Department of Surgery is one of the clinical departments in the faculty of clinical sciences, college of medical sciences. It was established in the year 2017 under the leadership of Dr. Haruna Usman Liman as the pioneer head of department. After his tenure Dr. Baje Salihu Makama took over the leadership of the department until 2025 when election was conducted and Dr. Kefas John Bwala emerged as the third Head of department. The department is composed of 5 sub-specialized units of Paediatric Surgery, Urology, Neurosurgery, General Surgery and Plastic Surgery as at the time of this report.
The training programme in the Department is an integral part of the undergraduate program leading to the award of the MBBS degree in Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi. This students’ handbook which is the second edition in the Department of Surgery, ATBU, consists of a brief description of the Department Organizational Structure and Activities including the course outline, examination regulations, gradation system and other relevant information that will serve as a guide to the medical students.
The contents of the handbooks shall be update as appropriate in subsequent editions.
INTRODUCTION
The MBBS curriculum in surgery of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi covers a period of three years from the beginning of the fourth to the end of the sixth year of the medical training.
The main goal is to produce medical doctors well versed in the art and science of surgery and well adapted to the surgical problems commonly seen in the West African sub-region and elsewhere. The curriculum also prepares them for Residency training in surgery. The clinical students will be exposed to comprehensive course of lectures, tutorials in small groups, surgical clerkship, outpatient surgical clinics accident and emergency services, operating theatre session, medical ethics, basic research training and audio-visual display of the above with the primary aim of providing up-to-date knowledge and basic clinical & research skills to the medical students. They will also be allowed to participate as observers in resident doctors training programmes such as surgical audit, clinical case presentations, theatre session and seminars.
The lectures will cover all subspecialties of surgery as well as ethics in surgery and will be equitably distributed among the lectures with emphasis on their specialties, research interests, as well as in areas they are actively involved in practice. The lectures will be grouped into subspecialties, which form course units, and at the end of each course unit an assessment test will be given. At the end of their training the results of the test form the continuous assessment score which is an integral part of their score at the final MBBS examination. Students who do not meet up to 75% attendance at lectures; and participate in all the activities of the surgery curriculum are not allowed to take the final examination in surgery.
This handbook will serve as guide to the students by providing the necessary information relevant to their studies in the department.
VISION OF THE DEPARTMENT
The vision is to be a department per excellence, setting the pace in producing medical graduates of world-class standard.
MISSION OF THE DEPARTMENT
The mission is to be establish a highly qualitative medical institution which will satisfy the yearnings of students and their parents, the staff and indeed, the nation, by providing opportunities of the highest standard for self-actualization.
VALUES OF THE DEPARTMENT
The core values of the Department are:
• Competence
• Effectiveness
• Excellence
• Innovation
• Professionalism
OBJECTIVES OF THE DEPARTMENT
Broad objective:
To produce medical doctors that are knowledgeable in the basic principles of the practice of surgery and with the relevant skills and competence to manage surgical diseases prevalent in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa in line with the international best practice standards and to successfully apply these globally as appropriate.
Specific Objectives:
1. To introduce the students to the scientific basis of the principles and practice of Surgery with particular emphasis on practice in the Tropics.
2. To equip the students with the cognitive knowledge, technical skills and competence to enable them practice surgery independently.
3. To give the students a firm and comprehensive orientation to practice surgery in a soundly ethical manner irrespective of the practice environment.
ACTIVITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT
The activities of the Department include:
i. Teaching of the principles of surgery, surgical pathology and operative surgery courses through lectures, clinical demonstrations in the clinics and wards as well as operating room techniques.
ii. Periodic seminars will be organized by staff and students in areas of recent advances and reviews of best practices with a view to improving knowledge and promoting effective surgical care.
iii. Research activities are currently on-going in the various surgical subspecialties in the department. The department is open to collaborative research with other universities and research institution in this country and abroad.
DEPARTMENTAL STAFF
Department Officers
Head of department/chief examination officer: Dr. Kefas John Bwala
Examination/Time Table Officer: Dr. Olabisi O Ogunleye
Research Officer: Dr. Makama Baje
Innovation Officer: Dr Anthony Ezekiel
600 Level Coordinator/ Registration Officer: Prof Liman Haruna
500 Level coordinator/Registration officer: Dr Yakubu Huseini
400 Level Coordinator/ Registration Officer: Dr. Usman Emmanuel
Seminar Coordinator: Dr. Aminu Umar
Postgraduate training coordinator: Dr. Ningi Adamu
Department Secretary: Mrs Christiana Andara
Academic Staff
|
s/n
|
Name
|
Cadre
|
Status
|
|
1.
|
Prof.
Haruna Liman
|
Professor
|
Tenured
|
|
2.
|
Dr.
Baje Makama
|
Reader
|
Tenured
|
|
3.
|
Dr.
Bwala Kefas
|
Reader
|
Tenured
|
|
4.
|
Dr.
Olabisi Ogunleye
|
Reader
|
Tenured
|
|
5.
|
Dr.
