The Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) has inducted 43 medical laboratory science graduates of Fountain University, Osogbo, Osun State, warning them against skipping the compulsory one-year internship programme.
The Registrar of the council, Dr Donald Ofili, gave the warning at the university’s third oath-taking ceremony in Osogbo on Saturday, urging the inductees to uphold professional standards and protect public health.
Ofili, represented by Dr Akinwale Akinlabi, described medical laboratory science as a pillar of healthcare, noting that laboratory results inform a significant proportion of clinical decisions.
He said the council would monitor the conduct of the new professionals to preserve the integrity of the profession in line with its reform agenda.
“From today, you stand as custodians of accuracy and reliability in the practice of Medical Laboratory Science, the pillar upon which almost the entire healthcare system rests. About 70 per cent of the indices required for clinical decisions emanate from the medical laboratory. We still watch the patient long after the clinic has closed.
“However, dear inductees, please remember that your next step is the internship programme, which you must complete successfully and obtain a full practising licence before enrolling for the National Youth Service Corps.
“Failure to do so amounts to quackery. MLSCN requires that you engage in continuous professional development as a condition for licence renewal and as evidence of your dynamism in a rapidly advancing world of science,” he said.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of Fountain University, Prof. Ramota Karim, said the programme had recorded a 100 per cent success rate in professional examinations since 2024.
She also disclosed that the university had completed a dedicated Medical Laboratory Science Complex comprising four laboratory units, each with a capacity of 100 students, to strengthen practical training.
Karim appreciated the parents for their sacrifices and urged the inductees to be worthy ambassadors of the institution.
Delivering the induction lecture, titled “Beyond the Test: The Evolution of Medical Laboratory Science in Modern Healthcare,” Prof. Oluyemi Akinloye of the University of Lagos, represented by Prof. Oloruntoba Ekun, urged the graduates to uphold integrity and collaborate with other healthcare professionals in the interest of patients.
The council had previously reaffirmed its commitment to reliable laboratory test results, patient safety and reforms to strengthen public confidence in Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Ofili gave the assurance in Abuja while receiving the leadership of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria and elders of the profession, stressing the importance of quality assurance and effective laboratory regulation in supporting accurate diagnosis and better health outcomes.