NIGERIAN universities are all set to make medicine and dentistry post-graduate programmes that will last 11 years in a bid to produce better rounded professionals with higher levels of competence. 

Currently, doctors and dentists spend six years to get qualified in Nigeria but of late the National Universities Commission (NUC) has suggested turning both courses into post-graduate ones that will run for about twice as long.  Professor Peter Okebukola, a former NUC executive secretary, said the commission’s plans to make them post-graduate programmes was long overdue. 

He said such initiative would not only put an end to producing baby doctors but it would also ensure that graduates emerging from the programmes were psychologically mature to practise, with a high level of competence. Professor Okebukola said it was standard practice across the world for medical students to have a first degree before proceeding on medical training, noting that the development would facilitate an improved health care system in the country. 

He urged those who were not satisfied with the development not to lose sight of the need to train good and quality doctors. Under NUC plans, in its new curriculum, a medical student would be expected to have graduated in say anatomy, biochemistry or physiology before being admitted for the actual clinical training that would take another seven years and lead to the award of a Doctor of Medicine degree and not just MBBS. 

Professor Okebukola said: “In the case of the anticipated change in the training of medical doctors, the process has taken about 12 years. I was executive secretary when we started the national needs assessment and experts’ survey, which revealed deficiencies in our medical education programme. 

“Thus, a consensus was reached by medical experts across the country that a key pathway to remediation is to adopt the global best practice in medical education of enrolling students not fresh from secondary schools but those with a first degree in disciplines allied to Medicine. After the first degree, they then proceed to the doctor of medicine degree." 

He advised those who want courses of shorter duration to elect for courses outside medicine. A veteran educationist, Professor Okebukola added that before coming up with the decision, the NUC subjected the modification plan to rigorous consultations, survey and a long approval process.