By Tara Murray
Western Health Professor Tissa Wijeratne thought someone was playing a joke on him when he was told that he had been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in the General Division (OAM).
Having only moved to Australia in 2005 from Sri Lanka, via New Zealand, Professor Wijeratne thought there were much more deserving people to be awarded the medal.
The mountain of work he had done was recognised as he was awarded the medal for service to medicine as a neurologist.
“I still can’t believe it, it has come as a complete surprise,” he said.
“When I got the phone call, I thought it was a prank call and I was not really expecting anything.
“I told them to send me the email and I would check that.
I told my register it was most likely a prank and thought nothing of it.
“I’m very humbled and satisfied with it.
“Hopefully we can keep doing good things in the west.”
Professor Wijeratne has done a lot in his short time in Australia.
He has been a Neurology and Clinical Associate Professor in Medicine at Western Health Clinical School since 2013 and been the director of the department of neurology and Stroke Services Neuroscience Research Unit at the hospital since 2006.
Among his other roles, he is also the chair of the Global Police and Advocacy Committee, the former president of the Asia Pacific Association of Young Neurologist and Trainees, the chair of the World Federation of Neurorehabilitation special interest group for headaches and migraines and a founding member of the Australian and New Zealand Headache Society.
He set up a National Migraine Foundation in Keilor East.
While Professor Wijeratne has made his mark in the medical world, it nearly didn’t happen.
A job in journalism once beckoned as unrest in Sri Lanka meant that he couldn’t attend medical school.
Then came the decision to stay with journalism or study medicine and start a new career.
“In 1989, the youth movement was crushed,” he said.
“I could choose to live as a journalist or get back into medicine.
“I felt that it was more cut-throat in journalism.
“I saw there was a gap in the medical industry and I decided to combine the two.”
Professor Wijeratne is the author of more than 200 peer reviewed publications and published more than 3000 media segments as a medical journalist.
He met his wife when she was studying in Sri Lanka and he eventually made the decision to move out to New Zealand.
While he questioned his decision, due to having to retrain, he stuck with it and moved to Australia.
Western Health has been home ever since, with Professor Wijeratne saying he couldn’t have done what he has if he was elsewhere.
“Melbourne’s west is a magic place,” he said.
“Western Health is unique and has 166 languages that we cater for.
“I really enjoy being able to help those from diverse backgrounds.
“I’ve had the opportunity to do research during stroke, headaches, and multiple sclerosis.
“Western Health has given me the opportunity to be good at multiple things.
“I don’t think I would work in with any other organisation.
“Western Health has given me so much.”
