Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)

The Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) at Birat Medical College is a five-and-a-half-year undergraduate medical program affiliated with Kathmandu University. The program consists of four and a half years of academic and clinical study followed by a compulsory one-year rotating residential internship. The language of instruction is English.

Birat Medical College (BMC) is located in Tankisinuwari, Biratnagar, Morang, Koshi Province. The college was established in 2014, while the clinical foundation associated with the institution dates to 1991. MBBS students study within an academic environment connected with Birat Medical College Teaching Hospital, where clinical rotations and patient-oriented learning form part of medical education.

MBBS Course Overview

The MBBS curriculum follows Kathmandu University's academic framework. Medical education admission, seat allocation, scholarship provisions, and the common entrance process operate under the applicable rules of the Medical Education Commission (MEC).

Purpose of the MBBS Program

The MBBS program at BMC follows a community-focused and integrated approach to medical education. Students study basic medical sciences alongside early clinical concepts before moving into more extensive clinical training.

The program places attention on the development of:

• medical knowledge;

• clinical skills;

• evidence-based learning;

• patient care;

• communication skills;

• professional conduct;

• ethical medical practice;

• problem-solving ability; and

• an understanding of health within community settings.

Problem-based learning and group work are included in the academic approach. Patient-centred problems are used to connect scientific concepts with health and disease, while early patient contact helps students relate classroom study to clinical situations.

Medical Informatics, communication, ethics, and professional development are also incorporated into the curriculum rather than being treated as completely separate areas of study.

MBBS Duration and Academic Structure

The MBBS course covers five and a half years in total. Four and a half years are devoted to academic and clinical education, followed by a one-year compulsory internship.

The four-and-a-half-year academic component is divided into nine six-month units. The first four semesters focus mainly on integrated pre-clinical sciences, while Semesters V to IX cover clinical sciences.

This progression allows students to establish a scientific foundation before taking on broader clinical responsibilities.

Pre-clinical Sciences: Semesters I-IV

The first two years focus on integrated pre-clinical medical sciences. Core areas include:

• Anatomy;

• Physiology;

• Biochemistry;

• Microbiology;

• Pathology; and

• Pharmacology.

These subjects are taught through an integrated structure and are connected with Community Medicine and Introduction to Clinical Medicine.

Medical Informatics is also incorporated during this phase. The purpose is to give students relevant computing and information skills within medical education.

The pre-clinical phase is not limited to memorising individual subjects. Students begin developing clinical reasoning and problem-solving skills while learning the scientific basis of normal human structure and function, disease processes, microorganisms, biochemical processes, and the principles of drug action.

University examinations are held at the end of the first and second years. Students must pass the required pre-clinical subjects before proceeding to the clinical sciences beginning in Semester V.

Clinical Sciences: Semesters V-IX

The clinical phase covers five semesters and introduces students to the major medical and surgical disciplines.

The clinical subjects include:

• Forensic Medicine;

• Community Medicine;

• Ophthalmology;

• Otorhinolaryngology;

• Medicine and allied subjects;

• Surgery and allied subjects;

• Obstetrics and Gynaecology;

• Paediatrics; and

• related medical and surgical specialties.

Medicine and allied areas include exposure to disciplines such as Psychiatry, Dermatology, Radiology, and Emergency Medicine. Surgery and allied areas include Orthopedics and Anaesthesiology among the related specialties.

Students from the third year onward undertake clinical rotations within the teaching-hospital environment associated with BMC. These rotations connect academic medical knowledge with supervised patient care, clinical observation, history taking, examination, case discussion, and departmental learning.

MBBS Examination Structure

Kathmandu University governs the academic examinations for the MBBS program.

During the pre-clinical phase, university examinations are conducted at the end of the first and second years. Students must complete and pass the pre-clinical requirements before progressing to Semester V.

The third-year MBBS university examinations are conducted at the end of Semester VII in:

• Forensic Medicine;

• Community Medicine;

• Ophthalmology; and

• Otorhinolaryngology.

