The National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria was set up by Decree No. 67 of 1979 to train, examine and award Degrees, Certificates and Diplomas in all areas of postgraduate Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry. It was set up with Faculties and a Senate with powers to determine and establish additional Faculties. The College today has 16 faculties in medical, surgical and dental specialties. It has concentrated on producing specialists in medical and dental specialties for service, teaching and research for more than 50 years.
The overriding philosophy of the College has been to provide continuing postgraduate medical training and skills to medical doctors in Nigeria. The specialists so produced are saddled with two main responsibilities which include provision of specialist medical care for Nigerians in all the secondary and tertiary health institutions and train the next generation of doctors as medical teachers in all the medical schools in Nigeria. Some of its Fellows are involved in the design and implementation of primary health care programmes at all levels as well as in the implementation of disease control programmes.
In line with its statute, the College Senate reviewed the changes that have occurred in several sectors globally and in Nigeria and therefore decided to introduce the training and award of the postgraduate MD program, (British Model) in Clinical Sciences in the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN).
Background of the MD Programme
The Senate of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria at its June 2019 meeting gave approval for the commencement of the process that will lead to the award of the M.D degree by the College.
Postgraduate M.D. programme
A higher degree designated as Postgraduate M.D shall be provided for in the NPMCN and shall be awarded by the College on the basis of clinical course work, research thesis and an oral defense examination. The Postgraduate M.D. programme is designed to be a pre-fellowship doctorate degree equivalent to Ph.D that is awarded by the Universities
Philosophy
The philosophy of the MD programme is to develop highly knowledgeable and skilled manpower for teaching and research for the public, private and international organizations in the field of medicine and related sciences.
Aims and Objectives:
a) To provide trainees with the necessary knowledge, skills and competencies to function effectively as teachers, researchers and professionals in the health and medically related industry.
b) To ensure the acquisition of teaching, research and professional skills by trainees for imparting knowledge in Nigeria and internationally
c) To produce graduates who are capable of applying scientific knowledge and principles to solve human and environmental problems
d) To produce scientists who are socially responsible and mindful of accepted norms and ethics.
Domain of programme
- NPMCN offices in Ijanikin for overall control, admissions, assessment and for conduct of college- based courses
- Satellite centers : These are Accredited University Teaching Hospitals and affiliated allied institutions. Physical lectures, seminars, practicals and other specified contact activities are expected to hold in these centres. The centres are accredited and supervised by the College. Generally in addition to other requirements as may be specified by the College Senate, the satellite centres are expected to have full accreditation in the respective specialty for College Residency training programmes and in addition have 2 full professors (or Fellows of more than 10 years who possess the College MD degree or its equivalent) in the specialty on full-time appointment in the centre.
- There are 3 modalities for admission and award of the MD degree
- MD by Course Work and Thesis
- MD by Thesis
- MD by Publication
General Requirements and Regulations
General requirements and regulations governing higher degrees are similar to those in the draft NUC BMAS GUIDELINES released for postgraduate medical education for Nigeria 2018
Format and Structure of the MD Thesis
A thesis for the degree of M.D shall embody either clinical observations and laboratory findings or experimental research work with clinical applications. A thesis shall also take due account of relevant work in the basic medical, laboratory medicine and public health sciences.
• It shall be the original work of the candidate making a significant contribution to knowledge in or understanding of the field of study; contain materials worthy of publication, and a declaration that the thesis is original.
• The scope of the thesis shall be what might reasonably be expected after three or at most four years of full-time study
• Where the candidate is a member of a research team and the thesis incorporates the result of the team’s work, the nature and extent of the candidate’s contribution to the work and those of his/her colleagues must be fully indicated in the form of a declaration which will accompany the thesis when submitted for examination. The Postgraduate Medical College reserves the right to seek confirmation from any appropriate source (s) regarding any claims made in pursuant to this regulation.
Structure
A word count of 50,000 to 100,000 words will be required arranged as follows:
Structured Abstract of 250-350 words containing (Background, Aims, Methodology, Results and Conclusion)
Introduction ( including justification, objectives etc.) to make up 5-10% of the entire volume of the thesis
Exhaustive and critical Literature Review particularly of Nigerian and Regional studies to constitute 30-40% of the volume of the thesis.
