10 Best Medical Schools in Nigeria

Universities that understand the intricacies and complexities of Medicine have some of the best medical schools in Nigeria. Others who don’t qualify to be part of the best medical schools in Nigeria are still good all the same.

This is one of the reasons why getting admitted into a medical school is sort of hard. To be successful at the art and practice of medicine, it is important to choose the correct school and the correct environment for you. Some schools do better than others, and that’s just the fact. 

Medicine has this nature because it deals with the most important thing under the sun: life. A mistake in a course of study not related to life can be corrected but when life is lost, nothing can be undone. Hence, the need for brilliant minds and extreme care by both students and medical colleges.

This betterment may be due to the organizational skills of the staff or due to long-standing tradition or any factor contributory to positive influence.

All medical schools have a goal. To train students in the art and science of medicine and to prepare them with the needed knowledge expedient for them to enter into the art of medicine for graduate medical education.

The years of medical are divided into a preclinical phase and a clinical phase for the students. There are more than 40 medical schools in Nigeria. Some of the best medical schools in Nigeria have been written below.

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Requirements to apply for medical schools in Nigeria

Before one can be admitted to study Medicine in a University in Nigeria and even in any other part of the world, the person must have met certain requirements and standards set by the admission board.

In Nigeria, the requirements include the following:

Such a person must be a science student. This means that he/she should have written and passed the West African Senior School Certificate Examination and successfully passed with at least credit in Physics, Chemistry, English, Mathematics, Biology.

Having the right O’ Level subject combination

One other important thing is that the candidate should have the right subject combination in the O’ Level examination with which the application is to be sent. The subject combination must include Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, English, Biology. Not just that the candidate should have the right subject combination, but should ace the subjects as well. The course is competitive and deserves all the attention one can pay.

It is important to know also that some universities don’t accept two sittings of O’ Level.

Completion of a degree in related fields

This applies if one is interested in Medicine through direct entry. Such a situation now requires that the person have a degree in medically related fields such as Biology, Physiology, Nursing, Anatomy, Medical Laboratory Science. Before you apply to medical school, it is advised that you make sure to look through the direct entry requirements of the school to know if you’re eligible or not.

Having the required A’ Level results

Now, you may discard this information if you’re applying to the school with WAEC results, if not, there’s a need for A’ Level result.

Having the right UTME subject combination

The needed subjects are English, Chemistry, Physics, Biology. There have been cases of students with a very high score but who are still ineligible for admission to study medicine just because they chose the wrong subjects.

How to apply to medical schools in Nigeria

  • Decision: The first step to going to study medicine is the decision to choose Medicine as your desired course of study. Make up your mind that you’re going to study Medicine.
  •  Choose the medical schools to apply to and start planning your post-admission processes for when admission comes out.
  •  Start reading books on the workload, how to cope in medical school. Prepare comprehensively for the entrance examination
  •  Register for UTME
  •  Write and pass the UTME.
  • Register for post UTME, write and pass the exam too.
  • Wait for the school admission list. Then go to medical school.

10 Best Medical Schools in Nigeria

  • The University of Lagos, College of Medicine
  • College of health sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife 
  • College of Medicine, University of Ilorin, Kwara state
  • Faculty of Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna state
  • College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Nsukka, Enugu state
  • Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH)
  • Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma
  • Niger Delta University (NDU)
  • University of Port Harcourt
  • University of Calabar

1. The University of Lagos, College of Medicine

The University of Lagos sits in the bubbling city of Lagos. Lagos is in the southwestern region of Nigeria. Amongst many other awards that make it outstanding, it is one of the best medical schools in Nigeria. 

Since its inception, the University of Lagos has been notable for excellence in academics and activities that enhance growth and nation-building. It is built in such a way that graduates of the school are highly trained to provide solutions to societal problems. 

Students of the college of medicine upon graduation and even before graduation can provide specialized medical services and intensive research on topics bordering on medicine and a possible way forward. 

The federal government, when necessary, makes for the provision of funds for research at the medical research institute of the college of medicine to encourage the students and staff and find possible ways to thrive in an evolving world. 

The college of medicine at the university is one of the best medical schools in Nigeria. There are three faculties in the college of medicine and they include.

  •  Faculty of Basic Medical Science
  •  The Faculty of Clinical Sciences
  •  Faculty of Dental Sciences

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2. College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife 

Obafemi Awolowo University popularly called OAU is one of the renowned universities in Nigeria. Apart from its general recognition, it is one of the best medical universities in Nigeria. 

 It is situated in the southwestern part of Nigeria, although not in a bustling city like one of the major commercial cities in Nigeria, it sits pretty in Ile Ife a serene and purposeful environment. It is notable for the college hospital where so many cases of rare and unpopular illnesses have been taken care of. 

This gives students of the college of medicine in the university an added advantage over their peers who may not be entitled to the experience of a medicinal solution to rare ailments. It is easily one of the best medical schools in Nigeria. 

And the college of medicine has produced strong and excellent professionals in the field of medicine who have gone on to effect positive change in their world. Education at OAU is worth the whole while, studying medicine in one of the best medical schools in Nigeria as OAU is the magic of excellence. The college of medicine is fully accredited and has four faculties namely:

  •  Faculty of Basic Medical Science
  •  The Faculty of Clinical Sciences
  •  Faculty of Dentistry
  •  Institute of Public Health

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3. College of Medicine, University of Ilorin, Kwara state

The University of Ilorin is one of the coolest universities in Nigeria where anyone can study medicine. It is one of the best medical schools in Nigeria. One very interesting fact about this school is that the school calendar is not affected by any form of an externally organized strike by any regulating body. 

This makes the educational system more effective than all others because graduate within the stipulated time frame allotted to the study of the course of study enrolled in. 

