- Introduction
- Philosophy of the Programme
- Aims and Objectives of the Programme
- Brief History of the Department
- Staff List
- Courses
- Admission Requirements
- Resources
INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY
Human Physiology is a basic medical science that explains the physical and chemical factors
that are responsible for the origin, development, growth and/or adaptation of human life. It
has strong relationships with or contributions to other disciplines in medical and allied health
or safety programmes. It is regarded as the ‘mother of all medical sciences’ and it is very
fundamental in the training of medical, pharmaceutical, health, safety and bioengineering
professionals like doctors, nurses, pharmacists, forensic, medical laboratory scientists,
physiotherapists, optometrists, biomedical engineers and all other health-related scientists,
technologists or professionals.
Physiology is also an applied science that utilizes the knowledge of the specific characteristics
and mechanisms that make human body to be functionally peculiar as an automaton. It is a
technologically based programme primarily meant to mitigate or resolve most diverse human
functional changes or challenges. For instances, when physiology is applied in the diagnosis
and treatment of diseases, it is known as clinical physiology. When physiology is applied in
enhancing the body physical fitness / recovery or the performance of physical activity, it is
either known as exercise or sport physiology.
The knowledge and skills in physiology can also be used to investigate and/or extrapolate the
usefulness or otherwise of any physical, chemical or biological factor on the human
homeostatic mechanisms, and to professionally advise as seen in environmental, occupational,
or aviation physiology or safety pharmacology. Its technologies are to evaluate and explain
the changes in the features and processes (pathophysiology) of each body structure or
component in diverse conditions, and to proffer professional advice on their recovery, safety,
fitness, adaptation, prevention or normalization processes.
Like in most developed countries, the Physiology graduates are trained to apply their
knowledge and skills in the following job sectors: education, research, medical and fitness
care centers, pharmaceuticals, occupational health, environmental safety, salesmanship,
medical journalism, bioengineering, health impact assessments, among others.
The structure of the departmental programme is composed of didactic lectures, practical
training skills, industrial attachment in a health-related facility, entrepreneurship training and
a final year research project on a medical or health-related issue.
PHILOSOPHY OF THE PHYSIOLOGY PROGRAMME
The philosophy of the undergraduate Physiology programme is to train students in basic theoretical, practical and applied Physiology in order to make the graduates suitable to utilize their knowledge for future problem solving and other applications – like practice of medicine, nursing, pharmacy, physiotherapy and other health related fields. The graduates should be able to function in the public service or be self-employed.
AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PHYSIOLOGY PROGRAMME
Aim of the programme: To produce graduates equipped with fundamental knowledge of human physiology, pathophysiology, technological skills and work experience in order to carry out basic physiological or clinical measurements / assessments / screening at various health facilities, work places, under normal or emergency conditions so as to render professional advice, and also prepare graduates for advanced studies in Physiology. Objectives of the programme include:
- To train students who will be well grounded in basic knowledge of physiological principles.
- To train students who will acquire sufficient practical knowledge and skills in experimental physiology.
- To train students who will apply the knowledge of physiology in medicine, pharmacy, nursing, veterinary medicine and allied health sciences.
- To train students who will apply the knowledge and skills of physiology to various life situations or work places, including entrepreneurship.
- To prepare students for further or advanced studies in physiology and other related fields.
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT
The initial Physiological courses were started in FUTO with the establishment of School of Health Technology (SOHT) programmes in 2004/ 2005. Mr Samuel C. Iwuji was the first confirmed lecturer employed to introduce physiology and pharmacology to the students of health technology. The basic Physiological courses were school owned but were housed under the Department of Biomedical Technology until the establishment of Department of Human Physiology under the School of Basic Medical Sciences in 2016/2017. The appointed pioneer Ag. Head of the Department was Dr. Samuel Chidi Iwuji who was later appointed to be the Ag. Head of Department of Biomedical Technology where he worked to obtain the first FULL NUC accreditation for its B.Tech. Programme and he was later appointed the Associate Dean of the SOHT. Dr Peter C. Onyebuagu took over the Ag. Headship of Department of Physiology from 2017 to 2023 during which the Department underwent a successful resource verification and was approved by NUC to admit and train students for B.Sc. Degree programme in Human Physiology, in addition to offering all other physiological courses needed by other FUTO medical and health programmes. On his transfer to the Department of Human Physiology, Dr. Samuel C. Iwuji was appointed again as the Ag. Head of the Department till date.
Dr. SAMUEL CHIDI IWUJI
[Ph. D, M.Sc., B.Sc., Physiology [UNIPORT]; M.Sc., Pharmacology [UNILAG]; HND, S.L.T [Ibadan]]
Head of Department, Human Physiology