Students must pass these four subjects before admission to Semester IX.

At the completion of nine semesters, the final MBBS university examinations cover:

• Medicine and Allied Subjects;

• Surgery and Allied Subjects;

• Obstetrics and Gynaecology; and

• Paediatrics.

Successful completion of the academic examinations is followed by the compulsory internship requirement.

Compulsory Internship

A one-year rotating residential internship is compulsory after the four-and-a-half-year academic component.

Students proceed to internship after completing the course of study and passing the final MBBS examination. The internship provides supervised practical experience in clinical settings before completion of the MBBS degree requirements.

Kathmandu University and the Nepal Medical Council provide the framework for internship arrangements, including provisions applicable to students whose professional council requirements differ by country.

The full duration of academic study and internship together is five years and six months.

Eligibility for MBBS

Applicants must meet the academic eligibility requirements applicable to the Kathmandu University MBBS program.

The stated eligibility pathways include the following:

• Applicants who have studied Physics, Chemistry, and Biology at a recognized educational institution and completed Grade 12 Science or Proficiency Certificate Level with at least 50 percent or a 2.4 CGPA may qualify.

• Applicants from A-Level or another equivalent system must have studied Physics, Chemistry, and Biology and meet the equivalent minimum academic requirement.

• Applicants holding specified Proficiency Certificate or Diploma qualifications in health sciences may qualify when they meet the required academic conditions, obtain Grade 12 Science equivalence, and hold registration with the relevant professional council where applicable.

Eligible health science diploma backgrounds identified within the admission criteria include General Medicine, Medical Laboratory Technology, Ophthalmic Science, Dental Science, Pharmacy, Radiography, Ayurveda, and Physiotherapy.

Academic eligibility alone does not provide admission. Applicants must also satisfy the applicable MECEE-BL entrance and selection requirements.

MECEE-BL Entrance and Admission

Admission to MBBS at Birat Medical College follows the Medical Education Common Entrance Examination for Bachelor Level, or MECEE-BL.

The entrance examination system applies to MBBS admission at Kathmandu University and its affiliated medical colleges. Under the stated admission criteria, candidates must obtain at least the required 50 percentile in the integrated admission process to qualify for the merit-based admission process.

The stated marking arrangement provides:

• 1 mark for each correct answer; and

• a deduction of 0.25 mark for each incorrect answer.

Selection and placement are carried out under MEC procedures and the applicable merit and matching system.

The entrance, merit list, matching process, seat allocation, scholarship system, and admission procedures remain governed by the prevailing MEC framework.

Documents for Admission

Candidates selected for admission are required to submit the applicable academic and identification documents.

The stated document requirements include:

• qualification certificate;

• academic transcript;

• character certificate of Grade 12 and SLC/SEE or equivalent;

• citizenship certificate or passport;

• entrance examination admit card;

• reservation-related documents where applicable; and

• equivalence certificate for qualifications obtained from foreign institutions.

Foreign applicants using the applicable foreign-seat pathway follow the admission process and application provisions established for that category.

MBBS Seat Allocation

The stated MBBS intake at Birat Medical College is 100 seats.

The total number of seats and their distribution are determined through the Medical Education Commission and can change according to the seat determination applicable to an admission cycle.

Learning Approach

The MBBS curriculum combines scientific study with progressive clinical learning.

Students encounter several forms of learning during the program:

• integrated basic science teaching;

• problem-based learning;

• group learning;

• patient-centred cases;

• laboratory work;

• practical classes;

• clinical rotations;

• early patient contact;

• community-oriented learning;

• medical informatics;

• communication training; and

• professional and ethical development.

The integrated approach helps students connect subjects rather than studying every medical discipline in isolation. Anatomy, physiology, pathology, microbiology, pharmacology, and biochemistry provide the scientific foundation, while clinical subjects progressively apply that knowledge to patient assessment and care.

Clinical Training at Birat Medical College

Clinical education is linked with Birat Medical College Teaching Hospital in Tankisinuwari.

