The circular was for them to sign to continued studentship due to unavailability of instructional and technical facilities to train medical students.
The Nigerian Medical Students Association (NiMSA) has written to the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) calling for urgent intervention over the circular for undertaking the management of the College of Medicine, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, which was imposed on all 300 Level MBBS.
The circular was for them to sign to continued studentship due to unavailability of instructional and technical facilities to train medical students.
SaharaReporters reported on Wednesday that the University's College of Medicine compelled 300-level Medicine and Surgery students to sign an undertaking to continue to pay school fees for an additional 18-month programme while they wait for available slots to progress to 400-level.
The stringent undertaking, a copy of which SaharaReporters obtained on Wednesday, stipulated that after completing Part 1 Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) Professional Examinations, students must undertake an 18-month intercalated Science programme in Anatomy or Physiology within the College of Medicine.
However, the Medical Students Association in a letter addressed to the Registrar, Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, dated November 8, 2023, condemned the action of the university and called on the Nigeria's medical regulatory body for an urgent intervention.
The letter with Ref: NiMSA/03/EXT/INT/0001 which titled: Appeal For Urgent Intervention In Respect To The “Undertaking” Released By The College Of Medicine, Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma to MBBS Students," was signed by NiMSA President and Secretary General, Ejim Egba Clement and Glory Enoche Alapa respectively.
The letter partly read: "We write to bring to your notice a circular that was released recently by the management of the College of Medicine, Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma, compelling all 300 Level MBBS (2nd MBBS) students to sign an undertaking that will see them stay extra two years in school.
"The undertaking stipulates that after their Part 1 MBBS (Professional) exams, they’re to compulsorily undertake an 18-month intercalated BSc programme in Anatomy or Physiology in the college before which they can proceed to clinicals. And also, that they have to pay school fees as medical students throughout the period of the said intercalated BSc programme.
"As the national body of all medical students in Nigeria, we express deep concern and condemn in the strongest terms possible to the policy as such does not have nay place in the medical education system in Nigeria.
"This policy was predicated on the fact that the class has more students than the MDCN quota and hence the college is making the students pay for a problem that ab initio was created by the college."
According to the students medical body, the College policy had raised significant apprehension among the students and their parents alike, alarming that "it is beginning to have far reaching effect.
"We, therefore, are calling on your good office to intervene in this inhumane and non-student friendly policy. We are very optimistic and certain that you will use your very good office to look into the matter and address it as soon as possible to forestall any agitations among the student community."