May Ratnayake facts for kids

May Ratnayeke (born in 1892, died in 1988) was a pioneering doctor from Sri Lanka. She is famous for being the first female doctor in her country. She was also the second woman to study medicine there.

Dr. May Ratnayeke's Story

May de Livera was born in Kandy, Sri Lanka. She was one of six children. As a child, she went to local schools. Later, she decided to study medicine. She attended Ceylon Medical College in Colombo.

In 1916, she earned her medical degree (MD). This was a huge achievement for a woman at that time! After graduating, she started working at the American Mission Hospital in Jaffna. Then, she moved to Lady Havelock Hospital.

Becoming a Surgeon

From 1925 to 1927, Dr. Ratnayeke studied at the Royal Free Hospital for Women in London. This was like an advanced training program. In 1927, she got married and became May Ratnayeke. She had three children. Two of her children followed in her footsteps and became doctors! Her third child became a tea planter.

Also in 1927, she became a surgeon at Lady Havelock Hospital. This meant she performed operations. From 1932 to 1933, she had another special training period. This time it was at the University of Edinburgh Medical School. After this, she was promoted to chief surgeon. She also started teaching at the medical school of the University of Ceylon.

Helping Women's Health

In the 1930s, Dr. Ratnayeke wrote articles for international journals. These articles were about important health topics for women. She shared her knowledge with doctors around the world.

In 1943, she was chosen as the President of the Ceylon Branch of the British Medical Association. This was a big honor! For most of her career, she was also part of the Medical Women's International Association. This group connects female doctors from different countries. Dr. May Ratnayeke truly paved the way for many women in medicine.