Oncology Essentials – Global Oncology Education & Capacity Building

Melanie Byrne Thomas, MD

Medical oncologist · Global oncology educator
Fulbright Scholar to Nepal, 2024–2025
Health Volunteers Overseas (HVO) volunteer since 2010
HVO Golden Apple Award recipient, 2026
Founder, Oncology Essentials Nepal

ABOUT US

A Career Devoted To Global Oncology

A major driver of cancer disparities in low‑resource countries is the severe shortage of trained oncology professionals. In Nepal, fewer than 30 medical oncologists serve a population of 30 million, with an estimated 22,000–70,000 new cancer cases each year. That’s 1 oncologist for every 730 patients, compared with 1 per 118 in the United States. To close this gap, Nepal urgently needs more oncology providers who will not only care for patients today but also train the next generation.

As a volunteer, I work with Nepali colleagues to expand the oncology workforce in Nepal so that all cancer patients have access to specialized care. We have conducted Oncology Essentials Workshops in 2024 and 2025, reaching over 110 medicine residents, general practitioners, nurses and community health workers.

Watch The Workshops on Youtube

IMPACT IN NEPAL

Building the future of oncology training and capacity building

Closing Nepal’s oncology workforce gap means training the people who will carry the work forward. These programs are building that foundation, embedding specialized cancer education into the country’s own institutions and frontline workforce.

Developed Comprehensive Doctorate of Medicine (DM) in Oncology Curriculum at the B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS), Dharan, Nepal.

The curriculum includes lectures, readings, case discussions covering foundational topics, and critical literature appraisal skills that complement their clinical training.

2024 Oncology Essentials Workshop: A Comprehensive Overview for Internal Medicine Residents

The 2024 Inaugural Oncology Essentials Workshop included 34 medicine residents from all medical schools throughout Nepal, and 20 students from BPKIHS schools of medicine, nursing and dentistry.

2025 Oncology Essentials Workshop: Partnering with Nepal’s Frontline Healthcare Providers

The 2nd Annual Oncology Essentials Workshop participants included 40 internal medicine residents from throughout Nepal, 14 general practitioners (GPs) representing all Districts in eastern Nepal, 6 nurses, 10 community health workers, and regional public health officials.

Future Workshops

Oncology Essentials: A Growing Annual Program

To extend the impact of what has already been accomplished, Oncology Essentials, held every November, is designed to expand and strengthen Nepal’s oncology workforce through practical, hands‑on education that is sustainable and locally driven.

3rd Annual Oncology Essentials Workshop — November 6-7, 2026. Connecting Communities to Care: Advancing Cancer Screening & Early Detection in Koshi Province, eastern Nepal.

In Nepal, most patients are diagnosed with cancer at an advanced, incurable stage—treatment is costly, symptoms are severe, and premature death is common. Oncology Essentials 2026 tackles this challenge by equipping frontline providers with practical cancer‑screening skills and mobilizing community stakeholders to promote early detection and timely referral to specialized care.

4th Annual Oncology Essentials Workshop 2027: Learn the Skills. Launch the Project.

This workshop builds on the momentum of previous years by empowering emerging oncology researchers with the practical tools to design, execute, and complete meaningful clinical research studies. Participants will gain hands‑on experience in research design, planning, data collection and analysis, results reporting and publication—skills essential for generating evidence that improves cancer outcomes locally and contributes to global oncology knowledge.

Support the next workshop

What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and for the world, remains and is immortal.

Albert Pine

Looking ahead

Support Oncology Capacity Building in Nepal

Nepal cannot close its cancer-care gap with thirty oncologists. Building a self-sustaining oncology workforce will take a consistent, coordinated effort over the next decade. This is the work ahead.

Oncology Essentials has partnered with Health Volunteers Overseas (HVO) as its trusted “fiscal sponsor” to manage and oversee all donations to support this capacity-building work. HVO is a vetted non-profit with a long track record. All donations are tax-deductible, well-stewarded, and directly support Oncology Essentials’ mission.

Your Impact

Your donation is an investment in expanding Nepal’s oncology workforce. You are helping build a sustainable, locally led system of cancer care that saves lives, strengthens communities, and creates long‑term change.

Sustain Oncology Essentials in Nepal Each Year

$50 Provides written educational materials for 60 workshop participants
$100 Supports one clinician attending a 2-day workshop
$500–$1,000 Helps purchase “task training” materials to teach local providers in breast and cervical cancer screening skills
$5,000 Supports an entire 2-day workshop for 50 participants

Support the Future Leaders in Oncology Fund

Your donation supports rising oncology researchers in Nepal by providing:

Research resources including database development, statistical support, Nepal Health Research Council (NHRC) fees, and manuscript submission fees
Travel to conferences