The National Universities Commission (NUC) Executive Secretary, Prof. Julius Okojie, in Abuja has discredited the reports that medical students in Nigerian universities would henceforth study for 11 years before obtaining an MBBS degree.
According to him, the new Benchmark Minimum Academic Standard (BMAS) for Medicine and Dentistry, which had since been made public by commission, only provides for a seven-year training, leading to the award of MBBS/MDS.
“A seven year MBBS programme that encompass a 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 Medical Science, Bachelorof Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degrees. In case of dental programmes, students would have acquired a degree in Basic Dental Sciences and Bachelor of Dental Surgery.”