College of Medical Sciences (CMS)

College of Medical Sciences (CMS) is a private medical institution in Bharatpur, Chitwan, Nepal, established through an agreement signed on 8 August 1993 between the International Society for Medical Education Private Limited (ISME) and the Ministry of Education, Government of Nepal. CMS enrolled its first MBBS batch in 1996 and functions as an academic campus integrated with a tertiary-care teaching hospital for patient-based learning.

Affiliated to Kathmandu University, CMS runs undergraduate, postgraduate, and super-specialty programs in medicine, dentistry, nursing, and allied health fields. The institution’s academic approach centers on clinical competence, ethical practice, community-oriented care, and structured training that moves from foundational sciences to supervised clinical responsibility.

Quick Highlights

Institutional Background

CMS began as a collaborative initiative aimed at expanding medical education and health services beyond Kathmandu Valley. The institution has developed over time through phased improvements in academics, hospital services, and student support facilities. CMS operates under management established by Shri Nagender K. Pampati and Dr. V. Natraj Prasad, with leadership that combines academic governance and hospital administration to keep clinical teaching aligned with patient care delivery.

The institution’s long-term direction is guided by a clear commitment to ethics, professional conduct, and community-oriented healthcare. Students receive structured exposure to foundational sciences, clinical medicine, and supervised hands-on training in hospital and community settings. Research is treated as an essential academic responsibility, focused on local health priorities, cost-effective healthcare delivery, and clinically meaningful learning.

Vision and Mission

Vision

To function as an independent Centre of Excellence committed to high quality specialized health care services in the country, and to conduct research on relevant local health problems for the holistic development of community services and medical education.

Mission

To actively promote and preserve high values and ethics in education; produce medical and paramedical professionals of global standards; build a centre of excellence in medical education; and maintain modern facilities and equipment for specialized health care services in the region.

Affiliation, Recognition, and Listings

CMS is affiliated to Kathmandu University and recognized by the Nepal Medical Council. Recognition and listings referenced in institutional records also include the Sri Lanka Medical Council, the General Medical Council of Great Britain (UK), the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), and inclusion in WHO’s World Directory of Medical Schools and FAIMER (USA). Regulatory recognition and directory listings can be updated by external authorities, so applicants who need a specific regulator’s eligibility pathway should confirm the current status before applying.

Campus and Learning Environment

Academic infrastructure

CMS maintains an academic environment built around classroom instruction, small-group learning, and hospital-based clinical education.

Key academic facilities include:

• Multi-storied, ventilated lecture halls equipped with modern audio-visual tools

• Seminar rooms and tutorial rooms for group teaching

• Media lab and computer-aided learning centre

• CCTV connectivity across learning and clinical areas

• Air-conditioned OPDs and major academic and clinical departments

Lecture halls

CMS has seven lecture halls. Each hall accommodates over 150 students, with furniture and audio-visual equipment designed for large-group teaching and interactive sessions.

Central Library and learning resources

The Central Library supports undergraduate and postgraduate learning with extended hours and a mixed collection of print and digital resources.

Library features include:

• Air-conditioned reading environment

• More than 20,000 reference books

• National and international journals

• Internet connectivity in the library and departments

• Access to HINARI, providing access to more than 17,000 full-text medical journals

• Departmental libraries maintained by academic departments

• Personalized information service with 10 tablet computers

• Photocopying facilities

• Operating hours: 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM on working days; up to 5:00 PM on Saturdays

The library also supports local medical professionals in Bharatpur by extending services to meet professional reference needs.

CMS Teaching Hospital and Clinical Training

CMS Teaching Hospital is the core site for clinical teaching, bedside learning, and supervised procedural exposure. The hospital functions as a tertiary-care service centre and a structured training environment where students learn to integrate history, examination, diagnostics, and management under faculty guidance.

Bed capacity and expansion phases

Institutional records reference both a 500-bed development phase and a 1050-bed tertiary-care facility. The hospital has expanded through staged development, and the campus operates as a large clinical teaching platform with ICU and OT complex services supporting undergraduate and postgraduate training.

Clinical learning model

Clinical education runs through:

• OPD postings and supervised history-taking

• Ward postings and bedside teaching

• Exposure to diagnostics and imaging workflows

• Clinical skill development under supervision

• Structured rotations aligned with curriculum and examination requirements

• Internship training through compulsory rotating postings

Academic Programs

CMS runs programs in medicine, dentistry, nursing, allied health sciences, and postgraduate clinical and basic sciences. Program availability and seat allocation depend on academic year approvals and program matrices.

