Describe a risk you took that you do not regret.
Reflecting on my journey, there are three defining moments where I chose the harder path, and looking back, I wouldn’t change a single one of them.
1. The 2013 Pivot: Biology over Mathematics
Back in 2013, while in Grade 12, I made the conscious choice to drop Mathematics and fully commit to the Biology stream. It was a significant risk at the time because it narrowed my academic safety net, but that year of relentless hard work proved to be the catalyst I needed. It gave me the clarity and the grades to pursue an MBBS degree, taking me all the way to the University of Peradeniya. Leaving math behind wasn’t about avoiding a challenge; it was about specialized focus, and it remains the foundation of my entire medical career.
2. The “Baptism by Fire”: Officiating CMO
Immediately after completing my internship, I accepted the role of officiating Chief Medical Officer at Pemagatshel District Hospital. This was perhaps the most intense professional risk I’ve taken. Stepping in as the lone physician and administrative head of a district facility right out of training was a massive responsibility. It was a high-stakes environment where every clinical and management decision rested on my shoulders, but that experience gave me the leadership skills and clinical confidence that define my current role as Medical Officer In-Charge at Chhukha.
3. The Specialized Future: Commitment to Radiology
More recently, I’ve committed to the MD Radiology program, a decision that carries its own set of heavy weights. To pursue this, I’ve accepted an additional six years of government service on top of my existing ten-year MBBS obligation. Moving to Thailand to study at Prince of Songkla University is a leap into the unknown, but after ranking 4th in the selection exams, I know this is the right evolution.
Each of these decisions—from a classroom in 2013 to the hospitals I manage today—required trading security for growth. I don’t regret them at all because they have shaped me into the clinician and leader I am today.
