Ernest Victor Pieris FRCP, 1926-1991, known as "Ernie" to his contemporaries and students was a Sri Lankan physician, medical educator, a founding member of the Ceylon College of Physicians, cricketer and rugby union player.

Education

Pieris was educated at

Royal College Colombo Royal College, Colombo is a selective entry boys' school located in Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Started as a private school by Rev Joseph Marsh in 1835, it was established as the Colombo Academy by Sir Robert Wilmot-Horton in Janu ...

. He represented the college as wicket-keeper batsman in 1943 and at rugby union football in 1941,'42 and ’43 in the first Royal team to win both legs of the match against Trinity. Team mates included

Mahesh Rodrigo Mahesha Rodrigo (30 June 1928 – 7 January 2011) was a Ceylonese sportsman who represented his country in first-class cricket and rugby union. He was educated at Royal College, Colombo and played for the First XI cricket team and First XV rugb ...

and

Summa Navaratnam Sumanthiran Navaratnam (born 21 May 1925), also known as Sumana Navaratnam or Summa Navaratnam, is a Sri Lankan former track and field athlete, Sri Lankan rugby union player, coach and business executive. He is regarded as one of the finest sp ...

. Pieris entered the University of Ceylon to study medicine. He qualified with first class honours and distinctions in medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology. He captained the combined University rugby team of Ceylon.

Professional life

He worked as registrar in the professorial medical unit,

General Hospital, Colombo The National Hospital of Sri Lanka (sometimes General Hospital) is a government hospital in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Founded in 1864 as the General Hospital, it is the leading hospital in Sri Lanka and is controlled by the central government. The hospi ...

, and while working in the UK he obtained his membership of the Edinburgh and London Colleges by examination. He worked as a consultant Physician at General Hospital Colombo from 1960 till he resigned in 1975. Perera refers to his abilities as a clinician of the finest calibre and a teacher par excellence. Puvanendran also refers to his clinical and teaching excellence He was a founder member and served as a trustee of the Ceylon College of Physicians

Honours

Pieris was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh in 1972 and a Fellow of

Royal College of Physicians The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) is a British professional membership body dedicated to improving the practice of medicine, chiefly through the accreditation of physicians by examination. Founded by royal charter from King Henry VIII in 1 ...

in 1975. Following the establishment of the Ceylon College of Physicians in 1975 the award of Foundation Fellowship was conferred in 1979. The Ceylon College of Physicians conducts an annual commemorative oration each year at its Scientific sessions as the EV Pieris Oration.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pieris EV 1926 births 1991 deaths 20th-century Sri Lankan physicians Alumni of Royal College, Colombo Alumni of the University of Colombo Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians Sinhalese physicians Sri Lankan rugby union players