400 out of 700 foreign-trained applicants fail test, as MDCN inducts 205 new doctors
Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) has inducted new 205 foreign-trained medical doctors and dentists who were successful in the assessment test conducted by the Council recently.
The induction exercise which was conducted at its headquarters in Abuja, Wednesday, was witnessed by the Minister of State for Health, Tunji Alausa; former Ministers of Health and Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Prof. Isaac Adewole and Adamu Aliero, respectively, among several others.
MDCN Registrar, Dr. Tajudeeen Sanusi, told journalists after the induction ceremony that over 700 foreign-trained doctors mostly from Ukraine schools participated in the assessment test, out of which 495 (72.6%) failed the assessment examination.
He explained that the assessment examination was designed by MDCN to test the capacity of the doctors vis-a-vis the knowledge and skills they claimed to had acquired from their individual institutions abroad.
“This time, we had over 700 applications from the foreign-trained doctors. Unfortunately, 205 passed the examinations indicating 27.4 per cent success rate. Ukraine trained doctors were more than candidates from other places. Unfortunately, the assessment test exposed that they never had enough clinical trainings that could have earned them MDCN certification.
“For the locally trained doctors, we have our own monitoring tools unlike the doctors that were trained abroad. Local institutions are always under our watch and we don’t hesitate to take actions whenever we suspect any foul play.”
Remarking, Minister of state for health, Tunji Alausa, congratulated the inductees and urged them to be dedicated to the service of God and humanity, in line with the calling of the medical profession.
FCT Chairman of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Charles Ugwuanyi, in his remarks, advised the new doctors to work closely with their senior colleagues so they can be properly tutored and guided for a crisis-free career.
