VC laments declining state of post- medical training in Nigeria
THE Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof. Isaac Adewole, has decried alleged low quality of content and curriculum of post- graduate medical education in Nigeria.
Adewole, yesterday at the 31st professional initiation and admission ceremony of the Health Sciences University of Ilorin said the ugly trend, if not urgently redressed, could cause a major setback in the nation’s health care system.
Speaking on the topic: “Beyond the Coveted MBBS; Contemporary Problems and Prospects of Postgraduate Medical Education in Nigeria”, Adewole, a guest lecturer at the event, said the training modules were lacking in competent instructors “in some specialities.”
According to him, “there are still several challenges in postgraduate medical education in Nigeria. Some of the problems are low quality of content and curriculum, absence of proper definition of what are the ‘must know’ and ‘should know’ at every stage of assessment, lack of adequate man power in some specialities, poor welfare and brain drain.”
Adewole, a professor of Obstetrics Gynaecology, identified the tripartite bodies in the management of the affairs of the college and urged them to step up their levels of participation towards restoring the seeming lost glories of the institution. “In the area of training and commitment, the trainee, trainer, government and other stakeholders need to take postgraduate medical education seriously. Everyone must play the part honestly.”
The vice chancellor, who described medical education as unending, prescribed total overhauling of most of the nation’s medical training institutions, noting that many of them have been turned into “glorified tertiary health centres.”
He said: “The out- of- stock syndrome has drastically impinged on the quality offered for training. For instance, during FIGO conference in South Africa (2009), I saw an amazing technology using fresh cadaver and other technological simulations to train trainee on high tech skills. This opportunity is lacking in most of our institutions. Also, leadership of these institutions will need to get their priorities right.
“Besides, we need to have a comprehensive regulation at the national level that will transcend individual professional association and disciplines for a qualitative output. Under postgraduate medical profession, I will suggest that training colleges should continue their engagement with National Universities Commission (NUC) and look for ways to incorporate real academic training into the professional fellowship programme.”
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1 Comments
Pg medical education has become pedantic, obsessive and has lost its soul. It has become more about the form, letter & shadow rather than the spirit /substance.
The majority of practitioners birthed thus are morally bankrupt, lacking in character and basic respect for human dignity. “They” are the centre of the universe around whom all else revolves! Shame!
We will review and take appropriate action.