There are four main aims of the electives programme. The students are expected to select one.

1. To broaden students’ horizons in general, in an area outside medicine.

   This is to enable students to gain new knowledge or skills or learn from novel experiences. It could be an area you are already familiar with, for example a student who is an author of short stories may wish to write a novel. You may also select a subject which is totally new to you e.g., sculpture. Other areas that you may consider include singing, dancing, drama, drawing, painting, cookery, sewing, carpentry, metal work, music, social work, pre- school teaching, learning a new language, interacting and learning about a different culture or religion, learning to drive, learning to swim, learning to play chess, meditation etc.

   You could take advantage of several opportunities in the Sabaragamuwa University itself. It has several other disciplines or study areas that may interest you. These include social sciences, political science, computer science, laboratory sciences, engineering, accountancy, archaeology, human resource management, research on indigenous knowledge and working with indigenous groups etc.

   The University is surrounded by several interesting areas: world heritage forest of Sinharaja, Sri Pada (Adam’s Peak), the Ella which is a tourist paradise and the Balangoda Caves which are world famous for pre-historic settlements. Planned visits to such sites, with clearly identified objectives, could also be topics for the elective programme.

   This is to enable students to gain new knowledge or skills or learn from novel experiences. It could be an area you are already familiar with, for example a student who is an author of short stories may wish to write a novel. You may also select a subject which is totally new to you e.g., sculpture. Other areas that you may consider include singing, dancing, drama, drawing, painting, cookery, sewing, carpentry, metal work, music, social work, pre- school teaching, learning a new language, interacting and learning about a different culture or religion, learning to drive, learning to swim, learning to play chess, meditation etc.

   You could take advantage of several opportunities in the Sabaragamuwa University itself. It has several other disciplines or study areas that may interest you. These include social sciences, political science, computer science, laboratory sciences, engineering, accountancy, archaeology, human resource management, research on indigenous knowledge and working with indigenous groups etc.

   The University is surrounded by several interesting areas: world heritage forest of Sinharaja, Sri Pada (Adam’s Peak), the Ella which is a tourist paradise and the Balangoda Caves which are world famous for pre-historic settlements. Planned visits to such sites, with clearly identified objectives, could also be topics for the elective programme.

2. To broaden students’ horizons in medical practices, other than western medicine.

   e.g., Local indigenous medicine (‘Hela Wedakama’), Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Homeopathy, Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture etc.

3. For students to have a more in-depth exposure to a specialty or a subspeciality in medicine, which they hope to pursue as a future career

   For example paediatric endocrinology, pain medicine, sports medicine, diabetic foot, adolescent medicine, vascular surgery, retinal surgery, urogynecology, gynae-oncology, allergy and immunology, vascular and interventional radiology, forensic psychiatry etc.

   Students may also wish to study clinical management of patients in national or international hospitals other than Teaching Hospital Ratnapura.

4. To foster and promote personal and social responsibility (as a group activity)

   Examples include organizing health promotional activities such as a “health camp” in a village or a street drama; fundraising activities; donating books to a rural or school library; organizing awareness programmes e.g. - healthy lifestyle, screen addiction of children, early childhood development, screening and early detection of malignancies. Improving the quality of life in patients with chronic diseases such as chronic kidney disease, transfusion dependent anaemias, cerebral palsy, terminal illnesses etc. could be suitable topics. Assisting and working in organizations and institutions caring for the elderly, physically or mentally challenged individuals or the poor, too could be considered. Within the proposal there should be a separate section explaining how each individual student would contribute to the project. The workload and responsibilities should be appropriate for the number of students in the group and should be divided equally among the group members.