Dr Ruwangi Udayasiri has been named the winner of the Outstanding Contribution by a Rural Medical Specialist category at the 2025 Victorian Rural Health Awards, recognition she describes as both humbling and affirming of her journey in regional medicine.

Since joining GV Health in December 2017, Dr Udayasiri has become a key advocate for women’s health in the Goulburn Valley, helping build a model of care that is both responsive and deeply rooted in community needs.

“I’d just finished my surgical training through the Austin and had rotated through Shepparton a few times,” she said.

“When I finished, I thought, where would I actually want to work?

“It made sense to come back somewhere familiar.”

Initially offered a trial run over the Christmas period, Dr Udayasiri quickly proved her value in a rural surgical setting, a context she described as “tricky but incredibly rewarding”.

“In a rural setting, being a general surgeon really means general,” she said.

“You need to operate across a wide range of procedures, and that breadth of training comes into play daily.

“It’s not just helpful, it’s essential.”

While she initially intended to specialise in upper gastrointestinal surgery, Dr Udayasiri’s career took a different and highly impactful path.

“As the only female general surgeon at the time, I naturally began seeing more female patients, especially those from migrant and culturally diverse backgrounds,” she said.

“That led to more involvement in treating breast cancer, and I’ve really grown into that space.”

Over the years, she has become a central figure in GV Health’s breast cancer care pathway, working closely with oncologists, radiologists and the GenesisCare team to ensure patients receive co-ordinated, empathetic and evidence-based treatment.

“Breast cancer care has changed dramatically, it’s no longer just about the operation,” Dr Udayasiri said.

“The role of the surgeon has evolved to be more about leading a team and guiding patients through complex decisions.

“It’s about helping people in one of the most vulnerable moments of their life, steadying the ship.”

Dr Udayasiri sees this evolution as an opportunity for regional services to expand and innovate.

One of her major hopes for the future is the establishment of a BreastScreen Assessment Clinic in Shepparton, eliminating the need for patients to travel to Melbourne or Bendigo when abnormalities are detected.

“At the moment, patients who need a biopsy often wait two or three weeks and have to travel far from home,” she said.

“That wait can be incredibly distressing and most of those patients don’t end up having cancer.

“We have the personnel and the clinical expertise here.

“We just need the infrastructure and investment to make it happen locally.”

The Rural Health Award comes at a personally significant time for Dr Udayasiri, who has navigated both professional growth and personal change over the past several years.

“Three years ago, when I separated from my husband, there was a moment where I had to decide, do I go back to Melbourne, where I’m from?” she said.

“Or do I stay here, where I’ve built something?

“I chose to stay, and it was the right decision.

“I’m raising my kids here.

“Shepparton is home.”

Reflecting on the award, she’s quick to deflect attention from herself.

“For me, the award is about more than just one person, it’s about what we’ve built here,” Dr Udayasiri said.

“It’s about showing that regional healthcare can deliver high-quality, compassionate, tailored care.

“We’re doing something right in Shepparton.”

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Sunday, 4th January 2026

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