Medicine is unarguably the most competitive course you will find in the Nigerian educational system. There are many reasons for this. One of which is the relative ease of employment due to the high demand for medical doctors. Another reason is that graduates of Medicine and Surgery are some of the highest-paid professionals in the world. The admission process for courses like Medicine is so tight that the available universities cannot admit a fraction of their candidates. Hence, if you know you have the tenacity to study Medicine and can afford a Nigerian private university, by all means, do so.
Nigerian Private Medical Schools are a great alternative to their counterparts. They might even hold some advantages over Federal and State universities. For one, you will not spend additional years in school due to strike actions and protests. Many private universities in Nigeria have built standard medical faculties and teaching hospitals that can compete with some of the public universities. When you consider all these, coupled with a conducive learning environment, you might find Nigerian Private Medical schools worth it despite the enormous amount of school fees.
How much does it cost to study Medicine in Nigeria?
The cost of studying Medicine and Surgery varies from one private University to the other. Some charge about one million naira annually, while others might go for as high as three million naira.
There are many private universities in Nigeria, numbered at over 100. However, only about seven of these private universities are accredited by the National Universities Commission to offer Medicine as a course. The others only offer other courses in sciences and humanities.
This article highlights only the top best private universities for Medicine in Nigeria.
Afe Babalola University College of Medicine
It should not be surprising that Afe Babalola University tops the list. This school is located in Ado-Ekiti state and has grown to become one of the country’s best universities. Its College of Medicine and Surgery is well equipped with infrastructures and human resources. The school boasts of a well-stocked library where its students will find up-to-date books and journals for both medical and clinical sciences. There are two E-learning libraries in the college, each with 150 sitting spaces and books for reading.
Afe Babalola University has a memorandum of understanding with the Nigerian federal government to use the Federal Medical Center, Ido Ekiti, Ekiti State, as its teaching hospital for ten years, which started counting from October 2014. This is due to the National University Commission’s requirement that every school possesses a functioning teaching hospital to be accredited for Medicine. The University is in the process of setting up its teaching hospital. It claims to contact institutions in the United States, such as John Hopkins hospital and Howard University, to consult and recruit teachers. The school also plans to set up a world-class teaching hospital by purchasing modern equipment to treat complex health cases. The University does not compromise on employing the best hands to teach its students. In many quarters, Afe Babalola University has been referred to as a model school for other private schools in Nigeria. Lastly, the school provides accommodation for all its students to live and study in a conducive environment. Afe Babalola is regarded as one of the best schools in Nigeria, not just for its college of Medicine but other courses as well.
Babcock University
Babcock University is a private Christian university-owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Nigeria. The University is located at Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State. Its College of Medicine, called the Benjamin Carson School of Medicine, has produced some of the finest doctors in Nigeria and abroad. The school provides a conducive learning environment where students can learn and discover new routes to basic and clinical research. Babcock University makes sure to graduate medical students who are qualified to operate on an international level. Students of Benjamin Carson School of Medicine are loaded with knowledge of Medicine’s foundations, emphasizing its application in Nigeria’s health sector. The school also emphasizes teaching practical skills to handle common health problems and emergencies concerning general community health. Students are also taught prompt and accurate diagnostic skills when observing or examining patients. Precision and accuracy are qualities many hospitals and patients commend the school’s graduates for. Babcock University School has a teaching hospital equipped with necessary medical facilities and highly trained doctors. The Orthopaedic Department of the Babcock University Teaching Hospital (BUTH) carried out its first successful spine surgery in 2019. Benjamin Carson College of Medicine is one of the best among other private universities offering Medicine and Surgery in Nigeria.
Bowen University
Bowen University was established by the Nigerian Baptist Convention (NBC) in 2001, making it one of Nigeria’s oldest private universities. The school’s Medicine program was approved alongside Anatomy and Physiology in 2011. The College of Health Sciences runs the MBBS program with other departments in the college. The school makes sure to employ the best hands in teaching its students. Most department teachers double as Consultants and Physicians in the University Teaching Hospital, where they conduct ward rounds and engage in research activities. The school also aims to impart Christian values to its students as they work in the medical profession. Bowen medical students are also trained to appreciate and comprehensive knowledge of health-related problems in local communities in Nigeria. The school believes the training of all its students is first at imparting the country before anywhere else. Nevertheless, graduates of Bowen University College of Medicine have become internationally recognizable doctors who can practice anywhere globally and stand out to be the best.
These are the top private medical schools in Nigeria, providing world-class training for its students.