Studying medicine and surgery is an excellent career path, as it provides the opportunity to improve people’s health and save lives while earning a good income. However, choosing the right university to study medicine and surgery is crucial.
The majority of secondary school science graduates in Nigeria aspire to study medicine and surgery as their first choice of course before considering other courses such as pharmacy, and engineering, which are in no way inferior to medicine and surgery.
The demand for this course has made it highly competitive, with universities raising admission requirements to ensure only the most eligible and brilliant students are accepted.
According to the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), 367,499 Nigerian students applied to study Medicine and Surgery in 2022, whereas only 43,717 slots were available.
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Further reports show that over 1.2 million Nigeria students applied for medical-related courses but only 105,226 – which barely represents 10% of the applicants – were offered admission.
In this article, we will highlight the top 10 universities in Nigeria that offer the best education in medicine and surgery. We will also discuss the criteria used to rank these universities, including accreditation, academic excellence, quality of faculty, research opportunities, and practical training opportunities.
By the end of this article, Nigerian students seeking quality education in medicine and surgery will have a wider horizon of the best universities to choose from.
Criteria for Ranking
The criteria considered in this ranking include accreditation, academic excellence, quality of faculty, research opportunities, and practical training opportunities. We also looked at factors such as student satisfaction, post-graduation employment rates, and the overall reputation of the universities.
That said, let’s get into the list of the top 10 universities to study medicine and surgery in Nigeria.
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Top 10 Medical Universities in Nigeria
1. COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN (UI)
Established in 1948, the prestigious University of Ibadan is the first university in Nigeria and one of the first five universities in Nigeria together with the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife, Osun state, Amadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, and University of Lagos, which altogether are the first generation universities.
As a result, this makes UI the oldest degree-awarding university in Nigeria and also one of the best universities in Nigeria.
Uniquely, the UI College of Medicine, regarded as one of the best medical schools in Nigeria, was one of the first faculties created when the university came into being in 1948, provides the student with good and quality education in medicine and surgery.
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Furthermore, the university also boasts of her well-known University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, which was established in 1952. With over 800 beds spaces, UCH Ibadan is one of the leading teaching hospitals in Nigeria, having expert medical practitioners and advanced medical infrastructure.
This enables the University of Ibadan to make the list of the top 10 medical universities in Nigeria.
Medical students from the College of Medicine complete their clinical years at the UCH.
The College of Medicine consists of four faculties which are:
- Clinical Science
- Basic Medical Science
- Public Health
- Dentistry.
Meanwhile, the JAMB cut-off mark for medicine and surgery at the University of Ibadan is 260 and above.
2. COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA (UNN, NSUKKA)
The University of Nigeria Nsukka, Enugu State, was founded in 1955 by Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe (the then Governor-General of Nigeria) and was formally opened to commence academic activities on October 7, 1960.
This formidable citadel of learning is the first indigenous and autonomous university in Nigeria, and is well-known for its reputable academic excellence.
Established in 1982, the College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, is located at Ituku-Ozala, Enugu State. Since its establishment, the college has grown into one of the excellent medical schools in Nigeria.
Moreover, the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) is one of the best and busiest in the country. This is where medical students complete their clinical years of study before they are awarded their MB: BS degree.
The JAMB cut-off mark for medicine and surgery in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka is 290 and above
3. COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCE, OBAFEMI AWOLOWO UNIVERSITY (OAU)
Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) is a federal university in Ile-Ife, Osun State. Established in 1961, this exceptional university is one of the oldest universities in Nigeria.
It was formerly called as University of Ife until 1987 when it was named after Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the first premier of the Western Region of Nigeria, whose brain conceived the university.
The College of Health Science (CHS) was instituted in 1971 and start-off in 1972.
The college is also said to be one of the best in Nigeria because of the love from passionate leaders who devoted their efforts to nurture it to standard.
In addition, the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTH), is one of the best university teaching hospitals in the country as it provides excellent clinical practices and knowledge to medical students.
The College of Health Science currently has four faculties, viz:
- Basic Medical Science
- Clinical Science
- Public Health
- Faculty of Dentistry.
The JAMB cut-off mark for medicine and surgery in Obafemi Awolowo University is 270 and above
4. COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS (UNILAG)
Founded in 1962 and located at Akoka-Yaba, Lagos, the University of Lagos is one of the first five universities in Nigeria, and also one of the most outstanding universities in the country.
The university began with three faculties which are; Faculty of Commerce and Business administration, Faculty of Law, and Faculty of Medicine, but now, the university has 9 faculties.
The college of medicine, University of Lagos (CMUL) came into being also in 1962 when the university came to be. Located at Surulere, Lagos State, the College of Medicine is a centre for teaching, research, and service. Medical students and other allied health professionals undergo their training at the College.
Furthermore, The college has also recorded a tremendous level of success due to the availability of profound scholars who delivers extensive medical knowledge to students.
Also, the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) located at Idi-Araba, Surulere, Lagos State, is an affiliate of the College of Medicine.
