Tochukwu C. Okeke^,, Bond U.S. Anyaehie, Emmanuel O. Ugwu, Polycarp U. Agu, Ifeoma Orizu, Charles Adiri, Joe Ezugwuorie, Euzebus C. Ezugwu, Uchenna I. Nwagha

There is need for periodic evaluation of medical students’ performance in professional medical examinations. This helps to identify possible gaps in teaching and may offer solutions that could redress such situations. This study is an audit of medical students’ performance in 2^nd MBBS professional examinations in physiology at the University of Nigeria Medical School over a 7 year period (2004 – 2010). Data were collected from the Department of Physiology of the university. A total of 2152 students sat for the professional examination over the study period, and 1485 students passed the examination at first attempt giving an overall pass rate of 69%. The pass rate from 2008 when medical doctors (clinicians) with fellowships were employed as lecturers (tutors) to teach physiology was significantly higher than the pass rate before this reform (2004 – 2007) when mainly non-clinicians taught physiology [(76.5%), (n =1646) vs 63.4% (n=1364); P<0.0001]. The ongoing reforms in physiology department that brought about the employment of clinicians as lecturers to teach medical physiology is good and should be reviewed with time. These reforms should further be expanded to include provision of adequate modern infrastructure and teaching aids in order to keep pace with increasing enrolment into medical school.

audit, physiology students’ performance, Nigerian medical school