public health promotion.

Election to its Board of Directors is widely considered one of the highest honours a senior specialist physician can achieve.

Originally from Bandarawela, Sri Lanka, Professor Wijeratne has made major contributions over more than two decades to research and treatment in neurology, stroke, headaches, Parkinson’s disease, and post-COVID conditions in Australia.