Do you have a dream to study medicine and become a medical doctor? It might interest you to know that your dream is achievable here in Nigeria with a lesser cost and in a familiar environment. Education in Nigeria may not be as advanced as in other parts of the advanced world but medical schools hold their own when it comes to imparting medical knowledge. It is therefore no surprise that medical personnel who had their background education in Nigeria excel when they get to these advanced countries.
Medical School, an institution where you study medicine, is either a part of a tertiary institution, or a standalone institution that teaches medicine to students and gives them professional certification on completion of their academic programmes.
By the time you’re done reading this piece, you will understand the different disciplines that are under medicine. You will know the best universities in Nigeria that offers you the chance to study medicine. Also, you’ll know what is required of you, how long it takes to study medicine, how much it costs to study medicine, and what to look out for in the universities where you can study medicine.
Which University is the Best to study Medicine in Nigeria?
There are numerous universities in Nigeria (more than 150). Some of them offer prospective students the chance to study medicines, while other don’t. however, of all universities that are accredited and teach medicine, there are few of them that stand out. These stand-out universities are considered the best in medical courses either due to their history, facilities, quality of professionals they have produce, or a combination of these factors. Let’s take a look at some of these institutions.
University of Ibadan
UI is located in the ancient city of Ibadan in Oyo State. It is the oldest university as it has been established (in 1948) before the independence of Nigeria from the British.
The College of Medicine is one of the foundational colleges of the university. It gained worldwide recognition, especially that of the General Medical Council of Great Britain, through its affiliation with the University of London. So much so, that it awarded the students of University College, Ibadan medicine degree, M.B.B.S of the University of London.
University of Ibadan has grown and in its independence from the University of London, it has awarded M.B.B.S (Ibadan) to its grandaunts.
Today, the college of medicine, university of Ibadan, has four faculties; Basic Medical Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Public Health, and Dentistry. Under each faulty, there are departments from which you can choose. Its students also do their clinical training in the prestigious University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan.
- Related reading: Best Universities to Study Dentistry in Nigeria.
Obafemi Awolowo University
Another university with history in an historical town. Obafemi Awolowo is situated in Ile-Ife, Osun state. Its College of Health Sciences was established in 1971 and its first set of students admitted in the following year.
It boasts of many health centres and facilities that aids its students in learning practical clinical approaches in the field of medicine. The College of Health Sciences has a dental hospital on campus, an Urban Comprehensive Health Centre in Ile-Ife, a Comprehensive Health centre at Imesi-Ile, and two clinical training facilities; Ife Hospital Unit in Ile-Ife and Wesley Guild Hospital at Ilesa.
The College has three faculties and one institute; Basic Medical Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Dentistry, and Institute of Public Health. Each faculty has departments from which you can make a choice of study course. Medicine is under the Faculty of Clinical Sciences.
University of Nigeria Nsukka
Established in 1982, the College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, has had its own fair share of experience to give prospective students the required know-how. It began with two faculties; Medical Sciences and Dentistry, and Health Sciences and Technology. Today, its faculties have increased to five, namely, Basic Medical Science, Dentistry, Health Sciences, Medical Sciences, and Medical Sciences 2.
In each faculty, there are departments, and to study medicine, you will be in the Department of Medicine, under the faculty of Medical Sciences. The first year is called the pre-med year, where students will study and pass A-level physics, biology, and chemistry. The next two years are spent in the basic sciences and pre-clinical departments respectively and the last three years are spent in the clinical departments.
With the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, UNTH, national Orthopaedic Hospital, NOH, and many more health facilities available to the college, students have ample clinical practice to put their knowledge to test.
University of Lagos
Renowned for its intensive research prowess, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, is one of the top universities to study medicine. It has three faculties; Basic Medical Sciences, Dental Sciences, and Clinical Sciences, and many departments.
Established in 1962, it is equipped with adequate knowledge to impart positively on its students. Its large library of research and medical journals is one to envy.
The presence and affiliation of the University of Lagos with Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Military Hospital, Lagos, and the many General Hospitals in the state, students have no shortage of institutions to practicalize what they had learnt.
Ahmadu Bello University
Ahmadu Bello University, ABU, is one of the best universities up north. It has been so good that students who had their secondary education in the west have trooped there for their tertiary education. Its Medical School was established in 1967 and it became a faculty in 1970. In 1972, its first set of students were awarded the MBBS certificate as qualified medical doctors.
Presently, the College of Medicine has four faculties; Allied Health Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Basic Clinical Sciences, and Basic Medical Sciences. under the faculty of Clinical Sciences, you will be accepted to study medicine.
