International Students

Dhulikhel Hospital is a community service-oriented hospital guided by the principles of social equity, sustainable development, harmony with nature, and supported by the Dhulikhel community. The late king HM Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev inaugurated Dhulikhel hospital in 1996 as a collaborative project of the Municipality of Dhulikhel, NepaliMed International, and Dhulikhel Health Service Association.

The hospital was founded with the belief that Quality Health Care should be in reach not only to the privileged but also to the poor and needy people of rural areas. The hospital’s staff is dedicated to providing cost-effective, compassionate, and quality health care services. 

The hospital covers the population of approximately 2.2 million people from Kavrepalanchowk, Sindhupalchowk, Dolakha, Sindhuli, Ramechhap, Bhaktapur, and other surrounding districts. 

Dhulikhel Hospital has provided health services to people from more than 50 districts of Nepal. Dhulikhel hospital is the university hospital for all the medical programs run under Kathmandu University (constituent medical programs of Kathmandu University).

Institution Owned Guest House

Dhulikhel Hospital Kathmandu University Hospital (DHKUH) takes care of booking accommodation for those students who receive an acceptance letter from DHKUH. The guesthouse is located approximately 20 minutes walking distance from the hospital. Guesthouse will serve dinner with prices as per the menu. Accommodation with shared kitchen with the facilities of microwave, induction cooking stove, fridge (where guest can use on their own) will be offered. Bed sheets and a kitchen set will be provided. Hot shower (24 hrs) will also be available. Free Laundry and Wi-Fi will also be provided.

Key contact persons for the accommodation and logistics: (Please copy in both emails)

Ms. Nirupa Makaju	International Students Affairs Committee
Email: nirupashrestha@dhulikhelhospital.org	Email: internationalstudent@dhulikhelhospital.org
Phone no: 9801002259	Phone no: 9801002263

 

Accommodation per day: NRs 800 / person (including breakfast) but the price varies according to the length of stay. The room is on a shared basis.

Visiting International Students should obtain a Tourist Visa to Nepal. Individuals may receive a visa on arrival at Tribhuvan Airport in Kathmandu.

Please note that the only currency accepted for the visa is the US dollar.

Communicate with the administration department of the hospital for formal entry via the following email address direct@dhulikhelhospital.org), from where you will communicate with the International Students’ Affairs Committee who will check the availability of placement and get permission from the interested department.

You have to fill out the google form that you receive once you are within the communication.

The form consists of your interested department, date of placement, expectations, and opportunities.

Finance

Students will be responsible for any and all additional costs associated with your stay, including:

Dhulikhel

Location: Dhulikhel is a municipality of about 40,000 people and 30km east of Kathmandu along the Araniko Highway. It is located in the middle-hill region of Nepal at an altitude of 1600m.

For a glimpse of Dhulikhel

 

Climate

Dhulikhel has a sub-tropical climate characterized by monsoons.

S. No.	Month	Weather Type	Remarks
1.	October-May	Dry	Little precipitation is there
2.	June-September	Wet	Frequent rain showers and thunderstorms
3.	December-February	Cold	The temperature at night time is low around 1- 4 degrees Celsius and during the daytime 15-20 degrees Celsius
4.	May	Hot	The hottest month of the year and could see the temperature as high as 35 degrees Celsius.
Note: In the fall and spring months, lows are around 5-10 and daytime highs of 20-30 degrees Celsius. The monsoon is, contrary to popular belief, not heavy rain, but light and warm rain with clouds.

Getting to Dhulikhel

The nearest international airport is Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. The airport code is KTM.

You can travel to Dhulikhel from the airport by taxi. It will take an hour (30 km from Kathmandu). You can get a prepaid taxi from Airport or contact the international student affairs committee to manage the paid vehicle for pickup.

Note: Beware of pick-pocketers!

When you leave the airport to find a taxi, keep a close watch on your luggage and valuables. Do not accept offers from individuals to carry your luggage to a taxi at the airport.

