Educational tour Report GWATH – Yakkala 2026
Introduction
The Department of Sirorogam and Aruvai Maruthuvam, Faculty of Siddha Medicine,organized a three-day academic Educational Tour from 17th to 19th August 2026 for clinical training in Aruvai Maruthuvam at the Gampaha Wickramarachchi Ayurveda Teaching Hospital, Yakkala, as part of the curriculum, in collaboration with the Department of Shalya Shalakya, Gampaha Wickramarachchi University of Indigenous Medicine, Yakkala, for Final BSMS students (Academic Year 2023/2024).
Dr. (Ms.) Sivarangini Sivagnanam, Head/Senior Lecturer/Subject-in-Charge of Aruvai Maruthuvam, made all the necessary arrangements for the educational tour for clinical training, with the support of two Temporary Assistant Lecturers, namely Dr.(Ms.) N.Saruja and Dr.S.Sathish, as well as the other non-academic staff of the department.
The programme was conducted under the academic guidance of Professor A.A.J.Pushpakumara, Professorin Shalya (Aruvai Maruthuvam), together with the academic and clinical staff of the Department of Shalya Shalakya. The Educational Tour was designed
to provide students with direct clinical and practical exposure in Shalya/Aruvai Maruthuvam through clinical and ward visits on the 1st and 3rd days and laboratory visits with practical demonstrations on the 2nd day.
Programme Activities
The three-day programme included clinical and ward visits, laboratory visits, and practical demonstrations.
On Day 1, students visited surgical outpatient clinics and inpatient wards, gaining exposure to patient history taking, physical examination, clinical diagnosis, treatment planning, and pre-operative and post-operative care.
On Day 2, students visited laboratory facilities and learned about relevant laboratory investigations and their importance in clinical diagnosis and patient management. A practical demonstration on the preparation of alkaline medicinal thread (Kshara Sutra)
provided valuable insights into traditional surgical therapeutic techniques.
On Day 3, students participated in further clinical and ward visits, including special clinical case demonstrations on anorectal and common surgical conditions such as anal fistula, anal fissure, haemorrhoids, hernia, and hydrocele. The demonstrations covered
clinical examination, identification of signs and symptoms, differential diagnosis, and principles of management.
Participant Feedback
The Educational Tour received positive feedback from the participating students. Students appreciated the opportunity to gain direct clinical exposure and observe the management of patients in a real hospital environment. The clinical and ward visits were particularly useful in improving students’ understanding of surgical cases and inpatient management. The laboratory visits and practical demonstrations further enhanced their knowledge of diagnostic procedures and their clinical relevance. Overall, the programme increased students’ confidence and provided valuable experiential learning in Aruvai Maruthuvam.
Conclusion
The three-day clinical training programme was successfully completed, providing valuable practical exposure and experiential learning for Final BSMS students. The Department of Sirorogam and Aruvai Maruthuvam expresses its sincere appreciation to Professor A.A.J. Pushpakumara and the academic and clinical staff of the Department of Shalya Shalakya, Gampaha Wickramarachchi University of Indigenous Medicine, for their valuable guidance, clinical demonstrations, and support in making the programme a success.
