The Medical and Dental Specialists Association in Basic Medical Sciences, MeDSABAMS, said medical education in Nigeria is not ready for the 21st Century healthcare given the obsolete and old methods of its application.
It said the gap between findings from basic medical research and their application in clinical practice in Nigeria has become worrisome.
The association stated this in a communique endorsed by its National president, Dr John Anionye, and the National Secretary General, Dr Tasiu Ibrahim at the end of its 5th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference with the theme, “Scaling Up Medical Education in Nigeria for the 21st Century Healthcare,” in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital.
The group noted with dismay that the medical education at the preclinical level and instructions to medical students in basic medical science have been unduly taken over in many universities by non-medically qualified personnel, attributing such to “deliberate attempts to prevent the employment of Medically Qualified Personnel.”
The House called on stakeholders to urgently seek a review of the curriculum for medical education at all levels to reflect the realities of the times, stressing that Medically Qualified Professionals who are specialists in the Basic Medical and Basic Clinical Sciences should be consulted for the review.
It added, “It is the opinion of the House, that to scale up medical education in Nigeria for the 21st Century healthcare, there is need to apply new methods to bridge the existing gap between findings from basic medical research and their application in clinical practice in Nigeria. There is also the need for healthy collaboration among professionals to bridge this gap,
“While commending the efforts of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) in protecting Basic Medical Education in Nigeria, the House charged it to continue to insist on the increase in the employment of Medically Qualified Lecturers into the Basic Medical and Basic Clinical Sciences in Nigerian Universities as well as separation of the School/Faculty meant to train Preclinical Medical Students from that meant for the training BSc students of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry.
“The House also called on University managements to as a matter of urgency ensure proper equipping of the laboratories of all the preclinical departments, as they are currently in very deplorable states in most Universities. “The NUC and the MDCN are being called upon to beam their searchlights on this unfortunate deterioration in training facilities, as they are an essential part of Basic Medical Education.”
