Peter Newell

My university gave us the opportunity to complete a medical elective abroad as part of our degree in order to gain exposure to other healthcare systems.

I’ve always been interested in exploring Nepal, so when I came across the opportunity to combine a hospital placement in Kathmandu with Work The World and explore what the country had to offer, I was sold!

My first impressions of the hospital environment were that it was incredibly busy. There was a flurry of healthcare staff, patients, and family members moving around the hospital grounds. The pharmacies and imaging departments were particularly busy, with patients waiting for medicines and imaging results.

My placement within the paediatric department gave me a fantastic insight into healthcare delivery in Nepal.

I was able to gain exposure to a diverse range of cases and pathology that would not be typically seen in my home country, for example, tuberculosis and rheumatic heart disease. 

My experience in the outpatient department was also insightful, and I had opportunities to examine patients. I also gained an appreciation of the speed and pressures that the healthcare staff work under in this environment.

One case in particular that stands out to me was that of a child who developed severe complications from meningococcal sepsis. This resulted in the patient being admitted for multiple months. It was clear that this had put considerable pressure on the parents, and the prolonged hospital stay created emotional and financial stress.

When I experienced the healthcare system for the first time, I found many differences to the UK's system.

The daily routine was different. Mornings started with the “Morning Conference,” which involved one of the residents giving a presentation about a certain topic within paediatrics. This was then followed by the ward round or outpatient clinic.

The patient’s families often took an active role in caring for them, almost taking on the role of a nurse. Patients also had to pay for their investigations, such as imaging, and they had to carry this information with them for doctors to refer to on the daily ward rounds.

The outpatient department was incredibly busy, with hundreds of families waiting for their children to be seen by the doctors. The clinic rooms were filled with multiple doctors and families working diligently to get through the sheer volume of work.

The staff in the paediatric department were more than willing to discuss challenging patient cases with me and answer any questions I had.

After placement, my housemates and I made the most of our time and tried to experience as much of what the city of Kathmandu had to offer as possible. We visited the Boudhanath Stupa, Monkey Temple, and Kathmandu Durbar Square, witnessed ceremonies at Pashupatinath temple, explored the nightlife in Thamel, and went for drinks at the local bars.

Over the weekend, the programme team helped us organise a retreat to Nagarkot. We completed a sunrise hike and relaxed at a hotel with infinity-pool views of the Kathmandu valley and Himalayas.

I have had an amazing experience in Nepal, which has given me a real insight into how healthcare is practised in this country. I feel like I have been immersed in the culture of Nepal and will take many lessons away from this experience.

If you want to experience or feel immersed in a culture or healthcare system abroad, I strongly recommend completing a placement with Work the World. 

The staff provided an incredibly safe and comfortable home away from home and were always available to answer any questions or recommend activities. Weekly language lessons at the house also taught us the basics of communicating with the Nepali people.

Overall, my time in Nepal has been an incredible experience, with many memories and friendships made.

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