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 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, and MA in Sociology from Sri Jayewardhanepura University in 2023 with a Gold Medal.
Professor SMS Samarakoon has served as medical officer in the Department of Ayurveda from 1996 to 2000 and, joined the University system as a lecturer (probationary) to Gampaha Wickramarachchi Ayurveda Institute (GWAI), University of Kelaniya in 2000 and served until 2016. He held the positions of coordinator of the Graduate Studies Division, coordinator of the ICT Centre, and the head of the Department of Ayurveda basic principles at the Gampaha Wickramarachchi Ayurveda Institute, and finally the Director of the GWAI in 2015.
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), and the coordinator of the IT Unit of the IIM.
He has held the post of Chairperson of the Board of Study in Ayurveda Medicine (2019-2022) and the Chairperson of the Specialty Board of Kayachikitsa (2019-2022) of the Post Graduate Institute of Indigenous Medicine (PGIIM).
He has also served as a member of the Ayurveda Medical Council, and Ayurveda Education and Hospital Board of the Department of Ayurveda.
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.
He has been 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 05 MD programmes, and served as an adjudicator for five (05) MPhil and five (05) PhDs nationally and internationally.
He has published 98 abstracts in symposia proceedings and 79 research papers in local and international research journals. He has organized four international research symposia as the organizing secretary and delivered ten (10) keynote speeches nationally and internationally.
Currently, prof Samarakoon is the Director of the Postgraduate Institute of Indigenous Medicine (PGIIM) of the University of Colombo.