Adamu Ningi
|
Senior
Lecturer
|
Tenured
|
|
6.
|
Dr
Ezekiel Anthony
|
Lecturer
1
|
Tenured
|
|
7.
|
Dr
Aminu Umar
|
Lecturer
1
|
Tenured
|
|
8.
|
Dr
Yakubu Husseini
|
Lecturer
1
|
Tenured
|
|
9.
|
Dr
Usman Emmanuel
|
Lecturer
1
|
Tenured
|
|
10.
|
Dr
Abdulkadir Isiaka
|
Lecturer
11
|
Tenured
|
|
11.
|
Dr
Muhammad Murtala
|
Lecturer
11
|
Tenured
|
Non-Academic Staff
|
S/N
|
NAME
|
QUALIFICATION
|
RANK
|
STATUS
|
|
1.
|
Mrs
Christiana Andera
|
CS-II
& III
|
Confidential
Secretary
|
Staff
of ATBUTH
|
|
2.
|
Mr.Danzule
|
Lab
Technician
|
|
Staff
of ATBU
|
|
3.
|
Mr
Faruk Sakuwa
|
Lab.
Technician
|
|
Staff
ATBU
|
Mentorship Program
The mentorship program is designed to provide you with a point of contact within the Department with whom you can discuss any personal, family or other issues that may affect your studies. Each medical student will be allocated a mentor right at the beginning of posting in the department. Your mentor is expected to meet with you on a regular basis, at least once per month to monitor academic progress. Where your advisor has significant concerns about your wellbeing, she/he may contact the Head of Department to discuss how best to support you. Both advisors and students are required to keep a record of their meetings as it may form part of overall assessment of the student. You may request a change of advisor if the mentor-mentee relationship breaks down or is not working satisfactorily. Such request should be directed to the MBBS coordinating unit.
DEPARTMENTAL BOARD OF EXAMINERS
The Department Board of Examination Shall comprise:
• Head of Department – Chairman
• All Academic Staff in the Department – Members
• Two External Examiners – Members
• Two Representatives of the Dean Nominated
From the Department of Medicine – Members
• Representatives of the MDCN – Members
• Departmental Secretary – Secretary
The shall also be External Examiners comprising of distinguished scholars in their field of competence and shall not been a full-time academic member of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi during the two academic years immediately preceding the proposed date of appointment as an External Examiner.
TUTORIAL CLASSES/ DEMONSTRATION
A reasonable number of tutorial classes and demonstrations will be organized to make the students understand the scientific basis of surgery.
ASSESSMENT METHODS
Continuous assessment.
Students will be assessed at the end of each posting/ rotation in surgery, including subspecialties (Ophthalmology, Ent, Orthopaedics, Radiology and Anaesthesia). The marks are averaged as percentage of the total score for the final 5th MBBS examination in surgery in 600Level.
These assessment methods include:
1. Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ).
2. Best-in-Five Type Objective Questions.
3. Objective Structured Clinical Examinational (OSCE)
4. Clinical Examination.
5. Oral Examination
The Final 5th MBBS Professional Examination.
This examination consists of questions in Surgery (including subspecialties), Ophthalmology, ENT, Orthopaedics, Radiology and Anaesthesia.
The assessment methods include:
1. MCQS
2. Long Essay Questions
3. Short Essay Questions
4. OSCE/ Clinical Examination (Long and Short Cases)
5. Oral Examination (Principles of Surgery, Surgical Pathology and Instruments)
ASSESSMENT OF STUDENTS
Students will be assessed periodically by end of-course Assessments and at the end by the final exit MBBS professional Examination.
The examinations will consist of multiple choice, objective essay questions as well as objective-structured practical examinations and viva voce. All the in-course assessments make up 30% of the final Professional Examination while the End-of-Course Examination constitutes 70%.
The pass mark for surgery is 50%. Candidates who fail the course shall re-sit within six weeks form the last examination. Candidates who fail the re-sit MBBS examination shall repeat the entire session.
Candidates who are required to repeat the year shall attend courses as required by the Head of Department and approved by faculty board.
To pass the final MBBS Professional Examination candidates must score an aggregate of 50% in each of the subjects of surgery and medicine, as well as 50% in the clinical examination in each subject.
To obtain a distinction in any subject, candidates must score an aggregate of 70% or more and must pass the relevant clinical examination.
NB: Distinction in individuals’ subjects may only be awarded to candidates who have passed the appropriate part of the Final professional examination at the first attempt.
The total marks obtained in the whole examination should be 650 apportioned as follows:
|
Paper I MCQ (100)
|
50 Marks
|
|
Paper II
|
100 Marks
|
|
Paper III
|
50 Marks
|
|
Continuous Assessment
|
200 Marks
|
|
CLINICAL EXAMINATION
|
Long Case
|
100 Marks
|
|
Short Case
|
100 Marks
|
|
Orals
|
50 Marks
|
|
Total
|
650
|
MARKING SCHEME
For the whole examination, a close marking scheme is adopted and is based on assigning to each aspect of the examination a possible score ranging from:
Scoring,
marking guideline for paper ib and ii
|
Fail
|
Pass
|
Credit
|
Excellent
|
|
25, 30, 35, 40, 45
|
50, 55
|
60, 65
|
70, 75
|
The oral segment of the examination can be scored in multiples of 0.5 marks
Closed
marling system in Paper IB and II
|
Max 20
|
Max 50
|
Max 100
|
|
|
A – 14/15
|
35/37.5
|
70/75
|
Excellent
|
|
B – 12/13
|
30/32.5
|
60/65
|
Good Pass
|
|
C – 10/11
|
25/27.5
|
50/55
|
Bare Pass
|
|
D –
8/9
|
20/22.5
|
40/45
|
Bare Failure
|
|
E – 6/7
|
15/17.5
|
30/35
|
Definite Failure
|
|
F – 4/5
|
10/12.5
|
20/25
|
Very Poor
|
