MDCN inducts 178 foreign trained medical and dental graduates

The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) has inducted 178 graduates of medicine and dentistry from foreign institutions.

Speaking during the induction ceremony at the council’s headquarters in Abuja , Chairman of the governing board of the council, Professor Abba Waziri Hassan, said 647 Medical and Dental graduates appeared for the June 2022 examination, and out of this number, 172 medical graduates (26.5 percent) and six (0.93 percent ) dental graduates passed.

He said this gives a total of 178 successful candidates with an overall percentage pass of 27.5 percent.

Professor Hassan, said it is necessary to conduct the examination to assess the quality of candidates trained outside the country.

He said, “We appreciate that as long as there are inadequate vacancies to absorb qualified candidates in our medical and dental colleges, some have to go abroad for medical and dental training. This is why MDCN continues to encourage federal and state governments and philanthropists to invest more on establishment of medical schools.”

He said while efforts are being made by MDCN and the Nigeria Universities Commission (NUC) to increase the carrying capacities of the existing medical schools and encouraging the opening of new ones, parents/guardians and state governments should be cautious as to which countries to send wards for medical and dental training.

He advised the inductees to shelve malpractice by not attending to cases that they are not capable to handle and seek guidance from their seniors at the right time.

“You should develop good understanding with your colleagues, seniors and other health professionals that you will work with in the overall interest of your patients. The oath you are going to take should be the watch word of your practice for life,” he advised.