MDCAN begins strike over NUC’s circular on possession of PhD by members

The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria has described as “obnoxious” the circular by the National Universities Commission on the use of PhD qualification for consultants for career progression.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that NUC had on December 24, 2019 issued a circular that vice chancellors must recognise possession of PhD as a prerequisite for career progression by all academic staff, including clinical lecturers.
The Vice Chairman of MDCAN in Ondo State, Omolayo Olubosede, at a press conference on Monday in Akure, said the association rejected the circular in its entirety.
Olubosede said that NUC had no right to and should desist from meddling in the affairs of post-graduate medical training, which was in the purview of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria.
She said a medical consultant needed not to have PhD because he/she had spent more years than what a PhD holder would have spent.
She said: “We demand that NUC should desist forthwith from meddling in the postgraduate medical training, which is in the purview of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria.
Olubosede reiterated that MDCAN rejected the imposition of PhD on clinical lecturers.
She said: “The Executive Secretary, NUC has mentioned that possession of PhD is voluntary and optional and not making it mandatory for career progression for clinical lecturers.
“The NUC is trying to meddle in the postgraduate medical training in Nigeria, thereby usurping the powers of the National Postgraduate Medical College.
“MDCAN is not averse to the possession of PhD but should remain voluntary and optional for clinical lecturers.
“The NUC circular, if allowed to stand, will worsen the already precarious health situation in the country by encouraging continuous brain drain of our best from the University system.”
Olubosede called on the NPMCN to live up to its statutory powers of awarding degrees to postgraduate trainees.
She said the national body of MDCAN had given NUC till February 24 to withdraw the circular, which, it failed to do, adding that members, who were clinical lecturers in the universities, had already withdrawn their services.
The MDCAN vice chairman said the association in the state had already complied as its members, who are clinical lecturers at the University of Medical Sciences, had since withdrawn their services.