Dr Vijayasarathi Ramanathan
Westmead Clinical School
To-date, I proudly hold triple postgraduate qualifications in sexual health medicine from the University of Sydney (USyd), Australia and an undergraduate degree in medicine and surgery from India. I am a Fellow with the European Society for Sexual Medicine and the Higher Education Academy (UK). My 15 years (and counting) of interdisciplinary clinical practice in sexual health spans across India (as a consultant in sexual medicine) and Australia (as a psychosexual therapist). Since 2017, have been working as a Lecturer in Sexual Health (Sexology) with the Faculty of Medicine (USyd) in both teaching and research capacities. For about 14 years (2006-2013, 2015-2022), I have worked as a Project Officer & Manager in various primary healthcare initiatives funded by the Australian Commonwealth Government. In 2015, completed a first-of-its-kind doctoral research on sexuality of Indian migrant men living in Australia. Have passion for sexual health promotion by means of designing and delivering educational activities for multidisciplinary healthcare professionals.
Areas of academic interests are
1. TRANSCULTURAL sexual health - how to support, guide and promote healthy sexuality and sexual health for immigrants. Often culture is mentioned as a dimension or determinant of human sexuality and sexual behaviours but what it means in a real-world setting and clinical practice is still not very clear. My interest is in deconstructing the relationship between CULTURE and SEXUALITY and how this knowledge could be used to promote sexual health at an individual and at a community level.
2. Sexuality education and training for healthcare professionals who are not specialised in the field of human sexuality/sexual health.
Areas of clinical expertise and interest
1. Sexual dysfunctions in general with special interest in vaginismus
2. Addressing sexual problems, whether it be cause or consequence, of sub-fertility
- Cultural aspects of human sexuality and sexual health
- Sexual health literacy
- Quality use of medicines in regards to sexual health
- Sexuality concerns/problems - cause or consequence of sub-fertility in couples
- Research in the field of human sexuality
- History taking and data collection as part of sexuality therapy
Co-supervisor on a PhD research:
Understanding the impact of women’s help-seeking for vaginismus on their constructions of sense of self: A mixed methods study to develop resources
- Clinical member, Society for Australian Sexologists
- Member, Australian Counselling Association
- Member, Indian Medical Association
- Fellow of the European Committee for Sexual Medicine
- Member - International Association of Sex Research
- Member - Council of Sex Education and Parenthood International (India)
(The University of Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu) Guest lectures to students and staff - on sexuality and sexual health. Contact person: Dr.S.Thenmozhi, Associate Professor Head i/c Dept. of Counselling Psychology University of Madras Chennai, Tamil Nadu India |
| Project title | Research student |
|---|---|
| Measuring the Fear of Cisgenderism and Cissexism amongst an Australian Trans Community Sample | K DOVE |
Publications
Book Chapters
- Ramanathan, V. (2019). Male Sexual Dysfunction. In Apoorva Pallam Reddy and Rajeev Agarwal (Eds.), Decision Making in Infertility, (pp. 258-261). India: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers.
- Ramanathan, V. (2019). Unconsummated Marriage. In Apoorva Pallam Reddy and Rajeev Agarwal (Eds.), Decision Making in Infertility, (pp. 256-257). India: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers.
- Ramanathan, V. (2016). Human Sexuality. In Robin Hill, Helen Hall and Paul Glew (Eds.), Fundamentals of nursing and midwifery : a person-centred approach to care, (pp. 519-557). Sydney: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Journals
- Ramanathan, V., Sawaqed, M. (2024). Sexual dysfunction: a study on learning experience of Australian medical students. Sexual Health, 21(1), SH23172. [More Information]
- Ramanathan, V., Gautham, K., Ramasubramaniam, U. (2022). Common Pitfalls in the Management of Vaginismus in Couples With Subfertility in India. Journal of Psychosexual Health, 4(2), 133-137. [More Information]
- Lowy, M., Ramanathan, V. (2022). Erectile dysfunction: causes, assessment and management options. Australian Prescriber, 45(5), 159-161. [More Information]
Conferences
- Ramanathan, V., Sitharthan, G., Weerakoon, P., Shuttleworth, R. (2009). Sexual Health of South Asian Men Living in Australia. The 19th World Congress for Sexual Health-Sexual Health & Rights, Goteborg, Sweden.
