Medical Courses in Nigerian Universities: Full List (2024)

Medicine and Surgery is one of the best courses to study in Nigerian universities. At the secondary education level, most students in the sciences wishes to get admitted into the university studying Medicine and Surgery.

Parents sees forcing their wards to study the course as a parental role they must play. As a result, competition becomes high and only those on top of the ladder and with connections finally get admitted.

However, if your passion lies in the health sciences, then you don’t need to limit yourself to Medicine and Surgery. Others Medical courses exist, most of which are equally hot and lucrative.

This article contains list of medical courses that you can study in Nigerian Universities.

Medicine And Surgery

Medicine and Surgery is the medical science that deals with the study of the human body structure called anatomy, and the various functions of the body called physiology with the aim of healing of mal-functions through drugs.

Needless to say, this is the mother of medical courses. It has branches in pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, radiology, internal medicine, community health, cardiology.

As stated in the introductory part, this is usually the most preferred choice of those that have interest in studying a  medical course.

Dentistry

Dentistry is the medical course that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of disease of mouth with reference to teeth.

With branches in periodontology, orthodontics, oral pathology, dental radiology, paededonties, prosthetic.

To many, dentist is regarded as the doctor of the teeth but dentistry is not limited to the teeth alone. It also includes other aspects of the craniofacial complex including the temporomandibular joint and other supporting, muscular, lymphatic, nervous, vascular, and anatomical structures.

Pharmacy

Pharmacy is one of the best professional & lucrative courses to study in Nigerian universities that can fetch you a high paying job. This course deals with study of drugs, manufacture of drugs and sales with dispensary of such drugs.

This course is termed second best with branches in pharmacology, clinical pharmacy, pharmaceutics, pharmaceutical chemistry.

It is a health profession that links health sciences with chemical sciences and aims to ensure the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs.

Nursing

Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life.

Nurses may be differentiated from other health care providers by their approach to patient care, training , and scope of practice. Nurses practice in many specialties with differing levels of prescription authority.

Many nurses in Nigeria provide care within the ordering scope of physicians, and this traditional role has shaped the public image of nurses as care providers.

However, nurse practitioners are permitted by most jurisdictions to practice independently in a variety of settings.

Medical Laboratory Science

A medical laboratory scientist (MLS) (also referred to as a medical technologist, a clinical scientist, or clinical laboratory technologist) is a healthcare professional who performs chemical, hematological, immunologic, microscopic, and bacteriological diagnostic analyses on body fluids such as blood, urine, sputum, stool, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), peritoneal fluid, pericardial fluid, and synovial fluid, as well as other specimens.

Medical laboratory scientists work in clinical laboratories at hospitals, physician’s offices, reference labs, biotechnology labs and non-clinical industrial labs.

Veterinary Medicine

Veterinary medicine is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, disorder and injury in non-human animals.

The scope of veterinary medicine is wide, covering all animal species, both domesticated and wild , with a wide range of conditions which can affect different species.

Veterinary science helps human health through the monitoring and control of zoonotic disease ( infectious disease transmitted from non-human animals to humans), food safety, and indirectly through human applications from basic medical research.

Radiography

This is another medical course which aims to provide you with knowledge, understanding and skills in radiography practice.

It incorporates the specific skills of radiation science, anatomy, physiology, pathology and radiography.

This medical course deals with the treatment of diseases like cancer and also deal with analysis of the diagnostic images of anatomic structures.

Optometry

This is one of the medical courses to study in Nigerian universities, It involves examining the eyes and applicable visual systems for defects or abnormalities as well as the medical diagnosis and management of eye disease.

Optometrists are trained intensively in the diagnosis and management of ocular disease in addition to correcting refractive error through the use of spectacles.

Microbiology

This is an area of biology that deals with the study of micro-organisms, it’s interaction and relationship with the environs and also activities with the living beings. It is very vast and promising with numerous branches.

The science dealing with X-rays and other high-energy radiation, especially the use of such radiation for the diagnosis and treatment of disease.

Biochemistry

This is the study of chemical processes within and relating to living organisms . Biochemical processes give rise to the complexity of life.

Biochemistry is a sub-discipline of both biology and chemistry, biochemistry can be divided in three fields; molecular genetics, protein science and metabolism.

Over the last decades of the 20th century, biochemistry has through these three disciplines become successful at explaining living processes.

Almost all areas of the life sciences are being uncovered and developed by biochemical methodology and research.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapists improve the quality of life of patients through examination, diagnosis, prognosis, physical intervention, and patient education.

Physiotherapy is one of the allied medical courses. It involves using mechanical force and movements, manual therapy, exercise therapy, and electrotherapy, remediats impairments and promotes mobility and function.