The Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences is one of the three faculties constituting the present College of Health Sciences of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. It was created in 1993, when the old Faculty of Health Sciences became collegiate. Until 2010 the Faculty was made up of eight departments, namely, the Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Chemical Pathology, Haematology and Immunology, Medical Microbiology and Parasitology and Medical Rehabilitation. Others are Morbid Anatomy and Forensic Medicine, Nursing Science and Physiological Sciences. The University Council at its 220th meeting approved the creation of two additional departments and these are the Department of Medical Biochemistry and the Department of Medical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, thus bringing the total number of departments in the Faculty to 10.

The Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Physiological Sciences and Medical Biochemistry are located in Block X of the Biological Sciences Buildings across the road from the College of Health Sciences Complex, while Medical Pharmacology and Therapeutics and Nursing Science are located in Block Y and Medical Rehabilitation, Chemical Pathology, Haematology and Immunology, Medical Microbiology and Parasitology and Morbid Anatomy and Forensic Medicine are located in Block Z of the College building complex.

Each Block (X, Y, Z) has multidisciplinary laboratories that serve all the departments in the Faculty and provide the equipment and consumables that are in common use by the departments, e.g. microscopes, oven/incubator and glassware (enough for large classes).

Mission, Philosophy, Aims and Objectives

MISSION

To provide an enabling environment for teaching, learning and research, while impacting professional skills and knowledge, behaviour and attitude that should contribute to advancing the health and productivity of the community without bias to gender, culture or creed.

PHILOSOPHY

Our philosophy is to train excellent and skilled health professionals, with integrity and sound scientific decision-making ability, relevant to national and international health concerns who are equipped to proceed to higher levels of specialization.

OBJECTIVES

The specific objectives are to:

1. Recruit and retain academically sound and responsible Faculty members that are worthy role models;
2. Contribute to the training of Medical Doctors and Dental Surgeons with strong scientific decision-making ability;
3. Train competent Nurses who will contribute to improving the care of their clients through a scientific approach;
4. Train effective and efficient Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists;
5. Encourage and sustain quality research in Basic Medical Sciences and professional programmes that shall provide solutions to the numerous health needs of Nigerians;
6. Provide and maintain a conducive working environment for all cadres of staff; and
7. Provide and maintain an enabling and friendly learning environment for undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Faculty Academic Programmes

The academic programmes include teaching of undergraduate and postgraduate students in basic and professional medical sciences. Every department has a specific academic programme and participates in a monthly academic Faculty Seminar for all academic staff in the Faculty and other interested staff within the University.

i. Undergraduate Programmes

All Departments participate actively in undergraduate teaching as shown:

a. The Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical Biochemistry, Physiological Sciences and Medical Pharmacology and Therapeutics teach the foundation courses of human anatomy, biochemistry, physiology and pharmacology to all Faculty students as follows:

Part II – Dental, Medical, Medical Rehabilitation and Nursing students; and

Part III – Dental and Medical students and Medical Rehabilitation students.

b. The Departments of Chemical Pathology, Haematology and Immunology, Medical Microbiology and Parasitology and the Department of Morbid Anatomy and Forensic Medicine offer post Basic Science clinical courses in laboratory medicine of Chemical Pathology, Haematology and Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology to Medical and Dental students in Parts IV and V, respectively (old curriculum), but to both medical and dental students in the Part IV (new approved dental curriculum, 2014).

c. The Department of Nursing Science offers a five-year Bachelor of Nursing Science degree (BNSc) programme (Full-time and Distance Learning).

d. The four-year degree programme for Bachelor of Medical Rehabilitation (BMR) in Physiotherapy/Occupational Therapy (BMR, PT/OT) in the Department of Medical Rehabilitation was replaced by a 5-year programme that was approved by the University Senate, at its meeting of Wednesday, 26th November, 2003.

e. The Department of Medical Rehabilitation commenced a Degree programme in Occupational Therapy (BMR, OT) in 2004/2005 academic session, thus making Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife the first and the only institution in Nigeria and West Africa that offers this degree.

ii. Postgraduate Programmes

Postgraduate programmes leading to the award of Masters (M.Sc.) and Doctorate (Ph.D) degrees are available in the following departments:

• Anatomy and Cell Biology;
• Chemical Pathology;
• Haematology and Immunology;
• Medical Rehabilitation;
• Nursing Science;
• Physiological Sciences; and
• Medical Microbiology and Parasitology.

This Faculty teaches Basic Medical Sciences, requiring a heavy supply of consumables and reagents for practical sessions. The Faculty has an animal house (roof of Block Z) that accommodates animals for research and it serves researchers from other faculties as well. Some of the cadavers for the teaching of anatomy are supplied by the Morbid Anatomy Department of the Teaching Hospital and other hospitals.

The Faculty does not have a library of its own, but departments have a reading rooms/library each or shared, e.g. the Grillo Library (Block X) is shared by the basic medical science departments. There is an e-Library on the ground floor west of the Provost’s Complex (situated between Blocks Y and Z) that staff and students may access.

Restrooms are available also on the west wing of each of Blocks X, Y and Z.

Rufus A. Adedoyin, PT, Ph.D., MACAPN, became the Dean, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University on August 1, 2017. Prior to this appointment, Prof. Adedoyin was the Head, Department of Medical Rehabilitation. Prof Adedoyin has also served as Vice-Dean and Acting Dean the Faculty between 2008 and 2011.

His research and clinical interest is in the area of cardiopulmonary rehab, Exercise Science and physical activity & Environment. He is currently coordinating the cardiopulmonary Rehab and fitness unit of the Medical Rehabilitation Department, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife. Prof. Adedoyin is the President of the Association of Clinical and Academic Physiotherapists of Nigeria. He is an erudite scholar with over 130 publications in peer-reviewed Journals. He has served as editor-in-Chief of Journal of the Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy; reviewer and contributor to several international journals including Respiratory Care Journal of American Association of Respiratory Care (AARC). He has served as visiting lecturer and external examiner to many institutions in Nigeria including the University of Ghana. Prof. Adedoyin is a recipient of International Fellowship award of the American Association of Respiratory Care in 2008. He was enlisted as an Emerging Leader by the World Heart Federation in 2015.

EDUCATION

1. Ph.D Exercise Physiology, Obafemi Awolowo University 2006
2. M.Sc. Physiotherapy Obafemi Awolowo University 1999
3. BMR, Physiotherapy Obafemi Awolowo University 1992