Medical education in Nepal
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]
History
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]Several governing bodies regulate medical education and healthcare professionals in Nepal to ensure quality, ethics, and standards.
- Nepal Medical Council : Established in 1964, the Nepal Medical Council is responsible for accrediting medical institutions, licensing doctors, and enforcing medical ethics.
- 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.
- 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]
- 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
[edit]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]
References
[edit]- ^ "Prime Minister Dahal advocates for developing Nepal as medical education hub". Khabarhub. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
- ^ "Medical Education: Progress And Challenges". GorakhaPatra. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
- ^ "Medical education" (PDF).
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Homepage of B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences". bpkihs.edu. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
- ^ "KUSMS - About Us". old.kusms.edu.np. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
- ^ "About". Patan Academy of Health Sciences. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
- ^ "MBBS in Nepal: Courses, Colleges, Eligibility and More". Edusanjal. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
- ^ Sureis (2019-11-05). "Medical Education Commision gets shape". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
- ^ "Why has the medical education sector not been reformed?". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
- ^ "MBBS students protest colleges charging additional fees". myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com. 2024-08-08. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
- ^ SERVICE, HIMALAYAN NEWS (2023-09-12). "Dr KC announces hunger strike from Sept 15". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 2024-10-11.