Panagodage Bertram Fernando LMS (Ceylon) MBBS (London), MD FRCP DTM&H OBE is First Professor of Medicine Ceylon Medical College and Faculty of Medicine

University of Colombo (Buddhih Sarvatra Bhrajate) , mottoeng = ''Wisdom Enlightens'' , established = , endowment = LKR 1.461 billion

. Fernando was educated like Marcus Fernando (no relation) at

St. Benedict's College, Colombo St. Benedict's College ( Sinhala: සාන්ත බෙනඩික් විදුහල, Tamil: புனித ஆசீர்வாதப்பர் கல்லூரி) is a Catholic school located in the Kotahena area of Colombo, Sri ...

. He was awarded a Government scholarship to the Ceylon Medical College in 1918 and qualified with L.M.S. (Ceylon) in 1923. In 1930 he attended University College Hospital, London, M.B. B.S. (1931) and obtaining MRCP in 1932 and the diploma in tropical medicine and hygiene. He was awarded an M.D. in 1951, and elected F.R.C.P. in 1952, the first Ceylonese to be awarded that distinction. He returned to Sri Lanka to serve as visiting physician

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 visiting paediatrician at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children. In 1936 he was appointed the first professor of medicine at the

Ceylon Medical College Ceylon Medical College was a public medical school in Ceylon. The college was established in 1870 as the Colombo Medical School. The college was based in Colombo. The college was merged with Ceylon University College in 1942 to form the University ...

continuing as Professor of Medicine in the Faculty of Medicine when the Medical College became part of the newly established

University of Ceylon The University of Ceylon was the only university in Sri Lanka (earlier Ceylon) from 1942 until 1972. It had several constituent campuses at various locations around Sri Lanka. The University of Ceylon Act No. 1 of 1972, replaced it with the Unive ...

in 1942 till his retirement in 1959. Professor Fernando in addition to his reputation as a clinician published research papers on childhood tuberculosis, ascariasis in children, nutritional disorders in childhood, rheumatic heart disease, liver diseases and coronary atherosclerosis and ischaemic heart disease in Ceylon. He served as acting dean of the faculty of medicine and acting vice-chancellor of the University of Colombo. He was honorary secretary and treasurer of the Ceylon Branch of the B.M.A., and President Ceylon Medical Association (later renamed Sri Lanka Medical Association) in 1953. The Ceylon College of Physicians commemorates his memory with an award of a gold medal Oration delivered at the ceremonial inauguration of its annual scientific sessions. He is also known for his services to education founding with his wife, the girls school Anula Vidyalaya Nugegoda.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fernando P. B. Sinhalese people Sri Lankan medical doctors Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians Academic staff of Ceylon Medical College Alumni of Ceylon Medical College Ceylonese Officers of the Order of the British Empire Year of birth missing Year of death missing