Learning medicine amid picturesque mountains

Nestled in scenic surroundings, IHSM is second home to many Telugu students

Hyderabad: Cut away from the chaos and hustle of a big city, a campus nestled in the picturesque surroundings of Cholpon-Ata in Kyrgyzstan is a home away from home for over 600 Indian students. Quality education, coupled with vibrant student life, at the International Higher School of Medicine (IHSM) has made this campus a go-to for many.

Every morning, students wake up to the sight of the majestic Tien Shan mountains from the comfort of their dorm rooms. With the clean water Lake Issyk-Kul — locally referred to as the ‘Pearl of Kyrgyzstan’ — at a walking distance from their campus, there cannot be a better place to unwind after a long day of learning medicine. Started in the year 2017, IHSM has, over the years, hosted more than a thousand students from different backgrounds. With over 250 Telugu students currently pursuing their studies there, it feels like any other college in Hyderabad.

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With a low cost of medical education, at Rs 35 lakh, compared to India, scores of students from different backgrounds have also taken admissions here. “There was a lot of resistance from my family in the beginning as I was the only kid from my village to study medicine. They were apprehensive of sending their daughter to another country all by herself. But seeing the environment here and the cost, my grandparents supported me,” shares Supriya, adding that studying at IHSM is like a dream come true.

To ensure their students become good doctors and instil empathy in them, IHSM not only adopted the Cholpon-Ata Government Hospital but also set up Vedanta, a private hospital that serves the local residents. Almost 63 per cent of their students in the first batch cleared the Foreign Medical Graduates (FMG) exam. Apart from education, sports are a focal point for students here, with many dedicating hours to playing cricket, kabaddi, and other games. With its idyllic setting, academic rigour, and diverse community, IHSM continues to shape the lives of next-generation doctors.