The National Universities Commission (NUC) has announced a significant upgrade in the status of certain medical-related programs in Nigerian universities, elevating them from bachelor’s degree to doctoral status.
This move is part of the commission’s ongoing efforts to enhance the quality and relevance of medical education in the country.
The announcement was made via a statement by Mrs. Franca Chukwuonwo, the Acting Director of Public Affairs at the NUC, during a press briefing held in Abuja on Wednesday. Chukwuonwo emphasized that this upgrade is intended to strengthen the educational framework by integrating additional clinical and practical training into the curriculum.
“This quest to upgrade the status of some medical-related programs from Bachelor’s Degree to Doctor was borne out of the desire to incorporate more clinical/practical sessions,” Chukwuonwo explained.
She highlighted that the enhancements aim to provide comprehensive coverage of foundational courses while improving clinical skills and addressing all relevant specialty areas.
The decision is also aligned with global best practices in medical training, ensuring that graduates are equipped with the competencies needed to compete on an international scale.
“Furthermore, the certificates obtained from the Nigerian University System (NUS) can be at par with those obtained in similar programmes from other climes,” she added.
Among the specific programs now recognized at the doctoral level are the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D), Doctor of Physiotherapy (DPT), and Doctor of Optometry. In light of these upgrades, the duration of these programs has been extended from five to six years, allowing for a more thorough integration of additional courses and clinical components.
Chukwuonwo also informed stakeholders that the Doctor of Medical Laboratory Science (DMLS) program does not exist within the NUC’s Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences (BMAS) or the Curriculum for Medicine and Allied Sciences (CCMAS). As such, it has not been included as part of the upgraded offerings, indicating that the DMLS program is currently not authorized in any university throughout Nigeria.
