Rate My Professor Thanya Pathirana

Dr. Thanya Pathirana is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Medicine and Dentistry at Griffith University, based at the Sunshine Coast campus in the School of MDP - Clinical Medicine. She earned her MBBS from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura in Colombo, Sri Lanka, an MPH from Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia, and a PhD from Bond University in Gold Coast, Australia, completing her doctorate on prostate cancer overdiagnosis in 2022. With over a decade of experience, she specializes in medical curriculum leadership, public health education, and epidemiology. Previously, she served as a PhD student and clinical skills tutor at Bond University's Centre for Research in Evidence-Based Practice. At Griffith, she contributes to teaching in clinical skills, evidence-based practice, and public health themes, including as Associate Lead for the Doctor and Health in the Community theme.

Pathirana's research focuses on overdiagnosis, overtreatment, low-value care, multimorbidity, and evidence-based medicine. Her publications include 'Lifetime risk of prostate cancer overdiagnosis in Australia' (BMJ Open, 2019, with Andrew Hayen, Jenny Doust, Paul Glasziou, and Katy Bell), 'Socioeconomic status and multimorbidity: a systematic review and meta-analysis' (Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 2018, cited over 550 times), 'Overdiagnosis and overuse of diagnostic and screening tests in low-income and middle-income countries' (BMJ Global Health, 2022, with L. Albarqouni and others), 'Estimating the magnitude and healthcare costs of melanoma overdiagnosis: a retrospective cohort study using linked data from Queensland, Australia' (British Journal of Dermatology, 2024, with D. Lindsay and others), and contributions to 'Screening for Prostate Cancer: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement' (Annals of Internal Medicine, 2012). She has authored or co-authored 42 publications, accumulating over 1,113 citations. Pathirana received the Award for Academic Excellence in her Master of Public Health at Griffith University and an Early Career Researcher award. Her work influences discussions on reducing unnecessary medical interventions and promoting sustainable healthcare practices.