The hospital provides inpatient, outpatient, emergency, diagnostic, surgical, and specialist services and functions as the main clinical training environment associated with the college.

Students in the clinical years rotate through relevant departments and specialties. This creates opportunities to observe patient care, participate in supervised clinical learning, discuss cases, and develop familiarity with different areas of medicine and surgery.

The college also conducts community-oriented activities in which students can encounter health issues outside the hospital setting. These activities connect clinical education with community health, prevention, health education, and local healthcare needs.

Basic Science and Learning Facilities

The Basic Science Building at BMC houses departments including Anatomy, Biochemistry, Physiology, Pathology, Microbiology, Community Medicine, and Pharmacology.

Academic facilities associated with these departments include laboratories, preparation rooms, demonstration rooms, museums, departmental learning spaces, and practical halls.

The campus also includes a central library, dissection facilities, academic buildings, administrative spaces, student accommodation, and recreational facilities.

These facilities support the laboratory, anatomical, scientific, and clinical preparation required throughout the MBBS program.

Medical Education and Teaching Methods

BMC has a Health Professions Education Department involved in teaching methodology, faculty development, curriculum work, assessment, and medical education research.

Its educational activities include:

• faculty development workshops;

• curriculum development and review;

• problem-based learning;

• case-based learning;

• simulation-based training;

• medical education research; and

• assessment and feedback practices.

For MBBS students, these approaches form part of an academic environment in which clinical knowledge, reasoning, communication, and professional development are taught alongside medical science.

Degree Award

The MBBS degree is awarded under Kathmandu University after the student successfully completes the required academic study, university examinations, and compulsory internship.

The degree title is Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS). The academic curriculum and examinations follow Kathmandu University regulations.

Completing the degree and becoming eligible for independent professional practice are separate requirements.

Nepal Medical Council Licensing

MBBS graduates intending to enter medical practice in Nepal are subject to the professional registration and licensing requirements of the Nepal Medical Council.

After completing the required academic program and internship, graduates proceed through the applicable professional licensing process before entering medical practice in Nepal.

Graduates intending to work under another country's regulatory system are subject to the professional registration and licensing requirements applicable in that jurisdiction.

Further Medical Education

After completing MBBS and meeting the applicable registration and admission requirements, graduates may pursue postgraduate medical education.

Postgraduate medical education under Kathmandu University includes MD and MS programs in clinical, diagnostic, laboratory, and surgical disciplines. Entry into these programs is separate from MBBS admission and is governed by postgraduate eligibility requirements and the MECEE-PG process.

Further study therefore involves another stage of entrance, selection, academic training, and professional development rather than forming an automatic continuation of the MBBS degree.

Who May Consider MBBS?

MBBS involves a long period of structured academic, laboratory, clinical, and internship training. Students considering the program should be prepared for sustained study across both scientific and patient-care subjects.

The course is particularly relevant to students whose academic background meets the required science eligibility and who are prepared to study areas such as:

• human structure and function;

• disease processes;

• laboratory sciences;

• pharmacology;

• community health;

• clinical medicine;

• surgery;

• women's health;

• child health;

• medical ethics; and

• professional patient care.

Entry also requires success through the applicable national entrance and admission system.

Key Points About MBBS at Birat Medical College

• MBBS is an undergraduate medical degree affiliated with Kathmandu University.

• The total duration is five years and six months.

• Four and a half years cover academic and clinical study.

• One year of rotating residential internship is compulsory.

• The academic component is divided into nine six-month units.

• Semesters I-IV cover integrated pre-clinical sciences.

• Semesters V-IX cover clinical sciences.

• Clinical rotations begin from the later stages of the program.

• Admission follows MECEE-BL under the Medical Education Commission.

• The stated intake is 100 seats, with category distribution determined through MEC.

• Kathmandu University governs curriculum, examinations, progression, and degree award.

• Professional practice in Nepal requires compliance with Nepal Medical Council licensing and registration requirements.