Electives temporarily on hold

With electives cancelled due to Covid-19, students are reviewing academic literature to get a better perspective on the global evidence base for “key performance indicators” of EMS in lower income countries. 

This will enable FoNAS to measure the most important markers of a quality EMS service. It will lead to further study of EMS in lower income countries and hopefully to any proven outcomes and beneficial interventions. That is, we would hope to learn what examples exist around the world of EMS systems – their training regimes, public information outreach efforts and clinical interventions – have led to proven improvement for patients and what can we learn from this and apply to Nepal. 

As soon as the Covid-19 situation allows, we look forward to resuming elective projects to advance our understanding of the complex barriers to accessing emergency medical care in Nepal. 

Electives information before the pandemic

What does an elective with FONAS involve?

You will be attached to a hospital withinPokhara, likely within the Emergency Department, with some flexibility to do other relevant specialities on request. The majority of your elective will be spent learning how emergencies are dealt with in Nepal. FONAS will ask you to dedicate some of your time to collecting data or case reports. Depending on operational circumstances, there may be an opportunity to observe on NAS ambulances and get involved in projects within NAS.

What data and why?

FONAS want to make an efficient, evidence-based Emergency Medical Service in Pokhara. To do that they need to understand the clinical need. Enabling the most efficient use of the extremely limited

resources to make the largest impact on patient outcomes. Also, by formally reporting the clinical

need it justifies to potential large grant donors why further support is needed. It also develops a

baseline of data that allows us to compare outcome with in the future, when the service is larger.

Put simply, it is really important work. Case reports from patients are also extremely useful for

highlighting the need for an Emergency Medical Service, for example the last elective student met a

patient who had a limb threatening injury that took him 8 hours to reach hospital.

Why Nepal and Pokhara?

All those who have been to Nepal have simply fallen in love with the country. The people are

uniquely warm and friendly. The scenery and activities are second to none, with Pokhara on the

doorstep of a lake, the Annapurna mountain range, world class rafting and more. Pokhara has a

wonderful, relaxed lakeside backpacker vibe, perfect for relaxing after a day in the hospital. The

medicine they practice in Nepal is eye opening with the lack of resources. It is a really poor country

and a sharp contrast to the UK.

What we will provide you with?

Enthusiasm, support, guidance, advice, contacts. We have contacts in trustworthy travel agencies in

Nepal and contacts and recommendations with the different major hospitals in Pokhara but also

Kathmandu. We will provide you with a recommended structure for your research and help you

draft write it and ultimately help you present it academically or if possible publish it. We would like

you to stay enthusiastic with Nepal and NAS long after you have come home and help it grow by

considering joining FONAS. We can also help with elective grant applications to help fund your trip.

What we need from you?

As we have not established a formal elective program per-se, we require a level of initiative and

sometimes a tolerance of chaos and ability to adapt. Nepal is frequently having petrol shortages,

doctors’ strikes, power cuts and political instability – so you can imagine how this impacts on an

elective. However, we have all managed and had fantastic times. A degree of independence with

regards to sorting the specifics of your trip – accommodation, transfer, hospital liaison – will be

needed, but we know how to do all of this and are more than happy to help.