Undergraduate programs and allied health programs

• MBBS

• Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS)

• BSc Nursing

• Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT)

• BSc Laboratory Medicine

• BSc Medical Imaging Technology (BScMIT)

• Bachelor in Health Informatics

• Bachelor in Yogic Science and Wellbeing (BYSW)

Nursing and para-medical programs

• BSc Nursing

• BSc Nursing (Post Basic)

• BMLT (3 years)

• Staff Nurse program

• Pharmacy program

Postgraduate programs (MD/MS)

Postgraduate training is offered in basic medical sciences and clinical sciences.

Basic Medical Sciences (3 years)

• MS Anatomy

• MD Physiology

• MD Biochemistry

• MD Pathology

• MD Microbiology

• MD Pharmacology

• MD Community Medicine

• MD Forensic Medicine

Clinical Sciences

• MD General Medicine

• MD Paediatrics

• MD Anaesthesiology

• MD Radio-Diagnosis

• MD Dermatology, Venereology & Leprosy

• MS General Surgery

• MS Orthopaedics

• MD Obstetrics & Gynaecology

• MS Otorhinolaryngology

• MS Ophthalmology

• MD General Practice (MDGP)

Super-specialty programs (DM/M.Ch)

Super-specialty training is offered in:

• DM Cardiology (3 years)

• DM Neurology (3 years)

• DM Nephrology (3 years)

• DM Gastro Medicine (3 years)

• DM Gastroenterology

• DM Neonatology

• M.Ch Urology (3 years)

• M.Ch Cardio Thoracic & Vascular Surgery (3 years)

• M.Ch Gastro Surgery (3 years)

• M.Ch Neuro Surgery (3 years)

• M.Ch GI Surgery

• M.Ch Neurosurgery

Master’s programs (Basic Medical Sciences)

• M.Sc. Microbiology & Applied Molecular Biology

• M.Sc. Physiology

• M.Sc. Anatomy

Program seat matrix (subject to academic year allocation)

A program-seat matrix referenced for Kathmandu University includes:

• MBBS: 130 seats

• BDS: 50 seats

• BSc Nursing: 60 seats

• BPT: 20 seats

• BSc Laboratory Medicine: 15 seats

• BScMIT: 10 seats

• Bachelor in Health Informatics: 30 seats

• MD/MS/DM/M.Ch seats vary by specialty (examples include Anaesthesiology, Dermatology, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Paediatrics, Radio Diagnosis, Surgery, Orthopaedics, ENT, Community Medicine, Pathology, Microbiology, Pharmacology, Biochemistry, Anatomy, and several DM/M.Ch programs with limited seats)

MBBS intake has also operated in a 150-seat model with a defined category distribution, including Nepal Government nominees and self-financing categories. The active seat matrix depends on the academic year and regulatory allocation.

MBBS Program

Duration and structure

The MBBS program runs for five and a half years:

• Pre-clinical phase: 2 years (4 semesters)

• Clinical phase: 2.5 years (5 semesters)

• Compulsory rotating internship: 1 year

Pre-clinical phase: foundation in basic sciences

Core disciplines include:

• Anatomy

• Physiology

• Biochemistry

• Pharmacology

• Pathology

• Microbiology

• Community Medicine

The pre-clinical phase builds foundational knowledge and introduces early clinical orientation. Medical informatics is included for computer literacy relevant to medical education and clinical systems.

Clinical phase: supervised patient-based learning

Clinical teaching covers major clinical and para-clinical disciplines through structured hospital postings and academic sessions. Teaching methods include:

• Hospital postings and bedside teaching

• Didactic lectures

• Seminars and group discussions

• Integrated teaching sessions

• Problem-based learning sessions

• Fieldwork and community exposure

Attendance expectations

Students are expected to maintain full engagement in academic activities. A minimum of 75% attendance is required separately in theory and practical classes to remain eligible for university examinations, except under unavoidable circumstances.

