The Career Guidance Workshop was held on the 17th of February, 2024, for the medical students of the 40th batch at the Medical Students’ Hostel Auditorium in Jaffna and featured distinguished resource persons covering diverse aspects of the medical field.
The workshop was hosted by Dr. Balasingam Balagobi, Career Guidance Counselor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Jaffna. The session commenced with a warm welcome address delivered by Dr. NirubaUmasangar, Senior Vice President of the Jaffna Medical Association,
Experts such as Dr. Mahesan Guruparan, ConsultantCardiologist at Teaching Hospital Jaffna; Prof. Sittampalam Rajendra, Professor in Surgery and Consultant Surgeon Dr. Kanagaratnam Sathiyamoorthy, Consultant Physician at Base Hospital, Chavakacheri Dr.Ranjithatharsini Vaseekaran, Consultant Pediatric Surgeon Teaching Hospital Jaffna Dr. NirubaaUmasankar, Consultant Pediatrician; and Senior Lecturer Dr. Sivalingarajah Raguraman, Consultant Gynecologist and Obstetrician highlighted various aspects. These included the scope and limitations of being a doctor in Sri Lanka, the PGIM Pathway in Sri Lanka, as well as the scope and challenges in Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, and Gynecology and Obstetrics, respectively
Dr. P.A. Dinesh Coonghe, Consultant in Community Medicine and Senior Lecturer led a talk on the future in non-clinical medicine. Dr. Thangamuthu Sathiyamoorthy, the Director of Teaching Hospital, Jaffna, provided insights into the Introduction to Medical Administration. Dr. Brammah R. Thangarajah, Consultant Nephrologist and Senior Lecturer, discussed the clinical versus academic pathways. Additionally, Prof. R. Surenthirakumaran, the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, and members of the Jaffna Medical Association graced this occasion.
Students were divided into six groups for group discussions with Postgraduate Trainees, facilitated by resource persons such as Dr. K.A.U.C. Dayananda, Dr.H.M.P.B. Thilakarathne, and Dr. L. Sreinekathan. The session was adeptly moderated by Dr. Kailainathan Rahulan, Dr. Kalaichelvi Ponnuraj, Dr. Antonyrajan Anniesten, Dr. Ganesamoorthy Sutharshan, and Dr. Pranja Gajanthan, representing various medical specialties. This session allowed students to explore diverse clinical scenarios, exchange perspectives with experienced postgraduate trainees, and gain practical insights into the application of medical knowledge and skills .
The resource persons were presented with tokens of appreciation as a gesture of gratitude for their invaluable contributions and dedication in enriching the workshop sessions.
The culminating interactive session featured prominent healthcare professionals engaging in insightful discussions. Dr. Balasingam Balagobi, Consultant Urological Surgeon and Senior Lecturer in Surgery along with Dr. Kalaichelvi Ponnurai, Registrar Psychiatry, Teaching Hospital Jaffna, Dr. Sivalingarajah Raguraman, Consultant Gynecologist and Obstetrician and Senior Lecturer in Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Dr. Kailainathan Rahulan, Registrar in Medical Administration at the Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, Dr. Brammah R. Thangarajah, Consultant Nephrologist, and Senior Lecturer in Medicine and Dr. Nirubaa Umasankar, Consultant Pediatrician and Senior Lecturer in Paediatrics actively facilitated the session. They addressed inquiries posed by students concerning challenges encountered throughout their medical careers, offering relevant insights and guidance from their respective specialties.
Feedback from the students was collected through a Google form, revealing insightful observations about the workshop. The introductory lectures were totally deemed the most beneficial by the students. A significant portion expressed high praise for the group discussions, particularly commending the guidance provided by the resource persons. Interestingly, 84% of participants voiced a preference for conducting the career guidance workshop immediately after their final exams. Additionally, a majority of students proposed extending the duration of group discussions to further enhance their learning experience. Some students recommended incorporating a session on Psychiatry, recognizing its importance in the medical field. Overall, the students’ feedback emphasized the workshop’s substantial usefulness and underscored its significance as an essential session in their medical education journey.
