Following several stakeholders meetings in the last two years and as a prelude to the formal release of the New Minimum Academic benchmark (2015), the National universities Commission has approved relevant adjustments relating to Medical/ Dental schools.

 

Jude Chiedu of Medicalworld reports that there are changes to major essential components of the new curriculum expected to be in use from the 2016/2017 academic session. 

 

A major component as it affects non-medical Health professionals is the approval of three alternative models. The NUC approved a four year program leading to MBBS/BDS in order to allow for career change for interested non-medical health professsionals. 

 

This option according to jude chiedu of Medicalworld Nigeria, is open for interested and qualified graduates of Nursing, pharmacology, physiotherapy, image science, paramedics, anatomy, physiology, biochemistry and pharmacology. 

 

The NUC also approved a seven year MBBS/BDS programme model that encompass a mandatory seamless four-year acquisition of the B.Sc.(Basic Medical Science) with interest in either Anatomy/Physiology/Biochemistry. At the end of seven years, students would have acquired the Bachelor of Basic Medical Science, Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of

Surgery degrees. In case of the dental programmes, the students would have acquired a degree in Basic Dental Science and Bachelor of Dental Surgery

 

It is worthy of note to mention that Admission into universities for Medicine based on the current six year programme would be allowed to continue as suitable alternative based on the discretion of the University.

jude chiedu 

Reporting for Medicalworld Nigeria