The National Universities Commission (NUC) has upgraded several medical-related programmes in Nigerian universities from Bachelor’s to doctorate degrees.
This was revealed in a statement on Wednesday by the NUC’s Acting Director of Public Affairs, Franca Chukwuonwo.
She explained that the decision aims to include more clinical training, improve foundational course coverage, and comprehensively address all specialty areas, ensuring alignment with global best practices.
The upgraded programmes include Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D), Doctor of Physiotherapy (DPT), and Doctor of Optometry (OD).
To accommodate the additional coursework and clinical sessions, the duration of these programmes has been extended from five to six years.
This significant development is part of the NUC’s effort to enhance the quality and professionalism of medical education in Nigeria.
