With the great tasks and responsibilities that lie on the shoulders of an average Medical Doctor in Nigeria, there is no single reason why they should be earning a good pay. Their salary The salary scale and structure should be different when compared to other professions in the country. This page gives an insight of the salaries of Medical Doctors in Nigeria with all allowances that are attached to the salary structure.
Reasons Why The Salaries of Medical Doctors in Nigeria Should be High
Not every students or aspirant of an academic degree can actually cope with what the medical profession entails. From the point of getting a university degree, it is a trend for students of Medicine and Surgery to spend more years in school when compared to students studying other courses in engineering, arts, or sciences. This is probably the first reason why the salaries of Medical Doctors in Nigeria should be more than other professions. You can also check out other lucrative Medical Courses in Nigeria because they attract a nice wage too.
Another reason why the salaries of Medical Doctors in Nigeria should be more, is that for most institutions in the country, the college of Medicine uses a totally different calendar from that of other disciplines even in the same school. This situation is like setting them apart from the trends of others. This condition distinguishes these medical students from their peers and making them stay in school to study those huge textbooks aimed at making them a better professional.
Students that cannot cope with these rigorous academic activities often get relocated to other science disciplines or even withdrawn from the school as a whole. This sole-braking procedure adopted by the medical profession sets them apart from other profession you will find in Nigeria today.
Also read: FRSC Salary Structure: Basic Salary According To Rank and Qualification
Now, when they graduate from school and starts to work, generally they tend to earn more than an average businessman, engineer, or a lawyer. But the reason for this high earning goes beyond the university curriculum and structure of the field of study. Medical Doctors primarily earn more because they are dealing with human lives. The degree of risk attached to this profession makes it highly relevant. In finance, the higher the risk, the higher the returns.
Now let me show you their salary structure.
Salary Structure of Medical Doctors in Nigeria
In a survey carried out in 2017, revealing the salary structure of different professions in Nigeria, Medical Doctors earn an average of N250,000 per month. This excludes other financial benefits and multiple job earnings. The survey also revealed that the salary increases with years of experience in the profession. While an entry-level Doctor earns an average of N170,000, an average middle-level Medical Doctor earns about N270,000.
However, apart from their basic salaries, there are also other financial benefits and allowances that are attached to Medical Doctors in Nigeria. According to Consolidated Medical Salary Scale (CONMESS), other allowances of Medical Doctors in Nigeria are as follows:
- Specialist Allowance
The specialist allowance is only given to Medical Officers who are employed as consultants.
- Call Duty Allowance
Call duty allowance is given to Medical Officers in Federal Hospitals and Clinics. It is only earned when an officer would have actually performed a call duty in accordance with an existing call duty roster.
- Health Professional Non-Clinical Duty Allowance
This allowance is given to Medical Officers deployed to render health-related services in the Federal Ministry of Health and other Federal Health Institutions.
- Clinical Duty Allowance
This allowance is given to honorary consultants, who are employed as academic staff in universities but render services to teaching or specialist hospitals.
- Teaching Allowance
This allowance is given to Federal Medical officers who are engaged in the teaching of Medical Doctors or Health professionals in training and teaching/specialist hospitals.
- Hazard Allowance
Hazard allowance is paid across the board to all Medical Officers.
- Rural posting allowance
Rural posting allowance is been given to Federal Medical Officers who are stationed in rural communities, and they are paid at the specified rates. The Federal Ministry of Health and the National Salaries Income and Wages Commission jointly determines the designation of a health station as rural.
Also read: Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Salary Structure and Staff Welfare Packages
Multiple Job Earnings of Medical Doctors in Nigeria
Apart from all the benefits and allowances of Medical Doctors in Nigeria listed above, many of them earn additional as they get involved in multiple jobs. For example most Medical Doctors who work in the government hospitals may also own a private hospital, or work as a doctor or consultants in other private clinics.
The implication of this to the salaries of Medical Doctors in Nigeria is that it gives them an opportunity to earn more than the average N270,000. This simply means that Doctors with multiple job holdings may generally earn more salary than the average rate.
Conclusion
While the Medical profession may be one time-consuming and dedicative profession, it also have lots of financial benefits attached to it as you have already seen in this post. It is not just a noble profession, it also one that brings wealth. This wraps up all the information about the salaries of Medical Doctors in Nigeria with their allowances, and the reason they earn more.
