PCL in General Medicine-Health Assistant (HA)

PCL in General Medicine-Health Assistant (HA) at Mansarovar Institute of Science and Technology (MIST), Jhapa

PCL in General Medicine-Health Assistant (HA) at Mansarovar Institute of Science and Technology (MIST) is a three-year health science program offered in Damak, Jhapa, Koshi Province, Nepal. It is affiliated with the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT), and MIST has 40 seats for General Medicine.

The formal curriculum title is Proficiency Certificate Level in General Medicine. The program follows a yearly system and combines medicine, surgery, basic medical procedures, clinical pathology, pharmacology, primary health care, family health, epidemiology, health management, clinical practice, and community fieldwork. Its third curriculum revision is dated 2024.

Key Highlights

• Three-year Proficiency Certificate Level program

• Yearly academic system

• CTEVT affiliation

• 40 seats at MIST

• Third curriculum revision: 2024

• SLC/SEE or CMA entry routes

• CTEVT entrance examination required

• Minimum 90% attendance in each subject

• Medicine, surgery, clinical pathology, pharmacology, first aid, and primary health care

• Maternal and child health, family planning, nutrition, environmental health, and health education

• Epidemiology, community diagnosis, and health management

• 16-week comprehensive clinical practicum

• 8-week comprehensive community field practicum

• Theory and practical assessment throughout the program

• Proficiency Certificate Level in General Medicine awarded after successful completion

Course overview

PCL in General Medicine is designed to prepare middle-level technical personnel in General Medicine. The training covers patient assessment, provisional diagnosis within the scope of training, treatment and medication, referral decisions, medical investigations, basic procedures, emergency care, maternal and child health, family planning, nutrition, community health, record keeping, and health-service administration.

The course has a strong clinical and community orientation. Alongside classroom study, students undertake practical activities, hospital-based clinical exposure, primary health care work, and community diagnosis. Teaching methods include lectures, group discussions, demonstrations, simulation, guided practice, fieldwork, case analysis, project work, and hospital or community practice.

Who may consider this course?

The program may suit students who meet the CTEVT entry requirements and are interested in a health science course that involves both academic study and sustained practical work.

Students encounter general medicine, surgery, pharmacology, pathology, primary health care, family health, epidemiology, community work, and clinical placements. The course therefore involves patient-facing learning, practical records, field assignments, clinical supervision, and community-based activities rather than classroom study alone.

Eligibility and entrance

Eligibility: Applicants must meet one of the following academic entry routes:

• SLC, SEE, or equivalent with a minimum GPA of 2.0 and grades in Compulsory Mathematics, English, and Science.

• CMA or equivalent with a minimum of 68.33%.

Applicants must pass the entrance examination administered by CTEVT.

Seats: MIST has 40 approved seats for General Medicine.

Duration and academic system

Duration: Three academic years

Academic System: Yearly system

The program is structured around 35 academic weeks including the evaluation period. The medium of instruction is English and/or Nepali.

A minimum of 90% attendance in each subject is required for students to appear in the respective final examination.

Academic areas covered

The General Medicine curriculum combines clinical medicine with community and public-health-related study. Its program objectives include patient assessment, treatment, referral, counselling, investigations, common emergency management, maternal and child health services, family planning, nutrition, health-program implementation, administration, medical records, and reporting.

The second and third years contain the main disciplinary subjects and extended clinical and community practicums.

Second-year subjects

The second year has eight major subject areas:

1. Medicine-I

2. Surgery-I

3. Basic Medical Procedures and First Aid

4. Clinical Pathology

5. Pharmacology and Pharmacy

6. Environmental Health

7. Health Education

8. Primary Health Care and Family Health, including MCH, Family Planning, and Nutrition

Medicine-I combines theory and practical study. Surgery-I covers general surgery together with orthopedics and physiotherapy. Other subjects introduce clinical pathology, medication-related study, environmental health, health education, basic procedures, first aid, and primary health care.

The second-year teaching scheme carries 24 weekly theory hours and 16 practical hours across these subjects. This structure gives practical study a substantial place alongside classroom learning.

Medicine and clinical study

Medicine forms a major part of both the second and third years. The course is structured around assessing patients, obtaining health histories, conducting physical examinations within the training framework, identifying clinical findings, selecting appropriate investigations, developing provisional assessments, managing uncomplicated conditions within scope, and recognizing cases that need referral.

The program objectives also include counselling patients about follow-up and care, administering medication and treatment, identifying common emergencies, and maintaining medical records.

Surgery and basic medical procedures

Surgery-I introduces general surgery, orthopedics, and physiotherapy, with a separate practical component. Basic Medical Procedures and First Aid is also taught during the second year.

In the third year, Surgery-II extends study into ENT, dentistry, and ophthalmology. These areas are complemented by supervised clinical practice rather than being taught only as theory.

Pharmacology, pathology, and investigations

Clinical Pathology and Pharmacology and Pharmacy are part of the second-year structure. These subjects connect clinical assessment with laboratory investigation, medication-related knowledge, and pharmacy practice.

The broader program objectives include routine and special medical investigations, use of clinical findings in patient assessment, and appropriate referral when a case requires higher-level care.

Primary health care and family health

Primary Health Care and Family Health is a dedicated second-year subject covering maternal and child health, family planning, and nutrition.

These areas continue into the third-year practicum, where students spend time in family health activities and health-post or primary health care centre settings. The training also incorporates health education, environmental health, recording and reporting, and community-based services.

Third-year academic structure

The third-year study block contains four main academic subjects:

After the academic block, students undertake comprehensive clinical and community practicums.

