Postgraduate medical eduation in Nigeria appears to be on the decline. The view was expressed by Prof. Akin Agboola, a member of the Editorial board in the January 2006 issue of ‘The Practising Doctor’.
Postgraduate medical education was inaugurated in this country about 33years ago. The onerous task was first pioneered by the Nigerian Medical Council and subsequently transferred to the Postgraduate Medical College. A few years later, a parallel body was set up and known as the West Africa College of Surgeons and Physicians. By arrangement, the diplomas granted by this College and the Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria at their respective final examinations are both recognised for specialist or consultant positions in the countries involved. However, we feel that the format of the primary, part 1 and part 2 of the fellowship examination of the two colleges should be restructured so as to create uniformity between them. Already, candidates feel it is easier to pass one than the other because of its format. If care is not taken, one will be regarded as inferior to the other in the long run. I strongly believe that, to arrest this decline, the Postgraduate Medical Education Council should conduct a visitation to all training institutions in the country, with the aim of inspecting the facilities available and review their accreditation. The present relatively large intake obviously does not encourage adequate clinical training.
Nigeria has done well to have evolved a local postgraduate programme but this alone has not succeeded in arresting the emigration of our young doctors to countries like Britain and America where they can be certain of working in a more conducive enviroment and with modern technology. What is lacking in our programme, in addition to the already mentioned, is the absence of mordern technology, which is only available in centers of medical excellence, but our teaching hospital in Lagos is short of being one. It is gratifying that the government is also beginning to think along this line, judging from the recent release of funds to upgrade eight more of the teaching hospitals.
Tags: Postgraduate Medical College, Institution, Nigeria
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