Assessment and progression

Academic evaluation includes internal assessment and university examinations:

• Internal assessments are held at the end of each semester

• Eligibility for university examinations depends on meeting internal assessment requirements

• University examinations in basic medical sciences are held at the end of the first and second year

• Promotion to later semesters depends on clearing the required subjects within the defined time limits

• Supplementary examinations are conducted every six months as per examination schedules

Internship: one-year compulsory rotating training

The internship is a 12-month compulsory rotating residential training period in teaching hospital units and community health centres. The internship focuses on:

• supervised clinical responsibility

• safe decision-making and escalation

• practical skills and patient communication

• team-based care delivery

• professional conduct and ethics in real clinical settings

Graduate capabilities (MBBS)

On completion, graduates are prepared to:

• apply principles and practice of modern medicine

• diagnose and manage common clinical conditions under accepted standards

• respond to emergencies and initiate early management

• communicate effectively with patients and relatives

• participate in immunization programs and community health activities

• manage medico-legal responsibilities within clinical practice

• work in multidisciplinary teams

• maintain ethical practice and professional responsibility

BDS Program

Start year, duration, and internship

The BDS program started in 2011. The academic program runs for a minimum of four and a half years, followed by a one-year compulsory internship after passing the final university examination.

Academic structure

BDS training progresses through:

• Part I: Basic Medical Sciences and Dental Sciences

• Part II: Dental Clinical Sciences and related medical clinical sciences

Students move into advanced clinical training after meeting the subject clearance requirements for earlier phases within the stipulated time.

Examination, merit award, and progression rules

Academic regulations include:

• Merit award in the Final BDS University Examination remains applicable even when one or more subjects were cleared in compartmental examinations, provided the final examination is completed within the minimum stipulated time of four and a half years

• Re-totaling is governed by university examination rules; re-totaling does not apply to practical and clinical examinations

• Promotion to Semester IX (Final BDS) requires successful completion of Part II (3rd Year) and Part III (4th Year) examinations

• Compartmental examinations are held after six months for failed subjects, as per university schedule

• Disciplinary actions are governed by university rules; cancelled examinations due to disciplinary action do not count as attempts, while examinations undertaken before suspension are counted

Admissions

Admissions depend on program level, applicant category, and academic year allocation.

MBBS admission categories and selection pathways

MBBS intake has operated under a category distribution that includes Nepal Government nominees and self-financing students (including foreign applicants and self-financing Nepali students).

Selection routes include:

• Kathmandu University competitive medical entrance examination and counseling for self-financing Nepali students

• Government nomination pathways for allocated seats, linked to entrance test participation and selection criteria

• Entrance examination and counseling pathways for foreign candidates, with acceptance of recognized entrance tests from the relevant year in the candidate’s country where applicable

Eligibility framework (MBBS)

Applicants enter through academic pathways that include:

• 10+2 or equivalent with Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and English, meeting minimum subject-wise and aggregate requirements

• A Levels equivalence considerations where applicable

• Bachelor of Science pathway in relevant sciences, subject to prior completion of the required foundational science subjects

• Health sciences certificate-level pathways where applicable, aligned with eligibility rules and entrance requirements

International applicant document checklist

International applicants typically prepare:

• Grade XII / A Level transcript or mark sheet

• Passport page showing name and nationality

• Entrance test score sheet where available (examples referenced include NEET/SAT)

• Recent photograph

Applicants who need category-specific requirements should confirm the current list at the time of application.

Medical Education Department

The Medical Education Department supports academic governance, teaching quality, and continuing education. Core functions include:

• policy decisions for undergraduate teaching and training by senior faculty leadership

• postgraduate academic committee guidance for postgraduate training across departments

• periodic training programs for faculty development and continuing education for health professionals

• teacher training workshops aligned with advances in teaching technologies

• orientation programs on vaccine-preventable diseases organized through WHO-linked activities

Social Welfare Department and Community Orientation

The Social Welfare Department supports community-oriented healthcare by:

• creating public awareness about health and prevention

• motivating community members to access health services through relevant agencies

• encouraging early diagnosis and timely treatment

• supporting prevention of disability through awareness and early intervention

Community engagement remains an important part of clinical learning and professional formation, building skills in communication, public health awareness, and service delivery beyond hospital settings.

