Professor SMS Samarakoon obtained his secondary education in St/ Thomas College, Matale. He entered to the Institute of Indigenous Medicine, University of Colombo in 1985 and completed Bachelor of Ayurveda Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) Degree with a First Class in 1995. He obtained Postgraduate Diploma in Ayurveda Hospital Management from the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka in 2000. He obtained postgraduate qualification with Doctor of Medicine (Ayu) in Kayachikitsa from Banaras Hindu University, India in 2005 and PhD in Kayachikitsa from the Institute for Postgraduate Teaching and Research in Ayurveda (IPGT & RA), Gujarat Ayurveda University, India in 2011. He also holds the Diploma in Yoga from Banaras Hindu University. He obtained his second PhD from the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka in 2020.
Professor SMS Samarakoon has served as a medical officer in the Department of Ayurveda in 1996 and then as a lecturer (probationary) and senior lecturer in the Gampaha Wickramarachchi Ayurveda Institute (GWAI), University of Kelaniya from 2000 to 2016. He was served as the coordinator of the Graduate Studies Division, coordinator of the ICT Centre, and the head of the Department of Ayurveda basic principles of the Gampaha Wickramarachchi Ayurveda Institute, and finally as the Director of the GWAI for a short period of time.
He joined the Institute of Indigenous Medicine (IIM) of the University of Colombo in 2016 as a Senior Lecturer Grade I. He also served as the head of the unit of Deshiya Chikitsa (2018-2021) of the IIM and the coordinator of the IT unit of the IIM. He has held the post of Chairperson of the Board of Study of Ayurveda Medicine (2019-2022) and the Chairperson of the Specialty Board of Kayachikitsa (2019-2022) of the Post Graduate Institute of Indigenous Medicine (PGIIM). Currently, he has also served as a member of the Ayurveda Medical Council.
Professor SMS Samarakoon has engaged in teaching and research related to MSC in Management and Administration of Ayurveda Institutions (MSc MAAI), MSC in Kayachikitsa, MSC in Panchakarma, Postgraduate Diploma in Shalya Tantra, Postgraduate Diploma in Panchakarma, Postgraduate Diploma in in Kayachikitsa at the Gampaha Wickramarachchi Ayurveda Institute, University of Kelaniya. Currently, he is being engaged in teaching and clinical training in Doctor of Medicine in Ayurveda Kayachikitsa at the PGIIM. He has supervised 13 research projects of Postgraduate Diplomas, 17 of MSc courses, and served as an adjudicator for five (05) MPhil and PhD nationally and internationally.
Currently, he is engaged in teaching, training, and supervising the degree of Doctor of Medicine in Ayurveda Kayachikitsa at the Post Graduate Institute of Indigenous Medicine of the University of Colombo.
He has published 85 abstracts in symposia proceedings and 78 research papers in local and international research journals. He has organized four international research symposia as the organizing secretary and delivered seven (09) keynote speeches nationally and internationally.