Most importantly, the College of Medicine educates students theoretically, while LUTH provides students with experiences through clinical practices and work experience.
The CMUL has four departments which are;
- Clinical Sciences
- Basic Medical Sciences
- Dental sciences
- Institute of Child Health.
The JAMB cut-off mark for medicine and surgery at the University of Lagos is 270 and above
5. COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCE, UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN (UNILORIN)
The distinguished Better By Far university, which sits on over 5000 hectares of land at Tanke, Ilorin, Kwara State, is one of the second-generation universities in Nigeria.
The University of Ilorin came into being in the year 1975 with three faculties which are; faculties of Art, Science, and Education.
The College of Health Science (COHS) has also received the honour of being among the best in Nigeria, having experts who deliver quality education to medical students.
Moreover, the school’s teaching hospital, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) is among the top teaching hospitals in the country with good advances in its medical diagnostic facilities and veteran medical scholars that train medical students for their clinical practices.
The UITH, together with the COHS is located at Oke-Ose, Ilorin, Kwara State.
The College of Health Science consists of two faculties which are:
- Basic Medical Science
- Clinical Science.
The JAMB cut-off mark for medicine and surgery at the University of Ilorin is 260 and above
6. COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY (ABU, ZARIA)
Ahmadu Bello University is also one of the best schools to study medicine and surgery and other medical-related courses.
This respectable university came into being in 1962 and has two campuses at Samaru (main campus) and Kongo in Zaria.
The College of Medicine, established in 1970, is outstanding in delivering standard medical knowledge to its students.
Moreover, the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) is one also of the largest teaching hospitals and trains medical students.
The College of Medicine has two faculties namely:
- Basic Medical Science
- Clinical Science.
JAMB cut-off mark for medicine and surgery in Ahmadu Bello University is 250 above.
7. COLLEGE OF MEDICAL SCIENCE, UNIVERSITY OF JOS (UNIJOS)
This great citadel of learning has good facilities along with a conducive environment to teach and learn medicine and surgery.
The school came into being in 1971 from the satellite campus of the University of Ibadan.
The College of Medical Science is also one of the reputable medical schools in the country as it ensures to deliver top-flight medical education for its students.
Moreover, the university’s teaching hospital, Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), is one of the excellent teaching hospitals in the country with a standard that matches foreign medical schools. This is why the university is among the top 10 medical universities in Nigeria.
JAMB cut-off mark for medicine and surgery at the University of Jos is 250 and above.
8. COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY OF BENIN (UNIBEN)
The University of Benin was founded in 1970 and is located in Benin city. The university is also one of the universities in Nigeria that offers medicine and surgery to aspiring students.
The College of Medical Science, founded in 1973, excellently teaches medicine and also awards professional degrees in medicine and surgery.
The University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), built in the year 1973, provides secondary and tertiary health care to the community and country at large.
Moreover, the teaching hospital also trains medical students of the university with adequate clinical knowledge and practices.
The College of Medical Science consists of three schools, namely:
- School of Medicine
- Basic Medical Science
- Dentistry.
JAMB cut-off mark for medicine and surgery at the University of Benin is 240 and above
9. LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MEDICINE (LASUCOM)
Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, Ikeja, Lagos State, came into being in 1983 with the purpose of advancement of learning and academic excellence.
The College of Medicine, established in 1999, is also one of the fast-growing colleges of medicine in Nigeria.
Moreover, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital is also one of the foremost teaching hospitals in West Africa in terms of skilled professionals who proffer quality medical service with the use of advanced medical types of equipment.
The College is located within the structure of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).
The College has three faculties, which are;
- Basic Clinical Science,
- Basic Medical Science, and
- Clinical Science.
JAMB cut-off mark for medicine and surgery in Lagos State University is 260 above.
10. COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES, DELTA STATE UNIVERSITY (DELSU)
Established in 1992, Delta State University is among the list of universities that render quality education in medicine and surgery in Nigeria.
The College of Health Sciences, due to its record of excellence, has been given the credit to teach medicine and surgery.
It consists of three faculties, namely:
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Family Medicine and Anatomy
- Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.
Also, Delta State University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH) is one of the latest teaching hospitals with good equipment that facilitates good medical services.
Consequently, Delta State University is said to be among the top 10 medical universities in Nigeria.
The JAMB cut-off mark for medicine and surgery at Delta State University is 240 and above.
Conclusion
Selecting the right university for studying medicine and surgery is a crucial decision that can have far-reaching consequences on your career prospects.
It’s essential to consider several factors when making this decision, such as the quality of education, the reputation of the institution, the facilities available, and opportunities for practical training and internships.
The top 10 universities highlighted in this article offer some of the best medical programs in Nigeria, and students can rest assured that they will receive world-class education and training.
Therefore, if you are considering studying medicine and surgery in Nigeria, we strongly encourage you to consider these top 10 universities. They provide an excellent platform for students to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to become competent medical professionals who can make a meaningful impact on society.