UCH School of Medical Laboratory Science Marks Over 50 Years of Excellence in Training and Professionalism

The School of Medical Laboratory Science (SMLS) at University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, celebrated its 50th anniversary and beyond with a symposium at Alice Place Event Centre, honoring decades of excellence in training, professionalism, and service to humanity.

Rev’d Idowu Akinbola, Chairman of the Organizing Committee, described the milestone as an opportunity to reflect on past achievements, appreciate present successes, and look forward to future growth. He highlighted the School’s reputation for academic distinction, professionalism, and research excellence, noting that its alumni have excelled in hospitals, research institutes, universities, public health laboratories, and private practice globally.

Head of School, Dr. Mrs. Oluwafunmilayo A. Ayodele, welcomed guests and participants, recalling that the training of Medical Laboratory Scientists—then Medical Laboratory Technicians—began in 1953 in a single-room apartment at the Pathology Department of Adeoyo General Hospital, Ibadan. She paid tribute to the School’s pioneer principal, Papa Durowoju, who generously offered his sitting room at the UCH quarters to accommodate the first set of MLS students.

Dr. Ayodele also noted that the program is now offered as a degree course in various universities nationwide, culminating in a Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science (BMLS) after five years of academic study and one year of internship prior to NYSC.

The Chairman of the occasion, the Honourable Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Edward Adebo Ogundoyin, represented by Hon. Abiodun Babalola, described the celebration as a commemoration of five decades of innovation, excellence, and service. He remarked, “Medical Laboratory Science is the silent engine that drives the healthcare system; behind every accurate diagnosis stands the invisible yet indispensable work of the Medical Laboratory Scientist.”

In his goodwill message, the Chief Medical Director of UCH, Prof. Jesse Abiodun Otegbayo, who served as Chief Host, commended the Head of School and her team for their dedication and achievements. He reflected on the School’s humble beginnings, emphasizing its guiding idealism to train competent, ethical, and scientifically curious professionals who form the unseen backbone of clinical services, research, and training.