Student Life and Support

Hostels and campus living

CMS maintains three hostel campuses with separate arrangements for male and female students:

• Bageshwori (Juniors)

• Chitwan Keyman (Juniors)

• Kshetrapur (Senior Girls + Interns)

Student welfare and supervision include:

• hostel wardens housed within hostel blocks

• some senior professors accommodated on campus

• guest room for parents and a visitor waiting room

• campus hospital attended by qualified doctors for emergency medical services

• an emergency vehicle stationed on campus for transport when hospitalization is required

Mess, canteen, and food services

Hostel campuses provide mess and canteen services for students and staff. Meal options include Nepali, South Indian, North Indian, Chinese, Continental, and other preparations. Food preparation follows hygienic supervision practices to support nutrition and consistency.

Student Amenities Center

A Student Amenities Center operates within the hostel complex, supporting day-to-day needs such as:

• stationery

• photocopy services

• internet access

• snacks and basic supplies

Recreation and wellness

Campus life includes facilities for physical activity and wellbeing:

• indoor and outdoor playgrounds

• yoga facilities

• gymnasiums

Administration, Operations, and Campus Services

Administrative offices

The Principal’s administrative office is located within the CMS Teaching Hospital premises for access by staff, students, and the public. Core administrative sections operate in the same premises, including:

• personnel, establishment, and general administration

• fiscal and planning

• medical education wing

• academic and examination cell

• public relation office

• central stores and purchase section

• estate office

Maintenance, utilities, and safety systems

Operational support includes:

• maintenance engineering

• civil construction maintenance

• computer maintenance supported by trained technical staff

• safe drinking water supply maintained through facility teams

• generators for emergency power supply in Bageshwori and hospital complexes, and in hostels

Transport and security

• A fleet of buses and other vehicles supports transport for students, faculty, and staff across college and hospital needs

• The security department is headed by a retired army officer and supported by security guards working around the clock to maintain safety of life and property

Location and Accessibility

CMS is located on the Mahendra National Highway in Bharatpur, Chitwan, offering access by road and air.

By land

Approximate distances include:

• 146 km from Kathmandu

• 240 km from Gorakhpur (India)

• 126 km from Raxaul (India)
  Access routes also connect through Kakarvitta with proximity to New Jalpaiguri and Siliguri (West Bengal).

By air

International travel connects through Kathmandu. Domestic flights from Kathmandu to Bharatpur/Narayangarh take about 20 minutes. Taxi services connect the airport to the teaching hospital in about five minutes.

Milestones and Academic Output

Key clinical milestone

On 11 April 2015, a kidney transplantation was performed in Bharatpur at CMS, recorded as the first successful kidney transplantation outside Kathmandu Valley.

Graduate output (cumulative figures maintained in institutional records)

• MBBS: 2213

• MD/MS: 290

• DM/M.Ch: 30

• BDS: 178

Graduate totals are updated over time, so applicants seeking current figures for a specific year should confirm the latest count.

Frequently Asked Questions

1) Where is College of Medical Sciences (CMS) located?

CMS is located in Bharatpur, Chitwan, Nepal, on the Mahendra National Highway, with access by road and domestic flights through Bharatpur/Narayangarh.

2) Which university is CMS affiliated to?

CMS is affiliated to Kathmandu University.

3) What programs can I study at CMS?

CMS runs MBBS and BDS programs, along with nursing, physiotherapy, laboratory medicine, medical imaging technology, health informatics, and postgraduate programs including MD/MS and DM/M.Ch super-specialty training, plus selected master’s programs in basic medical sciences.

4) What is the duration of MBBS at CMS?

MBBS runs for five and a half years: two years pre-clinical, two and a half years clinical, and a one-year compulsory rotating internship.

5) Does CMS provide hostels?

Yes. CMS maintains three hostel campuses: Bageshwori (Juniors), Chitwan Keyman (Juniors), and Kshetrapur (Senior Girls + Interns), with separate arrangements for male and female students.

6) What learning resources are available in the library?

The Central Library holds more than 20,000 reference books, provides internet access, and supports access to medical journals through HINARI. Library hours extend from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM on working days and up to 5:00 PM on Saturdays.

7) How does MBBS selection work for Nepali applicants?

Self-financing Nepali applicants enter through Kathmandu University’s competitive medical entrance examination and counseling processes. Government nomination pathways follow allocated seat rules linked to entrance test participation and selection criteria.

8) What should international applicants prepare for the application?

International applicants typically prepare academic transcripts (Grade XII/A Levels), passport identification, entrance test scores where applicable, and a recent photograph. Category-specific requirements can vary by intake year.