Medical Internship in Nepal

I spent a month in Nepal over summer to intern at the Chitwan Medical College Teaching Hospital in Bharatpur, and it was a great decision. Even before I left, Projects Abroad staff were available for support and any questions I had. They also booked my flights for me, which I appreciated. When I arrived at the Kathmandu Airport, a staff member was waiting to pick me up and take me to the hotel, where I met some other volunteers and had an orientation to introduce me to the culture and my placement.

During my placement in Bharatpur, I was in the hospital from 7am-1pm in various wings (OB/GYN, OR and ER, the pathology lab, the pediatrics ward, and the orthopedics department). I witnessed three live births, a C-section, and some interesting ER cases, and my favorite part was talking to the doctors and nurses on call.

My host family was absolutely amazing and I miss them so much! My host mom was very supportive and constantly made sure that all of the accommodations were nice. The food she cooked was delicious, and I quickly learned that being vegetarian in Nepal is easy because the cuisine revolves around vegetables and rice.

Projects Abroad staff who lived in Bharatpur checked in with the volunteers every week to make sure that there were no problems with the host family or other volunteers. We also discussed what had happened during the week, placement changes, and any plans for weekend excursions, which we did almost every weekend. This was a good support system for anyone who was suffering from culture shock or homesickness.

Nepal is a beautiful country with so much to see and do, and the Nepali people are some of the most accepting, curious people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. I will definitely return when I have a chance, and would recommend a visit to anyone!