Medical education in Nepal

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Medical education in Nepal includes the educational activities designed to prepare the health care providers. It has evolved over the years, offering a range of undergraduate, postgraduate, and specialized programs through both public and private institutions. It aims to produce skilled healthcare professionals to address the country's healthcare needs. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

History

The medical education in Nepal officially began with the establishment of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) under Tribhuvan University in 1972. Initially, it focused on training middle-level health workers, but later expanded to include medical, nursing, and postgraduate programs. [4] The BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) in Dharan was established in 1993 as an autonomous university, offering advanced medical education. [5] Other key institutions like Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences (KUSMS) and Patan Academy of Health Sciences (PAHS) were established to diversify medical education opportunities. [6] [7]

Programs

1. Undergraduate (UG) Programs [8]

MBBS : The Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) is the most popular program. It is typically 5.5 years long, including a year of internship.

BDS: Bachelor of Dental Surgery is a 5-year program.

Nursing Programs: Bachelor of Nursing (BN), Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSc Nursing).

Allied Health Sciences : Various programs like Bachelor of Pharmacy, Bachelor of Public Health (BPH), Bachelor in Medical Laboratory Technology, etc.

2. Postgraduate (PG) Programs

   MD/MS: Master of Medicine and Master of Surgery are offered in various specialties such as Internal Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, and Obstetrics and Gynecology.

MSc Nursing: For specialized nursing education.

3. Superspeciality Programs :

DM/MCh: Super-specialization degrees (Doctorate of Medicine and Master of Chirurgiae) in fields like Cardiology, Neurology, etc.

Governing bodies

Several governing bodies regulate medical education and healthcare professionals in Nepal to ensure quality, ethics, and standards.

  1. Nepal Medical Council  : Established in 1964, the Nepal Medical Council is responsible for accrediting medical institutions, licensing doctors, and enforcing medical ethics.
  2. Nepal Nursing Council  : The Nepal Nursing Council regulates nursing education and practice. It was established in 1996 to license and register qualified nurses and midwives, ensuring high standards in nursing education.
  3. Medical Education Commission (MEC)  : The Medical Education Commission conducts centralized entrance exams, curriculum development, and quality assurance in medical and health sciences education. It was created to maintain transparency and equity in medical education. [9]
  4. Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (MoEST) : The Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology formulates policies for medical education and approves new institutions in coordination with regulatory bodies.

Controversies

Medical education in Nepal has faced several problems, mainly around high fees, poor quality, and unfair admissions. [10] Some private medical colleges have been criticized for charging much higher fees than allowed, leading to protests from students and families. [11] There have also been claims of political influence in approving medical colleges.

Dr. Govinda KC has led multiple hunger strikes to demand reforms in Nepal's medical education system. [12]

Related Research Articles

A medical school is a tertiary educational institution, professional school, or forms a part of such an institution, that teaches medicine, and awards a professional degree for physicians. Such medical degrees include the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, Master of Medicine, Doctor of Medicine (MD), or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO). Many medical schools offer additional degrees, such as a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), master's degree (MSc) or other post-secondary education.

A Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery is a medical degree granted by medical schools or universities in countries that adhere to the United Kingdom's higher education tradition. Despite the historical distinction in nomenclature, these degrees are typically combined and conferred together. This degree is usually awarded as an undergraduate degree, but it can also be awarded at graduate-level medical institutions. The typical duration for completion is five to six years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tribhuvan University</span> Public university in Kathmandu, Nepal

Tribhuvan University is a public university located in Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal. Established in 1959, TU is the oldest and the largest university in Nepal. It offers 1,000 undergraduate and 500 postgraduate programs across a wide range of disciplines. Additionally, the institution has 62 constituent campuses and over 1,080 affiliated colleges across the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kathmandu University</span> University in Nepal

Kathmandu University (KU) is a public autonomous university in Nepal. It is the third oldest university in Nepal, located in Dhulikhel of Kavrepalanchok District, about 30 km (19 mi) east of Kathmandu. It was established in 1991 with the motto "Quality Education for Leadership." KU operates through its seven schools, and campuses in Dhulikhel, Patan, Lalitpur and Panchkhal. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate courses in a variety of fields.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pokhara University</span> University in Nepal

Pokhara University was established in 1997 and is Nepal's fifth university. Its central office is located in Pokhara, Kaski District, Gandaki Province. Along with Purbanchal University, PU was formed as part of a government initiative to improve access to higher education. The Prime Minister of Nepal is the university chancellor and the Minister of Education is the pro-chancellor. The vice chancellor is the principal administrator of the university.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian Medical College, Ludhiana</span> Medical institution in Ludhiana, Punjab

Christian Medical College and Hospital, widely known as CMC Ludhiana, is a private, Christian minority-run teaching hospital and medical school in Ludhiana, India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences</span> University in Saifai, Uttar Pradesh

The Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences, formerly U.P. Rural Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, is a medical school, hospital and medical research public university located at Saifai in the Etawah District of Uttar Pradesh, India. It came into being after the upgrade of UP Rural Institute of Medical Sciences and Research by Government of Uttar Pradesh under Act 15 of 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences</span> Public medical research university and hospital in Dharan, Nepal

B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) (Nepali: वी.पी. कोइराला स्वास्थ्य विज्ञान प्रतिष्ठान) popularly known as Ghopa Camp, is a Nepalese autonomous health sciences university. It is located in the sub-metropolitan city of Dharan in Sunsari District. The Institute is a Nepal-India cooperation. The Institute serves the health education needs of the eastern region of Nepal at primary, secondary and tertiary levels.

Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences (KUSMS) is one of the nine schools of Kathmandu University running medical, nursing and allied health science program. KUSMS is a collaborative program of Kathmandu University and Dhulikhel Hospital. The main office of KUSMS is on the premises of Dhulikhel Hospital, a Kathmandu University hospital, in Kavrepalanchok District, Nepal. KUSMS was set up in 1994. Manipal College of Medical Sciences in Pokhara was the first medical college to be granted affiliation. Since then, KUSMS has granted affiliation to several medical colleges around the country.

Chitwan Medical College (CMC) is a private medical college located in Bharatpur, Chitwan, Nepal. Established in 2006, the college is affiliated with Tribhuvan University and offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs in medical and health sciences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manipal Teaching Hospital</span> Hospital in Fulbari, Pokhara, Nepal

Manipal Teaching Hospital is the teaching hospital of Manipal College of Medical Sciences (MCOMS) and is located in Fulbari, Pokhara, Nepal. It is owned by Manipal Education and Medical Group, MEMG.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nishtar Medical University</span> University in Punjab, Pakistan

Nishtar Medical University is a public medical university located in Multan, Punjab, Pakistan. It is one of the oldest medical institutions established after the creation of Pakistan. It offers degree programs in medicine, dentistry, allied health sciences and nursing. It is named after Sardar Abdur Rub Nishtar, Pakistan movement leader, and then Governor of Punjab, Pakistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CUHK Faculty of Medicine</span> Public medical school in Hong Kong

The Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, branded as CU Medicine, is the medical school of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, a public research university. Established in 1981 as Hong Kong's second medical school, the faculty consists of five schools offering undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, including in the fields of medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and traditional Chinese medicine. The Prince of Wales Hospital is the faculty's teaching facility and base of research. CUHK is a bilingual university; in general, courses are taught in English and/or Chinese.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Janaki Medical College</span> Medical school in Janakpur, Nepal

Janaki Medical College and Teaching Hospital is a medical college located near Janakpur in the Dhanusha District of Nepal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patan Academy of Health Sciences</span>

Patan Academy of Health Sciences (PAHS) is an autonomous, not-for-profit, public institution of higher education established in 2064 B.S. with the charter granted by the Parliament of Nepal. The stated aim of the PAHS is to work in close partnership with the national health system to improve the health care services in the remote/rural areas primarily through producing technically competent and socially responsible health care workers. Currently PAHS has been running School of Medicine and School of Nursing and Midwifery. In the year 2017, PAHS started in Maters Program in Public Health (MPH) under School of Public Health (SoPH). In future, it aims to run School of Allied Health Sciences. PAHS MBBS curriculum focuses on holistic care of individual and community. PAHS preferentially enrolls students from rural areas and trains them in curriculum that emphasizes on community health and is subsequently provides support for its graduates who work in the rural areas.

Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar Government Medical College is a medical college located in Nahan, Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh. It was established in 2016 and was named after first Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Dr. Yashwant (YSPGMC). It is a renowned as a medical institution and is widely regarded as the third medical college in Himachal Pradesh followed by IGMC Indra Gandhi Medical College, Shimla and RPGMC, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Kangra.

The Nepal Medical Council (NMC) is a statutory body regulating medical education and registration of doctors in Nepal.

Pokhara Academy of Health Sciences(Nepali: पोखरा स्वास्थ्य विज्ञान प्रतिष्ठान) is the teaching wing of Western Regional Hospital Pokhara, Nepal. It offers Post-graduation MD/MS courses. Pokhara Academy of Health Sciences (PoAHS) is one of the nine health science academies in Nepal. The academy, which runs postgraduate degrees of medical science, has been named after the beautiful tourist city Pokhara.

References

  1. ↑ "Prime Minister Dahal advocates for developing Nepal as medical education hub". Khabarhub. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
  2. ↑ "Medical Education: Progress And Challenges". GorakhaPatra. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
  3. ↑ "Medical education" (PDF).
  4. ↑ Dixit, H. (2009). "Development of medical education in Nepal". Kathmandu University Medical Journal. 7 (1): 8–10. doi:10.3126/kumj.v7i1.1757. ISSN   1812-2078. PMID   19483445.
  5. ↑ "Homepage of B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences". bpkihs.edu. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
  6. ↑ "KUSMS - About Us". old.kusms.edu.np. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
  7. ↑ "About". Patan Academy of Health Sciences. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
  8. ↑ "MBBS in Nepal: Courses, Colleges, Eligibility and More". Edusanjal. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
  9. ↑ Sureis (2019-11-05). "Medical Education Commision [sic] gets shape". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
  10. ↑ "Why has the medical education sector not been reformed?". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
  11. ↑ "MBBS students protest colleges charging additional fees". myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com. 2024-08-08. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
  12. ↑ SERVICE, HIMALAYAN NEWS (2023-09-12). "Dr KC announces hunger strike from Sept 15". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
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