B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) is one of the most prestigious and autonomous medical universities in Nepal, located in Dharan, Sunsari District. Established on 18 January 1993, it was later upgraded to an autonomous Health Sciences University in 1998 through an Indo-Nepal cooperation initiative. The institute is named after former Prime Minister Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala and is considered a national center for excellence in medical education and healthcare services.

BPKIHS functions as a full-fledged health sciences university with four major faculties: Medicine, Dental Surgery, Nursing, and Public Health. It offers a wide range of programs including MBBS, BDS, BSc Nursing, MD/MS, DM/MCh, and MPH, along with several allied health and postgraduate courses.

A major strength of the institute is its large teaching hospital (around 700–900 beds depending on expansion phases), which serves patients from eastern Nepal and nearby regions of India. The hospital provides advanced clinical services such as ICU, emergency care, surgery, radiology, cardiology, pediatrics, and specialized tertiary care units.

One of the most unique features of BPKIHS is its community-based medical education model. Students are not limited to hospital training only—they also work in district hospitals and primary health centers, which gives strong real-world exposure to rural healthcare challenges. This “teaching district” system is considered one of the best clinical training models in South Asia.

The institute also has a strong focus on medical research and innovation, especially in tropical diseases, infectious diseases, public health, and community medicine. It is recognized nationally and internationally, and its degrees are accepted in multiple countries for further studies and licensing exams.