Comprehensive clinical practicum

The third year includes a 16-week comprehensive clinical practicum covering 96 working days excluding Saturdays.

Clinical placements include:

• Emergency — 9 days

• Medicine — 24 days

• Surgery, including ENT, eye, general surgery, and dental — 24 days

• Clinical Pathology observation — 3 days

• Pharmacy and Pharmacology dispensing — 3 days

• Obstetrics, Gynecology and Maternity — 9 days

• Family Health, including MCH and Family Planning — 12 days

• Basic Medical Procedures — 9 days

• Physiotherapy — 3 days

The practicum is structured around supervised clinical exposure, patient history and examination, recognition of abnormal findings, appropriate investigation, record keeping, management of uncomplicated cases within the training scope, and referral of cases requiring higher-level care.

Community field practicum

The final year also includes an eight-week Comprehensive Community Field Practicum covering 48 working days excluding Saturdays.

Half of this period is assigned to community health diagnosis and half to PHC or Health Post attachment.

The 24-day community health diagnosis component covers epidemiology, community diagnosis, a micro health project, environmental health activities, and school and community health education.

The 24-day PHC or Health Post attachment covers client assessment, injection and dressing activities within supervised practice, dispensing, maternal and child health, family planning, nutrition, and health-service recording and reporting.

Community diagnosis work includes preparing a project schedule, conducting community surveys, mapping, collecting and processing data, identifying health needs, presenting findings, developing a micro health project, and evaluating the activity.

Epidemiology and community diagnosis

Epidemiology and Community Diagnosis combines theory and practical work. Practical activities include calculating epidemiological indicators, working with screening-test concepts, community mapping, home visits, use of community diagnosis tools, data processing, tables, charts, and examination of cultural practices with health implications.

This subject prepares students for the larger community field component that follows later in the third year.

Health management

Health Management forms part of the third-year academic block. The curriculum connects health-service management with administration, records, reporting, health manpower, logistics, and professional practice.

Program objectives also include administrative work, maintenance of medical records, supervision, report preparation, and quality-control activities in hospitals and health posts.

Skills developed through the program

The course provides structured opportunities to develop abilities related to clinical assessment, history taking, basic physical examination, patient counselling, first aid, medical investigations, medicine and surgery-related clinical study, referral recognition, basic medical procedures, maternal and child health, family planning, nutrition, health education, community diagnosis, epidemiological work, recording, reporting, and health-service management.

These skills are developed through theory classes, demonstrations, guided practice, practical sessions, hospital experience, fieldwork, case analysis, and community practice.

Examination and assessment

The evaluation system includes both internal assessment and final examination. Internal assessment takes place in theory and practical components, with continuous assessment used for practical performance.

Students must complete internal assessment requirements before appearing in the final examination. They must pass both theory and practical components of applicable subjects.

Theory Pass Mark: Minimum 40%

Practical Pass Mark: Minimum 50%

Final practicum assessment includes attendance, practicum or logbook records, spot performance, and viva voce conducted through internal and external evaluation.

Grading system

The overall grading structure is:

Students must pass all required components of all subjects across the three years to complete the program. Successful students receive the qualification "Proficiency Certificate Level in General Medicine."

Career pathway

Graduates are eligible for positions equivalent to Non-gazette 1st class/Level 5 (technical) as prescribed by the Public Service Commission of Nepal and other related agencies.

The course prepares graduates for middle-level health work involving general medicine, primary health care, clinical support, community health, family health, health education, and health-service activities within the responsibilities and requirements applicable to the position.

Employment depends on recruitment requirements, professional eligibility, individual competence, available vacancies, and the rules of the concerned employer or authority.

PCL in General Medicine-Health Assistant at MIST

MIST was established in 2008 AD as a privately owned technical institute in Damak, Jhapa. Its General Medicine program operates under CTEVT with 40 seats.

The institute's academic support includes practical exercises, smart-board teaching, weekly sample examinations, digital notes, scholarship counselling, and e-library access. For General Medicine students, this institutional support sits alongside the formal theory, practical, clinical, and community requirements of the CTEVT program.

Contact details

Institution: Mansarovar Institute of Science and Technology (MIST)

Location: Damak-15, Jhapa, Koshi Province, Nepal

Affiliation: CTEVT

Seats: 40

Telephone: 023-400160

Mobile: +977-9851128404, 9841416427, 9852626020, 9810540005

Email: mist.damak@gmail.com

The administrative office handles enquiries related to admission, eligibility, fees, scholarships, counselling, and course arrangements.

Frequently asked questions

What is the full name of the HA course at MIST?

The course is offered as PCL in General Medicine-Health Assistant (HA). The qualification awarded after successful completion is Proficiency Certificate Level in General Medicine.

How long is PCL in General Medicine?

The course takes three academic years and follows a yearly system.

How many seats are available at MIST?

MIST has 40 seats for General Medicine.

Is a CTEVT entrance examination required?

Yes. Applicants must pass the entrance examination administered by CTEVT.

What is the attendance requirement?

Students need at least 90% attendance in each subject to appear in the respective final examination.

Does the course include clinical practice?

Yes. The third year includes a 16-week comprehensive clinical practicum covering emergency, medicine, surgery, pathology observation, pharmacy, maternity, family health, basic medical procedures, and physiotherapy.

Does the course include community fieldwork?

Yes. The third year includes an eight-week Comprehensive Community Field Practicum divided between community health diagnosis and PHC or Health Post attachment.

What qualification is awarded after completion?

Students who pass all required components of all three years are awarded the Proficiency Certificate Level in General Medicine.