The international student affairs committee at Dhulikhel Hospital can also arrange a taxi to pick you up at the airport and bring you directly to the airport. If your plane arrives in the evening, the taxi charge may be more. To make this arrangement, kindly contact : internationalstudent@dhulikhelhospital.org

DHKUH offers the following courses for the students from all over the world

• Clinical Placement/ Electives
• Internship in Global Health Programs

Clinical Placement / Electives

i.For Medical and Nursing Students

Duration	Departments	Cost	Remarks
< 4 weeks	Any Clinical department of DH	US$ 200	A visit to at least one of the outreach centers will be arranged. Exposure to various Public health programs and community development programs will be done.
4-8 weeks	Any Clinical department of DH	US$ 300
> 8 weeks	Any Clinical department of DH	US$ 400

Clinical placements are available in all of the departments listed below. It will be difficult to change placements once you arrive at the hospital,

as we must notify departments in advance and some (especially Pediatrics, Emergency, Surgery, OBGYN) fill quite fast.

More information about departments can be found on the Dhulikhel Hospital website.

1. Research
2. Surgery
3. Internal Medicine
4. Anesthesia
5. Dental
6. Ear Nose Throat (ENT)
7. Dermatology
8. Emergency
9. Laboratory (Microbiology, Biochemistry, Pathology)
10. Nursing
11. Obstetrics and Gynecology
12. Ophthalmology
13. Orthopedic
14. Pharmacy
15. Pediatrics
16. Physiotherapy
17. Psychiatry
18. Radiology
19. Department of Public Health and Community Programs

ii. For Public Health/ Global Health Students

https://dhulikhelhospital.org/department-of-community-programs-and-public-health/

Duration	Departments	Cost	Remarks
8 weeks and more	Department of Global Health	US$ 400	The internship will be offered in the following areas: 1.    Health Services in remote areas 2.    Public health programs 3.    Community development programs 4.    Monitoring and Evaluation 5.    Research
Note: The students willing to enroll for research have to submit a separate charge of US$ 100 for the institutional research committee (IRC) and should get approval as per their rules and regulations. Students need to fill out the application that can be downloaded from the website IRC approval process requires some time so communication prior to arrival is mandatory.

Clinical placements can be for any length of time, but we generally require students to commit at least FOUR WEEKS to their department.

This will allow for adequate time for the student to adapt to hospital procedures and become part of the clinical team.

Students are requested to start their clinical placement on a Monday. The FIRST MONDAY of the month is preferred, but we realize this may not always be possible with students’ busy schedules.

The international student’s first day at Dhulikhel Hospital will be as follows:

ARRIVAL

After your arrival and settling into the Dhulikhel Hospital Guest House, we will be expecting you to call Mr. Pramesh Koju or Dr. Robin Karmacharya on the day of your arrival and meet them on the day after your arrival at the Dhulikhel Hospital (DH). This is for us to know you have arrived safely and give you an orientation on the institute.

The mailing address and contact details are: internationalstudent@dhulikhelhospital.org

OR

Mr. Pramesh Koju Mobile: 9801002263

kojupramesh@kusms.edu.np

Dr. Robin Karmacharya Mobile: 9818729013

reachrobin773@hotmail.com

MONDAY MORNING

8:00 am: Attend the morning conference at the Dhulikhel Hospital main building. Introduce yourself (name, university, year of study, department, length of stay, etc.).

Please wear your white coat and dress business casual (please do not expose knee or shoulder areas).

9:30 am: After the morning conference, go to the Department of Community Programs.  Attend an orientation by Pramesh Koju on program expectations and rules.

A staff member from the department will then provide a tour of the hospital.

10:00 am: Visit the library to print your ID card. You will have to take a photo wearing your white coat. The cost of the card is 200 NPR.

This card gives you access to the different departments in the hospital including the library and canteen.

10:30 am: Visit the Finance Department to add money to your ID card and pay for your placement. Visit the IT department for Wi-Fi access.

11:00 am: Start clinical placement in the respective department.

a)   Computer facilities, e-mail, and Internet:

• There is a computer in the library of the skill lab

The computers are equipped with Microsoft Windows programs: Word, Excel, Internet Explorer, and PowerPoint.

• E-mail and internet are also available on all the computers and they are freely accessible for all participants.
• The computer rooms will be open until 19:45
• After receiving your ID card, you can go to the IT department to receive your own username and password to use DH Wi-Fi that can be used around the

b)  Library facilities

The Library is in the Skill Laboratory Building. Generally,

the library is open until the last staff member of the department has left the office.

