February 23, 2026. This January, we enrolled our first GPO fellow in Nepal, Dr. Bishrut Sapkota. In this story, we get to know more about the GPO fellowship program and Dr. Sapkota.
One of the main global oncology focuses of BG Lab has been Nepal, given the roots of our PI Dr. Bishal Gyawali, who calls Nepal home. He has seen, experienced, and studied first-hand the consequences of not having cancer care services locally in the remote parts of the country. Patients need to travel several hours one-way to receive chemotherapy, manage side effects, or for a follow-up visit where they may be told that there is no relapse, and they should follow-up again in another 3 months. After learning about the task-shifting and task-sharing models of care offered by General Practitioners in Oncology (GPO) in Canada, Dr. Gyawali applied to and successfully secured funding from Conquer Cancer Foundation in 2019 to develop a contextual and locally adapted curriculum to launch GPO training program in Nepal. We have previously published several papers during the curriculum development phase from this project. Based on our initial study, there are no formal accredited GPO fellowships in the world.
Working with our partners in Nepal, specially the Nepal PI Prof. Bishesh Poudyal, we are now proud to announce that we have formally launched a GPO fellowship program in Nepal, accredited by Nepal Medical Council. he program is 1 year long with the goal of preparing fellows to provide essential cancer care in collaboration with oncologists under task-shifting and task-sharing models of care.
Dr. Bishrut Sapkota is the first GPO fellow at National Academy for Medical Sciences, Kathmandu. This is a joint collaboration between our Queen’s Global Oncology Program and National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS) in Kathmandu, Nepal where the fellowship is now being run under the preceptorship of Prof. Poudyal and our another colleague and collaborator, Dr. Ramila Shilpakar, who is an associate professor of oncology at NAMS. The program is 1 year long with the goal of preparing fellows to provide essential cancer care in collaboration with oncologists under task-shifting and task-sharing models of care.
Q: How did you come across this opportunity?
A: The fellowship program opportunity was published in the National Academy of Medical Sciences, Bir Hospital’s webpage. After reading the requirements, I was keenly interested in the fellowship and applied for it and was selected via the entrance exam.
Q: What was your motivation to apply to this fellowship opportunity?
A: I was interested in oncology since my father passed away 3 years ago from glioblastoma. I did some preliminary investigations in Nepal, but I could not find out the definitive cure and treatment, and his wish was also to go to India for better treatment. So, this is how I learned more about oncology and the patients. In the Rajiv Gandhi Hospital, there were many Nepalese people who went there for the treatment, so that was one of the trigger points for me to become interested in oncology. The next was when I was in the far southwestern part of Nepal – there were many cases where patients did not have money, and thus the diagnosis could not have been made, and they could not travel to the hospital where they could have been diagnosed and received treatment. I saw this vulnerability that I could fulfill. As a GPO, I could be a bridge to the higher care centers and the rural areas so they could access the specialist. So, all of these things inspired me to apply.
Q: What are you most excited about for this fellowship?
A: What excites me about this fellowship is the chance to grow beyond my practice and understand cancer care in a detailed way. Also, it will help me get deeper knowledge, modern approaches and confidence in oncology. In addition, the opportunity to build relationships and know more people around the world through experienced mentors is an add on.
Q: What are your career goals?
A: Before I joined this fellowship I was planning to settle in the US, but now after joining this fellowship, I am just enjoying it and will try to fulfil the objectives for this fellowship and work in rural areas to make a difference.
Q: To get to know the human side of you: hobbies, favourite books, favourite movies?
A: My hobbies are to travel and read books, but now I just like to sleep! My favourite thing to do is travel, whether it be with my wife, friends or alone. I also love sci-fi movies and crime stories.
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Dr. Bishal Gyawali 
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