The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has kicked against the recent decision of the National Universities Commission (NUC) to upgrade the nomenclature of degree programmes in Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, and Optometry from bachelor’s degrees to “Doctor” status in Nigerian universities.
The NUC implemented these changes in January, explaining that the decision is driven by the need to incorporate more clinical and practical sessions, improve foundational course coverage, enhance clinical skills, and address all speciality areas comprehensively.
In response, the association expressed concern that the decision might have unintended consequences.
“Conferring the title ‘Doctor’ on multiple professional groups without public education or structural clarity may confuse patients, worsen inter-professional tensions, and enable quackery in an already fragile health system.
“Teamwork in care delivery depends on clear roles and trust”, the association stated in a communiqué published on its official X handle on Thursday.
NARD noted that over the past two decades, agitations by other health worker groups had increasingly focused on competing with medical doctors, rather than driving systemic improvements.