The school is in the South-Western part of Nigeria. There are a lot of needful facilities for students to practice with. It is said that studying medicine at the University of Ilorin equal to studying medicine in a top university in Europe notable for excellence in medicine.

 It is also one of the best medical schools in Nigeria. This college of Medicine also have two faculties namely:

  • Faculty of Basic Medical Science
  •  The Faculty of Clinical Sciences

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4. Faculty of Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna state

Ahmadu Bello University Zaria is one of the leading universities in Nigeria, the college of medicine at the university is one of the best medical schools in Nigeria. 

Its record of being one of the best can be traced to the expert medical service always rendered at the college hospital and the availability of doctors to help a rare-case patient get medical help.

The university is one of the foremost universities in the North and the entire federation. It has the capacity to produced excellent medical graduates and experts. 

There are the necessary facilities and there are needed essentials for a wide range of understanding and depth of medicine. Little wonder Ahmadu Bello University Zaria is one of the best medical schools in Nigeria.

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5. College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Nsukka, Enugu state

Firstly, the University of Nigeria Nsukka has a name that rings a bell. It is one of the foremost universities in Nigeria. The college of medicine at the university is one of the best medical schools in Nigeria.

 It is located in the eastern part of the country but has students from all parts of the country. The university is reputable for excellent and extraordinary professionalism in the area of medicine and every other course accredited by the NUC for study at the university. 

The teaching hospital at the university has served Nigerian citizens medically for so many years. The students are outstandingly good in competition with their peers from other schools. The college of medicine at the University of Nigeria Nsukka is one of the best medical schools in Nigeria.

The college currently boasts of three faculties, which includes:

  •  Faculty of Medical Science
  •  The Faculty of Dentistry
  •  Faculty of Health Science and technology

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6. Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH)

Lagos state is rich and vast in quite a great deal of activities and sectors which includes the educational establishments of which the medical sectors is one of.

 The Lagos state university teaching hospital is one of the best medical schools in Nigeria. It is owned by the Lagos state government and financed by the Lagos state government. 

 The teaching hospital has given hope to dying patients thereby giving it a place of importance in the eyes of Nigerian citizens. It is one of the accredited medical schools in Nigeria and one of the best medical schools in Nigeria.

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7. Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma

This University is one of the universities in Nigeria known for excellence in academics and diaspora.  

It is located in Edo state and is reputable for her medical school which stands tall as one of the best medical schools in Nigeria. The school awards degrees to graduates of courses in medical sciences thus: BSc, Medical Physiology, and Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Sciences.

Although the MBBS degree is without honor classification the BSc. Physiology and Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Sciences are with classification based on CGPA. The school is easily one of the best medical schools in Nigeria.

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8. Niger Delta University (NDU)

NDU is one of the best medical schools in Nigeria. There’s quite a lot of competition trying to get into the university for a particular course of study and coupled with the fact that medicine is very competitive in all schools including schools without awards or so much recognition.

Medicine at the college of medicine is practiced with dexterity and extreme care, the lecturers taking extreme care in exposing the students to the complexities of the course and the needed knowledge for a bright professional career. The medical school at the University is easily one of the best medical schools in Nigeria.

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9. University of Port-Harcourt

The University of Port Harcourt was founded in 1975 as a federal university college and proceeded further in 1977 to be fully inaugurated as a university. 

Since its inception, the school has progressively grown in leaps and bounds academically and in activities essential for the growth of any educational organization. Among the list of colleges and faculties in the University is the College of Medicine.

 The college of Medicine at the University of Port Harcourt is one of the best medical schools in Nigeria. 

The provision of top medical facilities expedient for the course is made available in the school by the federal government. This enables the students to learn comprehensively in a good academic environment.

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10. University Of Calabar

The University of Calabar could be regarded as one of Nigeria’s second-generation federal universities. The school was a campus of the University of Nigeria until 1975. 

The medical school at the university is one of the best medical schools in Nigeria. The medical program is very conducive in the school and the provision of basic amenities for study and research are not lacking. The motto of the school is “Knowledge for service.”

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FAQs

Are there private medical schools in Nigeria?

Of course! Some of the top private universities in Nigeria have medical faculty in them. Some even to the list of best medical schools in Nigeria right ahead of other schools.

How many years does it take to study Medicine?

Studying Medicine is dependent on a lot of factors bordering around accreditation, the country, the school. In Nigeria, it takes six years to study medicine. Internship and residency can summarize it all into seven years or more. The best medical schools in Nigeria may not have the problem of accreditation, so students graduate when due.

How much does it cost to study Medicine in Nigeria?

Medicine takes everything! Time, money. The cost of studying Medicine may vary from school to school so there’s no particular cost per se. However, it may cost #200, 000 in a university for a session and cost #400, 000 in another university.

It can be as cheap because of the university. Private schools are more expensive than public schools. So, the cost of studying medicine in the best medical schools in Nigeria is within the range of NGN200,000 to NGN400, 000.

This appears expensive compared to what the struggling Nigerian expect but it is something that cannot be helped because there is a lot of research, equipment, and tools for medical students that cost a lot.

How many medical schools do we have in Nigeria?

There are so many schools in Nigeria that offer Medicine as a course of study. Some are yet to get accreditation and some have lost accreditation too. Currently, about 37 universities have full accreditation for Medicine, and 6 have partial accreditation. The number is not always the same. Most of these schools have high recommendations for Medicine and some of them form part of the best medical schools in Nigeria.

Conclusion

There are so many medical schools in Nigeria. Some are in the list of best medical schools in Nigeria while some are not. But, the option of which is better for you is dependent on a lot of personal choices.

Also, some medical schools are more expensive than others, choose which suits your budget and pocket but adjust you mind to excellence because to make a great Doctor, excellence is part of the needed lifestyle.

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