Methodology (Subjects, centers, methods etc) will constitute 10-15% of total volume
Results appropriately presented will constitute 10-20% of total volume
Discussion of the results in relationship with existing knowledge which should constitute 20-25% of total volume
Appropriate Conclusion and Recommendations based on the candidates work
Referencing shall be by the Vancouver method
MD by Course Work and Thesis
Admission Requirements
- Associate Fellows of the College who have registered in the residency programme in the Faculty they intend to pursue the Postgraduate M.D. and in addition have passed the Part 1 examinations of the College in the respective Faculty
Courses for MD Programme
The candidate is expected to pass or to provide evidence of having passed the following courses.
College Based Courses
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- NPMC 994 Medical Education
- NPMC 995 Advanced Research Methodology
- NPMC 996 Advanced Health Resources Management
- NPMC 997 Assessments and Examination Methods
In addition the candidate is expected to take 1 of the Faculty-based courses during the period. The list of Faculty courses are available from the respective faculties as approved by the College.
Seminars in the candidate’s specialty rated as 6 credit units and a successful defense of the Thesis after completing the courses will complete the programme.
Registration for Residents for MD by Course work and Thesis
- A candidate must have been admitted into the Residency programme in one of the accredited institutions.
- The candidate would have passed the Part 1 examination in the respective Faculty or any similar qualification acceptable to the Senate of the College
- The candidate must apply to the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria and must have appropriately filled a form specifying the Faculty of interest.
- The application should be accompanied by: A compact form signed with his intended lead supervisor from the list of supervisors approved by the College, and a 500 word statement of intent listing the title and a brief of the expected research.
Provisional admission by the College
The candidate will provide
- Letters from two (2) approved supervisors who must be full professors (or Fellows of 10 years standing who in addition hold the College MD degree or its equivalent) in the same faculty the Candidate wishes to study accepting to supervise the candidate. For studies across faculties, the lead supervisor should be the person whose expertise best matches the candidates proposed study
- A research proposal signed by the supervisors.
- Approved Ethical clearance from the base institution where the bulk of the study will take place
Duration
The duration of the programme shall be a minimum of six semesters of fifteen weeks each after registration. The semesters may run continuously without breaks. At the beginning of each semester subsequent to initial registration, each M.D. candidate shall be required to submit a satisfactory 100-word progress report duly endorsed by the supervisor and the host department as a condition for renewal of studentship. In addition tuition fees should be paid every calendar year
Final Assessment
The course is for Six (6) continuous semesters. The examination is scheduled during regular College examinations with Examiners (Assessors) appointed by the College provided the candidate has successfully passed all College and relevant Faculty courses and the Seminar. The candidate’s supervisors among others may be invited to witness the examination.
MD by Thesis
Fellows of the College, or of other equivalent sister Colleges who opt to do the M.D programme must apply to the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria and must have appropriately filled a form specifying the Faculty of interest.
A prospective candidate who desires to undertake Doctor of Medicine (M.D) programme can adopt any of the two routes available, either by research or publication with the requirements and regulations provided below:
Application for MD by Thesis
(i) The candidate must apply to the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria and must have appropriately filled a form specifying the Faculty of interest.
(ii) The application should be accompanied by:
A compact form signed with his intended lead supervisor from the list of supervisors approved by the College, and a 500 word statement of intent listing the title and a brief of the expected research.
On provisional admission by the College, the candidate will provide:
1) Letters from two (2) approved supervisors who must be full professors (or Fellows of 10 years standing who in addition hold the College MD degree or its equivalent) in the same faculty the Candidate wishes to study accepting to supervise the candidate. For studies across faculties, the lead supervisor should be the person whose expertise best matches the candidates proposed study
2) A research proposal signed by the supervisors.
3) Approved Ethical clearance from the base institution where the bulk of the study will take place
- A candidate shall not apply for examination until the thesis has been registered for the degree for at least 4 semesters.
- The Fellows of NPMCN undergoing the MD program shall have the courses taken during residency training waived. This apply specifically to
- NPMC 995 – Research Methodology
- NPMC 996 – Health Resources Management
Final Assessment
The course is for Four (4) continuous semesters. The examination is scheduled during regular College examinations with Examiners (Assessors) appointed by the College. The supervisors among others may be invited to witness the examination.
MD by Publication
This is available to Fellows of the National Postgraduate Medical College or our Sister Colleges. Prospective candidates must satisfy the following conditions:
* Register a Research proposal acceptable to the College under a specific theme in a specialized field of Medicine or Dentistry.
* Conduct prospective Research and publish 5 manuscripts in PUBMED-indexed journals. Three (3) of the publications must be in journals with an impact factor of not less than 1.
* The 5 publications will then be combined under the theme approved in the Research proposal with an introduction and a conclusion into the Thesis.
* The Thesis will then be defended before a panel of Examiners as in the other categories.
