Nature of Medical Students Examinations (MBBS): from 100 to 600 Level in Nigeria

Medicine and surgery is a rigorous course to study in Nigeria and in other parts of the world because of the nature of the Medical school curriculum and the nature of the examinations. While training to be a Medical doctor, there are certain things you must learn in other to successfully graduate as a medical doctor in Nigeria. The nature of medical exams is not the same as that of other courses as the exam itself teaches you the ethics of medicine and also helps you to indirectly start practicing even before graduating.

Medical examinations are not written every year in most medical colleges in Nigeria. Most times you start writing the medical exams in 300 level which is known as 2^nd MBBS and then in 400 level known as 3^rd MBBS and then 500Level known as 4^th MBBS and finally in your final year (600 level) known as 5^th MBBS.The curriculum does not follow the normal year as you may think as you may spend more than a year in each level making the 5^th MBBS to be written in the 6^th year instead of fifth year.

Nature of the 2^nd MBBS Medical Examination in Nigeria

The second MBBS is written about 2 years after starting Medicine and surgery; you start with non-medical courses in your year one under Natural sciences and you are expected to pass the natural science courses before you are promoted to year 2 where you start the medicine proper.In your 2^nd year, you will learn about Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry and during this year, you will be reading constantly as there will be many continuous assessment tests you will be taking after which their cumulative is taken (this means you will not want to fail anyone). Whatever you re thought in your 2^nd year will be added to that of the 3^rd year and written as exams. This means that the 2^nd MBBS exam is a combination of the work load of year 2 and 3.

How is the 2^nd MBBS Medical exam conducted in Nigeria?

It is divided into 3 parts: the practical, theory and oral parts for each of the 3 courses biochemistry, physiology and anatomy.

The Theory of 2^nd MBBS Exam

The theory consists of an essay which may consist of 4 or 5 essay questions of which you are to answer ALL. There is no option for choosing any question to answer most times, the lecturers do this because you will not have an option as to treat a patient or not; this means you are expected to have a solution to a patients problem, hence you are not allowed to choose.

The other aspect of the theory consists of multiple choice questions (MCQ): these questions consist of A, B, C, D and E as options and you are expected to choose each option as being TRUE or FALSE.

An example of MCQ will be:

Question 1: The Human Head is:

A) Part of a Body (True) or (False)

B) An organ of the Body (True) or (False)

C) Contains the eyes (True) or (False)

D) Is part of the CNS (True) or (False)

E) All of the above (True) or (False)

You are expected to mark either true (T) or false (F) for each option.

One thing about the MCQ is that it contains NEGATIVE marking: this means if you choose a wrong answer, -1 will be deducted from what you get. If you score 60 as being right out of 100 questions, your total marks will be 60 20 = 40/100. When you score 45 as being right, your total score will be 45 55 = -5 (the negative 5) will be deducted from any test you write subsequently. The MCQ is timed and you are mostly expected to spend just 30 to 40 seconds to read and answer each question; about 50 minutes or sometimes 60 minutes given to answer 100 questions.

This type of negative marking is very strict and it is done to help the doctor not to cause harm to a patient by guessing. You are expected to refer a patient to another higher health Facility or you call on a senior colleague but not to guess with someones life. That is why I said earlier that the exams help you to learn the ethics as well as start practicing right before you finish.

Professor Sule just finished his lectures together with some of his resident doctors; He is the Professor of general surgery . Sorry I could just snapped from behind because if you could help me snap while facing him, I will be glad you do so!

The Practical aspect of 2^nd MBBS exams

The practical aspect consists of all that you have been doing during your practical sessions in the lab.

For Biochemistry, you are expected to identify some reagents and objects or tools you normally use in the lab. You are also expected to mix some reagents and use that to identify some chemical compounds such as tests for reducing sugars, tests for carbohydrates etc.

The practical session is timed and when you waste time, you may end up not doing much.

The Physiology practical is similar to biochemistry as you will do some calculations, do some practical work and answer short questions within 15 seconds (known as Stippled Chase because the questions are answered in haste)

Anatomy consist of the different parts of the body of Cadaver (dead body used for practical purpose) being pinned with questions for you to identify the parts, their functions, their blood and nerve supply etc. You will also identify X-rays and Histology slides and Embryology specimens within seconds.

Oral Examination (Viva Voce)

This part tests your communication skills and forms a small part of the overall marks in the exam. Your lecturers and some external supervisors (who are also doctors) will ask you some short questions of which you are expected to answer. Your dressing and appearance is also marked.

Nature of the 3^rd MBBS Medical Examination in Nigeria

The 3^rd MBBS Medical examination is just as the 2^nd MBBS but the courses vary: Pharmacology and Pathology (consisting of Histopathology, Hematology, Microbiology and Chemical Pathology).

It consists of 3 parts also and conducted just as the 2^nd MBBS.

Nature of the 4^th MBBS Medical Examination in Nigeria

This is the first Clinical examination you will write as you will be given real patients with Medical problems that you are expected to ask the patient questions, conduct a clinical physical examination on the patient, write out your investigations that you would have done, the diagnosis and possible treatment. At the end of the Clinical session with the patient, you will write out everything on a paper and present to your examiners (who are doctors). Your patient will be there and you cannot lie to the examiners. When you are done, you will be bombarded with questions that might make you sweat even a cold environment.

The clinical part of the 4^th MBBS determines whether you will pass or fail the exams because you may score high on the Theory (the written exams) but when you dont get up to half of the marks in your clinical, you will still fail. Having 30 in Clinical and 70 in written will still make you fail the exam and you have to write the repeat exam again. So the clinical work is of more importance than theory. This does not mean that passing only the clinical will make you pass but the when you fail the theory and pass the clinical, the marks are added, when your combined score is more than half of total score, you will pass even though you fail the theory.

The 4^thMBBS in University of Jos consists of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatric exams.

Nature of the 5^th MBBS Medical Examination in Nigeria

The 5^th MBBS exam is the second clinical examination that you will write and the final exam this can be full of anxiety as well as motivation (since you will be graduating from the stress of medical school) and fears. It is written just as the 4^th MBBS exam and importance is given to the clinical aspect more. For University of Jos, this exam is Medicine and Surgery courses exams.

After every Medical exam, a repeat exam or Reseat as some may call it is conducted after a few weeks of revision to those that failed and when they pass the Repeat or Reseat exam, they will still continue with their mates when all resume. Failing the reseat exam again means you will have to wait for your juniors to write with them.

All Medical examinations have the oral, theory and practical parts with importance given to practical or clinical aspect as that determines whether you become a good doctor or not.

The few weeks (about 2 weeks or some days) taken to write any Medical exam can be very stressful and fearful for Medical students as there are many things you need to read and understand in other to pass which cannot be read in few weeks; hence the reason why most medical students are always found reading their books because the workload is much and in order to pass the exams, preparation must be done many months before the main examination.

Good luck to you if you are writing any Medical exam or just curious of how it is going to be when you finally get the admission to study Medicine.


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