Dr. Sushil Pokharel
College Scholarship Program Alumnus
Consultant orthopedic surgeon, Karnali Province
Contract medical officer serving rural populations on behalf of the Nepali government
Trauma surgery specialist
Dr. Sushil Pokharel grew up in a remote village. Everyone in the community knew his dream was to become a doctor, and they believed he could achieve it, with the right opportunity. But no one was sure if medical school was financially possible.
Against the odds, Sushil studied hard and achieved the competitive scores needed to win a seat at a good medical school. He even got a government scholarship to cover tuition!
But living expenses in the city were higher than anticipated. Within a year of beginning medical school, Sushil was in financial crisis. The stress of struggling to make ends meet was impacting his grades—and his future.
Fortunately, Sushil learned about NYF’s College Scholarships and submitted an application.
“NYF provided scholarship support from 2010 through 2013—four years,” Sushil says. “With this financial aid, I was able to complete my medical degree.”
Soon after graduating, Sushil got a job working as a contract medical officer in a rural district. “I used to see lots of cases of trauma,” he says. “Patients needed to go to major cities for surgery. Most could not afford to go to the city for treatment.”
Seeing the need for more specialists serving these communities, Sushil decided to devote his career to providing orthopedic surgery and trauma surgery in some of Nepal’s most remote hospitals. He could have chosen to leave Nepal and practice medicine somewhere more financially rewarding. But helping these patients access life-changing medical care brings him immense happiness. He hopes other doctors will follow his lead.
NYF shares Sushil’s determination to ensure rural Nepalis can access good-quality medical care. In 2023, we expanded the mission of our New Life Center, located in Kathmandu. It now serves as a free Medical Recovery Home for families (especially children and mothers) who are staying in the city for medical care.
Today, Sushil is working on the front lines of Nepal’s developing healthcare system. As a consultant orthopedic and trauma surgeon in Karnali Province, he is providing transformative medical care in some of the toughest conditions out there.
Karnali Province is one of the most remote and least-developed areas of Nepal, full of high mountains, rugged terrain, and difficult-to-reach communities.