B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences

Located in Dharan, Sunsari District, Nepal, BPKIHS sits on the Southeastern border of India.

Overview:

The B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) is a public university established on January 18, 1993. Although relatively young, it has recently gained autonomy. While its academic standards may not yet be fully established due to its limited experience, its significance lies in its roots in Nepal-India cooperation.

BPKIHS comprises departments for basic and clinical medicine, along with a 700-bed teaching hospital. Leading colleges within the institute include the Faculty of Medicine, the College of Dental Surgery, the School of Public Health and Community Medicine, and the College of Nursing.

The Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) program spans four and a half years, followed by a one-year compulsory Community-Oriented Residential Rotating Internship. This internship must be completed at BPKIHS’ Teaching District Hospital and Central Teaching Hospital. One advantage of pursuing an MBBS degree here is the cultural similarity between Nepal and India, eliminating the need to learn a foreign language.

Key Points About MBBS in Nepal:
– Due to its youth, BPKIHS lacks the extensive teaching experience of older universities, making it less advisable for MBBS studies.
– Despite being a public university, BPKIHS’s tuition fees are considerably high, typically around Rs 60 lakh.
– Indian students from regions like UP, Bihar, and the northeastern states are drawn to BPKIHS due to the shared language (Nepali), but this creates a majority pattern that might affect students from other states.
– While Nepalese medical colleges have a curriculum similar to India’s, the performance of graduates in exams like the FMGE or MCI screening test should not be taken as a definitive indicator of the university’s academic quality.
– Admission to BPKIHS requires a minimum of 85% in PCB for State Board students and 70% for CBSE students, along with success in an entrance exam.

City & Climate:
Located in Dharan, Sunsari District, Nepal, BPKIHS sits on the Southeastern border of India. Dharan enjoys mild climatic conditions, and its culture closely resembles that of India. While the city’s infrastructure and amenities are satisfactory, they are not exceptional.

Medical Programs at BPKIHS:
The medical programs at BPKIHS offer a range of clinical specialties, including Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees such as MD, MS, MSc, MPhil, and PhD. Specializations include radio-diagnosis, ENT, internal medicine, clinical pharmacology & therapeutics, pediatrics, psychiatry, anesthesiology, and surgery.

Medical Postgraduate (PG) Options in India or NExT

During their MBBS studies, students recognize the importance of specializing and the competitiveness in securing MD/MS seats in Government Colleges. Looking at the success ratio for PG admissions in Government Medical Colleges, which stands at 11%, it’s apparent that only 1 out of 10 applicants will secure a PG seat. Moreover, the odds of obtaining a clinical specialty seat are even slimmer at 1 out of 20 applicants. This underscores the challenging journey towards PG education, unless students have the financial means to secure a paid seat in a Private Medical College, which can cost crores.

Do you believe that early preparation and proper mentorship can help you achieve your dream of becoming a specialist? The National Medical Commission (NMC) has already announced the introduction of the National Exit Test (NEXT) in India starting from 2023. This exam will replace all existing Medical PG exams in the country and will be conducted in two parts: NEXT-1 and NEXT-2.

Medical Postgraduate in the USA (USMLE)

Recognizing the challenges associated with securing PG positions in India, many Indian students are now turning their attention to preparing for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) from as early as their first year of MBBS. This is because the US healthcare system is widely regarded as one of the best globally, offering high rewards, excellent infrastructure, and merit-based assessment, along with open opportunities for super specialties.

The USMLE exam is divided into three parts. Students can take USMLE Step 1 after their second year, USMLE Step 2 CK during their internship, and Step 3 during their residency (Medical PG). The USMLE is an online exam that can be taken at PROMETRIC centers located across India.