The Bill on the Orientation of Higher Education in Cameroon is making waves in the medical Landerneau. And for good reason, the government wants to downgrade the medical doctoral degree to the master’s level.
In concrete terms, if this bill is adopted as it stands, the doctorate in medicine will now be equivalent to a master’s degree. This is not to the taste of a good fringe of professionals. In particular, the platform of health professional associations that brings together the Network of District Physicians (Remedic), Doctors of Cameroon (MedCamer) and the National Order of Pharmacists of Cameroon (ONPC).
In a letter addressed to their other colleagues, they protest against Article 25 paragraph 1, relating to the classification of higher education diplomas. Which states: “Higher education diplomas include the following: (…) Master’s degree diplomas: the diploma of doctor in human medicine, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, odontostomatology”.
For this Platform, this is intended to “discredit the professions concerned”. In addition, in Cameroon, “It might seem dissonant to say that you hold a PhD that is actually equivalent to a master’s degree,” laments the Platform. More seriously, if this Bill is adopted as is, it will have several consequences. Among other things, the holder of the doctorate would be reclassified to the lower level and therefore would receive a lower remuneration; the doctorate obtained after 7 years of study at the Faculty of Medicine or Veterinary Science would be equivalent to a master’s degree obtained after 4 or 5 years in a faculty of literature, lists for example the Platform. “It is an injustice whose deep motivations escape us,” fulminate these organizations.
An opinion that does not share by an CPDM MP. “Nothing has changed for them. The general medical degree obtained after 7 years is not a doctorate but a master’s degree. For salary, the title should not be confused with the grade. It is the rank of doctor that opens the right to salary, “says the latter.
Depreciation
In Cameroon, the training of doctors was done in 14 semesters. “With the LMD, the doctorate has increased to 16 semesters. So, instead of finding solutions, at home, we take shortcuts,” laments a doctor, director of a district hospital. In fact, “The Ministry of Higher Education has therefore chosen to devalue these doctorates by bringing them back to the level of a diploma equivalent to 10 semesters instead of upgrading them to the level of a diploma equivalent to 16 semesters,” these professional organizations are indignant. For them, therefore, as a matter of urgency, it is necessary to draft an amendment to the bill and submit it to the National Assembly.
Eventually, the Remedic, MedCamer and the ONPC propose either to raise the relevant training to eight years; or to issue all the intermediate diplomas required by the LMD ” and thus be able to issue at the end of 16 semesters as required by the LMD, a doctoral degree”.
Another proposal, to reduce the training of the professionals concerned to five years and issue them a professional diploma. “Or give them the choice to enrol in the doctoral cycle for a period of 03 years depending on whether they would like to obtain a doctoral degree equivalent to the LMD”.
In addition, others propose that the doctorate in Human Medicine and Pharmacy takes place in three (03) major phases: the three-year bachelor’s cycle culminating in a Bachelor’s degree (Medical, Pharmaceutical) obtained after a written and oral examination at the faculty; the Master’s cycle in two years and the Bachelor’s cycle in three to five. “I would have liked that to get into the LMD system, we would have extended the training to 8 years in order to have a PhD at the end. If we bring back to 5 years, what difference will there be with nurses who, for a lot of water, have a Master’s degree, “questions a young dental surgeon.
Stowing
But on the side of the Ministry of Higher Education, some teachers do not see things this way. “The text of the MINESUP is a regularization and a linkage to everything that is done in the world, when the teaching component in medicine is well structured,” explains a university professor.
In reality, “Doctors of Medicine are in fact DEA holders in the old system. The equivalent of the Master today, “he continues. In addition, this reform primarily concerns doctors who will make a career in the academy. “The doctorate in medicine has never been the equivalent of a PhD. These doctors will always be doctors. It is those who will make a career in the academy who will continue to add more years for the PhD, “adds our source.
And this one continues: “This is in no way a problem and it must be said that in terms of quality, this system further strengthens medical training”. Except that a doctoral student has another discordant bell. “I don’t find it logical to reclassify a doctorate in medicine at the Master’s level. The MINESUP must show more ingenuity in this end”.
Therefore, “A solution for me would be to define things in such a way that after the 5th year, the medical student has the choice either to simply obtain his diploma as a general practitioner (two years), or to conduct more in-depth research and write a thesis in the academic canons in force and obtain a PhD (05 years). In both cases, the doctor will be able to freely practice except that the 2nd he will be better able to do research afterwards, “says this doctoral student.
