Institute of medicine in Nepal came into existence in 1972. The educational institute was given responsibility to train and teach health care workers. Campuses of IOM are scattered in 12 campuses in Nepal.

In the beginning the aim of IOM was to train middle level health care workers. However it was expanded to tertiary level as well. The graduate level programmes started by 1977 with two year bachelor courses. Later on, the integrated MBBS program was initiated in 1978 with intake capacity of 22 students which increased to 60 and now the capacity has increased to 76