Usually, this is until 19:45. Please do not freely walk around the Skill Laboratory building without consent.

c) Photocopying
• Photocopying can be completed at the expense of the individual participants in nearby stationery shops.
• Photocopying at the DH-KUH institution will be done only in emergencies.
• It is strongly advised to photocopy outside DH-KUH when possible: there are several copy shops near the institute that are cheaper.
d) Telephone, Mobile and fax:
The telephones and faxes of the DHKUH are not accessible for private use by participants. For accessing a mobile phone, you can contact the Procurement department of the hospital. The course management can make exceptions for urgent problems, and for course-related messages.
Most visitors purchase a mobile phone and/or local SIM card. If you bring your own phone, it needs to be a “quad” band and unlocked in order to work in Nepal. You can buy a SIM card in Dhulikhel.
You can purchase NCell or NTC recharge cards to get minutes. These cards are available at most shops along the road (look for the purple signs that say NCell or the blue Nepal Telecom signs). In order to purchase a SIM card, you will need a copy of your passport, visa, and one visa photo.
e) Catering

1. Breakfast and lunches in the canteen are served using an identification card. You can add a balance in the accounting department i.e. building across from the Pediatrics building.

2. Breakfast consists of omelets, vegetable curry, yogurt, toast, milk tea, etc.

3. A lunch of daal baat, Fried rice, chowmein, thukpa (Tibetan soup), yogurt, tea, and other options are also available at varied prices. Friday is MO: MO day, a delicious meal of Tibetan dumplings.
f) Insurance Medical Services
Nepal has no National Health Insurance System so payments are to be made for doctor visits and medication. The prices of the medication are made available at reasonable rates. Therefore, an international insurance card will not function in DHKUH.
In case you get ill and you need a doctor, please take notice of the following:
• Unless there is an emergency, you may always consult the outpatient department of the respective area before you go to emergency.
• You are free to select any doctor you want.
• Please take your identity card and outpatient card in the registration for your examination.
• You’ll have to pay NRs 100 for the registration card in the registration department.
• the Same card can be used later after the renewal.
• If you get a prescription, go to a pharmacy to collect it. You’ll have to pay cash for the medicines too.
* If you need a doctor during the weekend or at the night,

1. Plan your flight itinerary so that you can start your clinical placement Monday morning at 8:00 am. It is advisable to plan your flight to land Thursday/Friday in order to acclimate to Kathmandu and easily move your things to Dhulikhel on Saturday or Sunday (the hospital can arrange airport pickup, and taxis are easily available from the airport or Kathmandu).
2. Report for your clinical placement on a timely Morning conference begins every day at 8:00 am SHARP, and ward rounds begin at 9:00 am. Students should stay the length of the working day, which is 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Students must wear their white coats or other appropriate attire at all times.
3. Students must speak with their department and Mr. Pramesh Koju in advance about taking vacations. The hospital operates from Sunday-Friday. Sundays may be taken off However, lengthier absences are not allowed.
4. If you plan to trek or go on other vacations in Nepal, please do this before or after your accepted clinical placement. It is very disruptive to the department to leave for some time and come back
5. The main language spoken at the hospital is Nepali. Doctors will have to consult with patients in Nepali, and most ward rounds will be conducted in Nepali. Most Nepali medical students, interns, residents, and faculty will be happy to explain in
6. Professional attire and conduct are mandatory. Professional attire includes wearing a white coat, ID badge, long pants, close-toed shoes, and non-revealing clothing.
7. It is advisable to bring your stethoscope, TB mask, and any other medical equipment you commonly use back home.
8. Remember that this program is mostly observational. Although you will be able to perform some procedures (based on year of study), you will probably not have as much hand-on interaction as in your home This is due to the language and culture barrier. Remember to stay flexible and open-minded, as you will be working in a resource-constrained environment quite different from your home institution.

Safety measures

• Register with your embassy in
• Never break curfews if any are
• Don’t travel during bandhs (strikes) or blockades. Get to safety if you notice that you are in the only car on the streets of Kathmandu!
• Be flexible with your travel arrangements in case your transport is affected by a bandh or security
• Be familiar with the symptoms of altitude sickness when trekking and observe sensibly
• Keep photocopies of your passport, visa, flight ticket, and traveler’s cheques separate from the

Post Office

To get to the nearest post office, you should take a walk of 15 minutes from the Dhulikhel Hospital located around 2000 meters away. Express Mail Service (EMS) is available at GPO and at Thamel, Basantapur, and airport postal counters.

