Voluntary Faculty
Voluntary faculty are typically clinicians or others who are employed outside of the School but make significant contributions to department programs at the medical center or at affiliate institutions.
Voluntary rank detailsSurani Fernando
Assistant Clinical ProfessorAbout
Research
Publications
2026
“The System is Overwhelming and Frustrating and Discouraging”: Stress and Social Support for Affected Family Carers in an Unregulated Drug Crisis
Fernando S, Hawkins J, Salmon A, Kniseley M, Esau S, Sikora M, Long C, Robson J, Snyder D. “The System is Overwhelming and Frustrating and Discouraging”: Stress and Social Support for Affected Family Carers in an Unregulated Drug Crisis. Substance Use & Misuse 2026, ahead-of-print: 1-7. PMID: 42290460, DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2026.2670602.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchFamily carersExperiences of family carersOverdose incidentsPerspective of family carersCommunity-based participatory action researchReflexive thematic analysisSubstance use servicesWellbeing of peopleHealthcare servicesSocial supportCarersThematic analysisRisk of overdoseQualitative studyParticipatory action researchLoved onesPeer researchersBritish ColumbiaAt-riskFamily membersInformation supportFatal overdoseInformal social networksDrug supplyRegion of British ColumbiaSexual harassment and workplace safety among female doctors: the hidden toll in Sri Lanka
Vidanapathirana M, Kulathilaka K, Fernando S. Sexual harassment and workplace safety among female doctors: the hidden toll in Sri Lanka. BMJ Global Health 2026, 11: e018173. PMID: 42144247, PMCID: PMC13182496, DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2024-018173.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsWorkplace sexual harassmentSexual harassmentFemale doctorsOn-call roomSexual safetyProfessional medical bodiesCross-sectional studyAdverse psychological effectsPerception of lackMailing listsImprovement of workplace safetyFormal complaintsWorkplace safetySurvivors' experiencesHarassmentSri LankaStudy participantsInadequate safety measuresMedical bodiesAdequate privacyPsychological responsesDoctorsAssociated FactorsUnder-reportingFear of not beingRole of humanities in medical curricula in the South-East Asia region: a scoping review
Jayasinghe S, Fernando S, Edirisinghe U, Jayawardana G, Madhusankha P, Chandraratne N. Role of humanities in medical curricula in the South-East Asia region: a scoping review. Humanities And Social Sciences Communications 2026, 13: 955. PMID: 42344720, PMCID: PMC13286989, DOI: 10.1057/s41599-026-07291-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDiverse art formsWHO South-East Asia RegionArt formSouth-East Asia RegionMedical humanitiesMedical educationCultural traditionsProfessional educational institutionsHealth professional education institutionsQuality of primary careEvidence of long-term impactArtSouth-East Asia Region countriesPeople-centred careHuman unitTrained healthcare workersForeign modelsMixed-methods studyStructured teaching programUndergraduate medical studentsWHO Regional OfficePrimary careHealthcare professionalsScoping ReviewGrey literatureWar as A Determinant of Population Health: A Systems Approach to Understand Pathways
Fernando S, Chandraratne N, Jayasinghe S. War as A Determinant of Population Health: A Systems Approach to Understand Pathways. International Journal Of Social Determinants Of Health And Health Services 2026, 56: 298-305. PMID: 41632693, DOI: 10.1177/27551938261417282.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPopulation healthDeterminants of population healthHealth impactsHuman well-beingMilitary expenditureEconomic growthTrade warPathways of influenceImpact of warEffects of warWider healthHealth servicesEnvironmental degradationEconomic sanctionsPsychosocial implicationsHealth infrastructureLoss of biodiversityPopulation displacementMilitary actionHealthWell-beingWarContamination of water sourcesEnvironmental implicationsLong-term effects
2025
Arts-in-Medicine, with Dance as a Key Modality
Silva N, Narangoda P, Jayawardhana G, Fernando S. Arts-in-Medicine, with Dance as a Key Modality. 2025, 15: 81-107. DOI: 10.4038/sljarshss.v15i1.32.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAesthetic aspectsHumanities programsTeaching learning activitiesIndian classical danceStudent reflectionsTransformative learningMedical humanities programsReflective capacityClassical dancePerformance sessionsDanceBharatanatyamQualitative reflectionsMedium studentsAbhinayaStudents' understandingRecitationQuantitative ratingsHuman sufferingEmpathyCOVID-19 pandemicLearning activitiesStudentsThemesMusic‘I don’t know what we should have done differently’: A qualitative study on the dilemmas of ‘tough love’ and toxic drugs in British Columbia, Canada
Hawkins J, Salmon A, Fernando S, Battle C, Esau S, Snyder D, Sikora M. ‘I don’t know what we should have done differently’: A qualitative study on the dilemmas of ‘tough love’ and toxic drugs in British Columbia, Canada. Drugs Education Prevention And Policy 2025, 33: 156-165. DOI: 10.1080/09687637.2025.2493140.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSemi-structured qualitative interviewsPublic health emergencyRisk of overdoseQualitative studyQualitative interviewsSocial capitalBritish ColumbiaPsychosocial conceptsRelational negotiationDrug crisisPersonal agencyComplex negotiationsHealth emergencyDrug useIllicit drugsPersonal assetsPressure contextDrug deathsTheoretical frameworkPotential outcomesNegotiationLanguage influenceLoveCanadaCSOUs too: sexual harassment of female doctors in Sri Lanka
Vidanapathirana M, Kulathilaka K, Fernando S. Us too: sexual harassment of female doctors in Sri Lanka. The Lancet Regional Health - Southeast Asia 2025, 36: 100570. PMID: 40226288, PMCID: PMC11987662, DOI: 10.1016/j.lansea.2025.100570.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2024
Qualitative Analysis of Patient Decisional Needs for Medications to Treat Heart Failure
Turgeon R, Fernando S, Bains M, Code J, Hawkins N, Koshman S, Straatman L, Toma M, Virani S, MacDonald B, Snow M. Qualitative Analysis of Patient Decisional Needs for Medications to Treat Heart Failure. Circulation Heart Failure 2024, 17: e011445. PMID: 38581405, PMCID: PMC11008452, DOI: 10.1161/circheartfailure.123.011445.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDecisional needsDecision aidHF clinicDefinition of quality of lifePatient decisional conflictAmbulatory HF clinicHeart failureQuality of lifeSemi-structured interviewsDecisional conflictProcess cliniciansIdentified themesLack of awarenessVirtual appointmentsDecision-makingThematic analysisGuideline panelQualitative studyTreatment preferencesDaily activitiesReduced ejection fractionInadequate motivationTreat heart failurePotential enablersCliniciansBarriers and facilitators to improving the cascade of HIV care in Ontario: a mixed method study
Mbuagbaw L, Fernando S, Lee C, Owino M, Youssef C, Snow M. Barriers and facilitators to improving the cascade of HIV care in Ontario: a mixed method study. BMC Health Services Research 2024, 24: 48. PMID: 38200516, PMCID: PMC10782539, DOI: 10.1186/s12913-023-10481-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAdherence to antiretroviral therapyMobile health interventionsTheoretical Domains FrameworkHealth workersHealth interventionsVirtual careEffective interventionsCascade of HIV careAdherence to ARTSequential explanatory mixed methods studyInitiation of ARTExplanatory mixed methods studyHIV care cascadeMixed methods studyEvidence-based strategiesClient preparednessDomains FrameworkCare cascadeHIV careTailored careHealthcare deliveryElectronic interventionPeer supportHIV clinicInvestigate barriers