5 Best Medical Courses to Study in Nigeria

Even though Medicine and Surgery is the first thing that comes to mind whenever the phrase, “medical school” is mentioned, enrolling in a medical school doesn’t necessarily mean you have to study Medicine and Surgery. There are other medical courses that are quite exciting and lucrative.

Best Medical Courses to Study in Nigeria

In this post, we take a look at the top 5 best medical courses to study in Nigeria apart from Medicine and Surgery.

Dentistry

The Dentistry curriculum is quite similar to that of Medicine and Surgery. Dentists are often referred to as the doctor of the teeth but dentistry is not limited to the teeth alone. It also includes other aspects of the craniofacial complex including the temporomandibular joint and other supporting, muscular, lymphatic, nervous, vascular, and anatomical structures.

Dentistry is a branch of medicine that involves the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders, and conditions of the oral cavity, commonly in the dentition but also the oral mucosa, and of adjacent and related structures and tissues, particularly in the maxillofacial (jaw and facial) area.

As a dentist, you can work in private practices (primary care), dental hospitals or (secondary care) institutions (prisons, armed forces bases, etc.).

Pharmacy

Pharmacy is another ally of Medicine. However, Pharmacy usually exists as a standalone Faculty in most universities in the country.

The course is basically the science and technique of preparing and dispensing drugs.  It links health sciences with chemical sciences and aims to ensure the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs.

The scope of pharmacy practice includes more traditional roles such as compounding and dispensing medications, and it also includes more modern services related to health care, including clinical services, workers compensation medication billing, reviewing medications for safety and efficacy, and providing drug information. Pharmacists, therefore, are the experts on drug therapy and are the primary health professionals who optimize the use of medication for the benefit of the patients.

Medical Laboratory Science

Medical Laboratory Science is another medical course. Graduates of Medical Laboratory Science are also known as medical technologist, clinical scientist, or clinical laboratory technologist.

The medical lab scientist is a healthcare professional that performs chemical, hematological, immunologic, microscopic, and bacteriological diagnostic analyses on body fluids such as blood, urine, sputum, stool, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), peritoneal fluid, pericardial fluid, and synovial fluid, as well as other specimens.

Generally, medical laboratory scientists work in clinical laboratories at hospitals, physician’s offices, reference labs, biotechnology labs and non-clinical industrial labs.

Nursing

Nursing is a prominent medical course that entails the science of treating and taking care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life.

Generally, nurses practice in many specialities with differing levels of prescription authority. However, nurses are known to provide care within the ordering scope of physicians, and this traditional role has shaped the public image of nurses as care providers.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is also known as physical therapy (PT). It is one of the allied health courses. It involves using mechanical force and movements (biomechanics or kinesiology), manual therapy, exercise therapy, and electrotherapy, remediates impairments and promotes mobility and function.

Physiotherapists improve the quality of life of patients through examination, diagnosis, prognosis, physical intervention, and patient education.

In addition to clinical practice, other activities encompassed in the physical therapy profession include research, education, consultation and administration. Physical therapy services may be provided as primary care treatment or alongside, or in conjunction with, other medical services.

Asides our top 5 medical courses, there are other allied medical courses like optometry and radiology.

Optometry involves examining the eyes and applicable visual systems for defects or abnormalities as well as the medical diagnosis and management of eye disease which on and off requires glasses to be treated. Optometrists are trained intensively in the diagnosis and management of ocular disease in addition to correcting refractive error through the use of spectacles.

Optometrists hold an O.D degree which stands for Doctors of Optometry and they typically work closely together with other eye care professionals such as ophthalmologists and opticians to deliver quality and efficient eye care to the general public.

Radiography is another important medical course. It is the branch of medicines that deal with the treatment of diseases like cancer and others, they deal on the diagnostic images of anatomic structures.

If you’re looking to enrol in the university for any of these medical courses, you can find the admission requirements below.

You would need to take the UTME and the requirements for any individual that intends to study any of these courses include the combination of the following subjects – English, Physics, Biology, and Chemistry.

Also, the candidate is required to have at least 5 WASSCE passes in the following subjects: English Language, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.

For students who want to use A-Level result rather than an O-Level result, having at least 3 passes are required. They should have passed in the following A-Level subjects: Chemistry, Biology/Zoology.

Also, we have compiled a list of the universities that offer these courses

1. Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma (AAU)
2. Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU)
3. Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (ABU)
4. Afe Babalola University (ABUAD)
5. Babcock University (BABCOCK)
6. Bayero University Kano (BUK)
7. Bingham University
8. Bowen University
9. Benue State University, Markurdi (BSU)
10. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU)
11. Delta State University (DELSU)
12. Ebonyi State University (EBSU)
13. Ekiti State University (EKSU)
14. Enugu State University of Science & Technology (ESUT)
15. Gregory University, Uturu
16. Gombe State University (GSU)
17. Igbinedion University
18. Imo State University (IMSU)
19. Kogi State University (KSU)
20. Kaduna State University (KASU)
21. Lagos State University (LASU)
22. Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso (LAUTECH)
23. Madonna University
24. Niger Delta University (NDU)
25. Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK)
26. Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU)
27. Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU)
28. Osun State University (UNIOSUN)
29. Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUSOK)
30. University of Benin (UNIBEN)
31. University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT)
32. University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN)
33. University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID)
34. University of Calabar (UNICAL)
35. University of Jos (UNIJOS)
36. University of Abuja (UNIABUJA)
37. University of Ibadan (UNIBADAN)
38. University of Ilorin (UNILORIN)
39. University of Lagos (UNILAG)
40. University of Uyo (UNIUYO)