Electricity

Major towns have electricity and the voltage available is 220-volts and 50 cycles. For electronic devices, we have both flat pins and round pins, but a universal converter is desirable.

Public Holidays in Dhulikhel Hospital (2024-25)

Date	Day	Title	No. of Days
13 April, 2024	Saturday	Nepali New Year	–
23 May, 2024	Thursday	Buddha Jayanti	1
19 Aug, 2024	Monday	Janai Purnima	1
10-14 Oct, 2024	Thursday -Monday	Dshain	5
1-4 Nov, 2024	Thursday – Monday	Tihar	5
14 Jan, 2025	Tuesday	Maghe Sankranti	1
26 Feb, 2025	Wednesday	Shivatratri	1
13 March, 2025	Thursday	Holi Purnima	1
Total			16

Money

Change or take out money at the airport at least for your first expense. If you arrive on Friday afternoon or weekend, please change enough money to sustain yourself until banks open the following Sunday, 10 a.m to 16:00 hours. Credit cards are usually not accepted. If someone comes up to you and asks you if you want to change your money with him, we urge you not to do this.

Please take your passport with you when you want to change the money. You can find a bank in Dhulikhel as well to change your money.

Recommended vaccinations

Nepal does not officially require any immunizations for entry into the country, but the further off the beaten track you go, the more necessary it is to take precautions (i.e. Malaria prophylaxis in southern areas.) Travelers who have come from an area infected with yellow fever are required to be vaccinated before entering the country. Record all vaccinations on an International Health Certificate, available from a doctor or government health department.

For covid 19 vaccination guidelines before arrival to Nepal, please check the link of the Nepal Tourism Board. We request you to contact your respected Embassy for recent updates on vaccination.

Link of Nepal Tourism Board: https://ntb.gov.np/crisis-management-information

In Dhulikhel Hospital the following doctors and in charges are available:

S.N	Name of department	Contact person
1.	Internal Medicine	Dr. Ram Bahadur Gurung
2.	Dermatology	Dr. Manisha Singh Basukala
3.	ENT	Dr. Bikash Lal Shrestha
4.	Emergency	Dr. Sanu Shrestha
5.	Obstetrics and Gynecology	Dr. Abha Shrestha
6.	Ophthalmology	Dr. Angira Shrestha
7.	Orthopedic	Dr. Darshan Dhoju
8.	Pediatrics	Dr. Shrijana Singh Dongol
9.	Psychiatry	Dr. Dipak Kunwar
10.	General surgery	Dr. Robin Man Karmacharya
11.	Anesthesia	Dr. Sangina Ranjit
12.	Forensic Medicine	Dr. Raj Kumar Karki
13.	Nursing Director	Dr. Kunta Maya Pun
14.	Director, Community Programs	Dr. Biraj Man Karmacharya
15.	Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery	Dr. Chandan Upadhya
16.	Periodontics	Dr. Manoj Humagain
17.	Orthodontics	Dr. Dashrath Kafle
18.	Prosthodontics	Dr. Binam Sapkota
19.	Pediatric Dentistry	Dr. Sumita Upadhaya
20.	Pathology	Dr. Rachana Dhakal (In-charge)
21.	Biochemistry	Dr. Prabodh Risal
22.	Microbiology	Mr. Surendra Madhup  (In charge)
23.	Radiology and CT scan	Dr. Subindra Karki
24.	Nursing (clinical)	Ms. Sulekha Shrestha
25.	Physiotherapy	Ms. Ranjita Acharya
26.	Information and Technology (IT)	Mr. Saran Shrestha
27.	Library	Ms. Kamala Shrestha

Arrival form & Departure form

A Google Form will be sent to you before your arrival and after your departure. This form will tell us more about you, and allow us to improve the program.

We kindly request you to fill out this Google Form in a timely manner.

P.O. Box No. 11008, Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel. +977 11 490497 Fax. +977 11 490497
Email: direct@dhulikhelhospital.org
Website:  www.dhulikhelhospital.org