Nigerian Medical Students

Become a Doctor for Global Health

For Nigerian applicants, there are several pathways to earn a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree from the University of Health Sciences Antigua.

Joint University Degree and Partnership Board

UHSA has partnered with the Joint University Degree and Partnership Board (JUDAP) to facilitate the enrollment of Nigerian medical students. Through this collaboration, UHSA offers a 90-credit Pre-Medical Program in partnership with several esteemed Nigerian universities including:

  • Rivers State University, Port Harcourt
  • Enugu State University of Science & Technology, Enugu
  • Lagos State University, Lagos
  • Precious Cornerstone University, Ibadan

Advantages of UHSA

Founded in 1982, as one of the oldest medical schools in the Caribbean region, UHSA students receive a quality medical education on a safe island at our beautiful 50-acre campus. Students attend classes in a year-round trimester format. Our curriculum was designed with the same prerequisites as US medical schools, offering students the necessary knowledge for excelling during Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Residency. Other advantages include:

  • UHSA is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS)
  • Recognition by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG)
  • Our MD program meets the requirements of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN)
  • Clinical rotations at teaching hospitals in Nigeria, the United States, Canada, and the UK
  • Instruction from North American-trained MD faculty
  • On-campus accommodations for male and female students

International Recognition

  • World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS)
  • Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG)
  • Antigua & Barbuda National Accreditation Board (ABNAB)
  • General Medical Council (GMC)
  • Medical Council of Canada (MCC)

Our medical school is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools with an ECFMG® Sponsor Note. For the graduation years indicated in the Sponsor Note, our students and graduates are eligible to apply to ECFMG for ECFMG Certification and USMLE® as a step towards ECFMG Certification.

Listed in the International Medical Education Directory by FAIMER.

Program pathways for students from Nigeria

Premedical Sciences Program – 1 Year

Our 90-credit-hour Premedical Program (Pre-med) is a one-year program designed specifically for high school graduates aspiring to pursue a career in medicine. This comprehensive online program guarantees students acceptance into UHSA’s esteemed Doctor of Medicine (MD) program.

Doctor of Medicine Program (MD) – 4 Years

The Doctor of Medicine (MD) program is completed within four years. The first six terms of the program are dedicated to completing the Basic Sciences, followed by a Review of the Basic Sciences to prepare for the USMLE Step 1.

The final four terms of the program are spent completing the Clinical Sciences at our affiliate teaching hospitals. Our MD program is based on the curriculum standards of U.S. medical schools by fully integrating the basic sciences and clinical sciences throughout the entire MD program.

Doctor of Medicine (MD) Curriculum

Basic Sciences

The Basic Sciences, which takes place in Antigua at our 50-acre campus, focuses on the medical sciences using our United States-modeled medical school curriculum. In the Basic Sciences, students build a medical knowledge base that will serve them throughout their medical careers. Our Basic Sciences faculty are highly credentialed and recruited primarily from the United States.

Term I – Year One

Human Engineering I:

Clinical Anatomy and Imaging
Embryology
Cell Biology
Histology

The Practice of Medicine I:

Clinical Observership (Primary Care)

The Physician and Society:

Medical History and Professionalism

Term II – Year One

Human Engineering II:

Biochemistry
Physiology
Medical Genetics

The Practice of Medicine II:

Clinical Observership (Primary Care)

Perspectives of the Mind:

Behaviour and Health

Term III – Year One

Human Engineering III:

Neuroscience
Medical Microbiology and Immunology

The Practice of Medicine III:

Clinical Observership (Primary Care)

Healthy Communities:

Wellness and Prevention

Term IV – Year Two

Disruption, Repair, and Care I:

Pathology
Pharmacology

The Practice of Medicine IV:

Clinical Observership (Internal Medicine Wards)

The Physician as a Scientist:

Enquiry and Evidence-based Medicine

Term V – Year Two

Disruption, Repair, and Care II:

Pathology
Pharmacology

The Practice of Medicine V:

Clinical Observership (Internal Medicine Wards)

The Medical Ethos:

Intersections of Medicine, Law, and Ethics

TERM VI – Year Two

Basic Sciences Comprehensive Review

Clinical Sciences – Years Three and Four

Once advancing to the Clinical Sciences, students must complete 78 weeks of core and elective clinical clerkships, which can be completed in four academic terms at our affiliated hospitals and specialized Clinical facilities.

Students receive personalized guidance from the clinical faculty and develop the skills and knowledge essential for graduate medical education. Clinical training includes history taking, physical examinations, laboratory analysis, case presentations, clinical workshops, conferences, and online lectures. The clinical department completes scheduling of clerkships.

Core Rotations – 48 Weeks

Third-year medical students are required to complete core rotations in the following areas:

Family Practice 6 weeks
Internal Medicine 12 weeks
Obstetrics and Gynecology 6 weeks
Pediatrics 6 weeks
Psychiatry 6 weeks
Surgery 12 weeks

Elective Rotations – 30 Weeks

Fourth-year medical students must complete 30 weeks of elective clerkships (two terms). Students choose their clerkships based on their interests and goals. Elective clerkships can be in any of the below categories, and can be no less than two weeks and no more than four weeks.

Allergy and Immunology Orthopedic Surgery
Anesthesiology Otolaryngology
Colon and Rectal Surgery Pathology
Dermatology Pediatrics
Emergency Medicine Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Family Practice Plastic Surgery
Internal Medicine Preventive Medicine
Medical Genetics Psychiatry
Neurological Surgery Radiology
Nuclear Medicine Surgery
Obstetrics and Gynecology Thoracic Surgery
Ophthalmology

Enrollment Dates

Applicants for admission to the Premedical Sciences or Doctor of Medicine program may apply to start in January, May, or September of any given year.

Inquire about enrollment

Official Enrollment Partner
Dr. Praise Folaji
Email: praise.folaji@uhsa.edu.ag