The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO) Fellow Dr Chameen Samarawickrama has been announced as one of the ABC and UNSW Top Five Young Scientists of the Year.
Announcing the honour, RANZCO said Dr Samarawickrama’s was committed to teaching the next generation of doctors at the Universities of Sydney and New South Wales. Dr Samarawickrama was an avid promoter of the role of research in delivering better care and better outcomes for patients, it added. He is currently the chair of RANZCO’s Younger Fellows’ Advisory Group and sits on the board of the Ophthalmic Research Institute of Australia (ORIA).
“I congratulate Dr Samarawickrama on being recognised as one of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and University of New South Wales (UNSW) top five young scientists of the year,” said RANZCO President Associate Professor Heather Mack. “Dr Samarawickrama is an excellent choice for this honour, given his dedication to ophthalmology, ophthalmic science and patient care. As a young ophthalmologist he has already demonstrated his commitment to his field and his patients. He advocates strongly for the role that research plays in bringing new and innovative treatments to patients, helping to save their sight and improve their lives.”
“I am particularly honoured to be included alongside such dedicated and visionary young scientists as Drs Hannah Kirk, Alex Russell, Dominique Tanner and Lila Landowski,” said Dr Samarawickrama. “I believe that science is the bedrock of excellent patient care and the future of medical innovation, while scientific communication is essential to help patients understand their diseases and the treatments available to them. In ophthalmology this means being better able to help people to keep their sight, their wellbeing and, often, their independence.”