With a pre-clinical training complex, its students began their learning with the practicality of the study of medicine. It also has a Clinical Complex at the Ahmadu Bello Teaching Hospital for further practical training of the students.
University of Benin
Here is another popular destination for students who wish to study medicine. University of Benin was founded in 1970 and was accredited as a university in 1971. It has numerous faculties, one of which is the Faculty of School of Medicine.
Its College of Medicine is comprised of three faculties; Dentistry, Basic Medical Sciences, and Medicine.
The institution has a teaching hospital where students learn the practical aspects of medicine.
University of Ilorin
Unilorin is an excellent choice of institution to study Medicine in Nigeria. Its College of Health Sciences came into existence in 2004. It was previously only a faculty and it had been training students in Medical Sciences since 1977.
Its faculties are two, and they are the faculty of Basic Medical Sciences and the Faculty of Clinical Sciences.
University of Ilorin has a teaching hospital where its Medical Students are tutored on the practical applications of their classroom knowledge in the real hospital-patients situation.
Lagos State University
The Lagos State University College of Medicine, LASUCOM, passes itself as the pride of the institution. It was established in 1999 and has since then grown to be one of the colleges of medicine to reckon with in Nigeria.
The College of Medicine has two faculties; Clinical Sciences and Basic Medical Sciences. these two faculties have 8 departments each.
With the various hospitals, including Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, residency training is never a problem for its students. The Department of Medicine awards graduands with the MBBS certificate.
University of Calabar
The University of Calabar, UniCal, is one of the universities in Nigeria where you can study medicine. It boasts of a state-of-the-art facility for its academic success and excellence. It was established in 1975 and therefore has the experience to teach in the best way possible.
Its College of Medical Science comprise of four faculties. These faculties further have departments that cater to the curriculum provided for the medical and medical-related student courses to follow. In the Faculty of Medicine, there are 15 departments, including Department of Medicine where there are study options such as Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Surgery.
Madonna University
The first Private Catholic University in West Africa, Madonna University holds a place of esteem among other private universities in Nigeria. It started full operation in 1999 after the Federal Government of Nigeria gave her authorization.
The faculty of Medicine came into existence in 2001 with three departments; Anatomy, Physiology, and Medical Biochemistry. The faculty’s curriculum outlines how its students in the faculty of medicine attain the coveted MBBS degree.
What are the Academic Requirements to Study Medicine in Nigeria?
Different universities usually have specific requirements for their prospective students and with a prestigious course of study like medicine, the requirements are stricter. However, there are general requirements that cut across all universities for you to study medicine. These requirement entails that you pass certain subjects in different exams.
O’ level credit passes of English Language, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, and Biology. These subjects might be taken in WASSCE, NECO, or GCE. However, note that some institutions require their prospective medical students to pass these subjects in one sitting.
The Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, is the next important requirement. Universities have different cut off marks at which students with marks below the expected are denied admission. However, you must take a combination of English Language, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology to be eligible for admission to study medicine.
Advanced level students, who are eligible to be admitted into 200 level are required to have their O’ level subject combination, with at least credit passes. They also have to sit for their University of choice’s examination.
How Long does it Take to Study Medicine in Nigeria?
Depending on what level a student began to study medicine, the course can take from six to seven years. Candidates who get accepted through A-level will generally spend about five years in the university and another year for their residency training.
Students that started from the scratch, that is, first year, will spend a total of seven years, including their residency training year before they are deployed to serve their father’s land.
What is the cost of Studying Medicine in a Nigerian University?
Medicine is a prestigious course of study and therefore requires some financial strength. In Nigeria, most medical students opt to attend federal institutions due to the subsidized tuition. Therefore, the cost of studying medicine in federal Universities vary from what it costs in State Universities and Private Universities.
It is almost impossible to ascertain the exact cost of studying medicine as it changes from time to time. However, a Federal University takes between #40,000 to #100,000. Private universities cost about #1.5 million. State universities sit between the range of #200,000 to #250,000. Note that these prices are for one academic year.
Conclusion
To study medicine as a course in Nigeria can be a very scary prospect for those who desire it. The strict and high standard required of the students academically makes it look like an impossible feat. The high cost of study when compared to other health science-related courses is another scary thing.
However, the quality of education and training you will get as a prospective doctor or surgeon is unparalleled. Work extra hard to get the requirements in place, make a federal university your institution of choice, and cut down on the expense for studying medicine.
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