- Ramanathan, V. (2007). Defining Premature Ejaculation-An Overview. 1st World Congress for Sexual Health The 18th Congress of the World Association for Sexual Health, Sydney: 1st World Congress for Sexual Health The 18th Congress of the World Association for Sexual Health.
2024
- Ramanathan, V., Sawaqed, M. (2024). Sexual dysfunction: a study on learning experience of Australian medical students. Sexual Health, 21(1), SH23172. [More Information]
2022
- Ramanathan, V., Gautham, K., Ramasubramaniam, U. (2022). Common Pitfalls in the Management of Vaginismus in Couples With Subfertility in India. Journal of Psychosexual Health, 4(2), 133-137. [More Information]
- Lowy, M., Ramanathan, V. (2022). Erectile dysfunction: causes, assessment and management options. Australian Prescriber, 45(5), 159-161. [More Information]
2020
- Ramanathan, V., Redelman, M. (2020). Sexual dysfunctions and sex therapy: The role of a general practitioner. Australian Journal of General Practice, 49(7), 412-415. [More Information]
2019
- Ramanathan, V. (2019). Male Sexual Dysfunction. In Apoorva Pallam Reddy and Rajeev Agarwal (Eds.), Decision Making in Infertility, (pp. 258-261). India: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers.
- Ramanathan, V. (2019). Unconsummated Marriage. In Apoorva Pallam Reddy and Rajeev Agarwal (Eds.), Decision Making in Infertility, (pp. 256-257). India: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers.
2018
- Bhaskar, S., Ramanathan, V., Hoksbergen, R. (2018). Psychological well-being of indian men and women undergoing fertility treatment for involuntary childlessness. Journal of Health Psychology, 12(2), 13-21.
2016
- Ramanathan, V. (2016). Human Sexuality. In Robin Hill, Helen Hall and Paul Glew (Eds.), Fundamentals of nursing and midwifery : a person-centred approach to care, (pp. 519-557). Sydney: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
2015
- Ramanathan, V. (2015). Values, Behaviour and Identity: Acculturation of Indian Immigrant Men in Australia. Journal of International Migration and Integration, 16(3), 625-638. [More Information]
2014
- Ramanathan, V., Sitharthan, G., Pepper, K., Wylie, K. (2014). Masturbatory Behaviour and Feelings: An Exploratory Study of Indian Immigrant Men in Australia. International Journal of Sexual Health, 26(1), 25-40. [More Information]
- Ramanathan, V., Sitharthan, G. (2014). Safe sex practices of Indian immigrant men living in Australia: an exploratory research. Indian Journal of Public Health, 58(4), 274-277. [More Information]
2013
- Ramanathan, V., Sitharthan, G., Pepper, K., Wylie, K. (2013). Sexual health of Indian Immigrant Men in Australia: An exploratory research on help seeking attitudes. Sexual Health, 10(4), 380-381. [More Information]
- Ramanathan, V., Weerakoon, P. (2013). Sexuality in India. In Kathryn S.K. Hall and Cynthia A. Graham (Eds.), The Cultural Context of Sexual Pleasure and Problems, (pp. 172-196). United Kingdom: Routledge.
2009
- Ramanathan, V., Sitharthan, G., Weerakoon, P., Shuttleworth, R. (2009). Sexual Health of South Asian Men Living in Australia. The 19th World Congress for Sexual Health-Sexual Health & Rights, Goteborg, Sweden.
2007
- Ramanathan, V. (2007). Defining Premature Ejaculation-An Overview. 1st World Congress for Sexual Health The 18th Congress of the World Association for Sexual Health, Sydney: 1st World Congress for Sexual Health The 18th Congress of the World Association for Sexual Health.
Selected Grants
2009
- Best Practice Management of Male Sexual Dysfunction in Australia: What do Men really want from their General Practitioner?, Weerakoon P, McCann B, Ramanathan V, Sitharthan G, Shuttleworth R, Eli Lilly Australia Pty Ltd/Research Support