Dissecting the Employability Dilemma of Recent Anatomy Graduates in Nigeria: The Role of the National Universities Commission’s Anatomy Curriculum

Perhaps in the recent past, no career has seen more challenges and frustrations like that of the recent anatomist in Nigeria. Students were not interested in pursuing a career in anatomy due to the very restricted career paths, a situation created by unfavorable government policies as enforced by the approved training curriculum. As players in this field of anatomy, with decades of experience, we advocate for improvement in anatomy career prospects. This position paper is backed up by the results of a recent exploratory survey on the experiences of recent anatomy graduates in the labor market. Results showed a redundant curriculum that had remained the same for 30 years. There are no professional options in health services spelt out for the anatomist in national curricula, ancient and modern, despite an obviously superior knowledge of the human body compared to any allied health discipline. Results also showed that the curriculum objectives were significantly far from graduate expectations. Our inference linked this to perharps failure of National Univescities Commission of Nigeria, to consult with students or young graduates during the review since the curriculum objectives of Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS 2022) was in no way different from the Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS 2007). This consultation is the gold standard in curriculum review. It is painful to state that the CCMAS was dead on arrival as far as the career paths of the anatomist are concerned. This is a call for a true curriculum review.