A Dom boy’s long road to becoming a doctor
Summary
Dinesh Kumar Marik, from Nepal’s Dom community, overcame caste discrimination, repeated financial hardship and heavy debt to pass the Nepal Medical Council licensing exam on his first attempt. He is now interning at National Medical College and Teaching Hospital in Birgunj and hopes to support other students from marginalised communities.
Key Points
- Dinesh Kumar Marik faced caste-based discrimination from school to college, including eviction from rental rooms after landlords learned he was Dom.
- He struggled to afford MBBS preparation and admission, relying on loans, scholarships and support from activists and organisations to stay in medical school.
- The Medical Education Commission’s fee cap became part of a wider student protest over MBBS costs, after which an annual payment arrangement was reached.
- Marik has passed the Nepal Medical Council licensing examination and is now doing his internship in Birgunj.
