The Department existed as a component of the Department of Pathology along with other pathological sciences between the years 1967 and 1973. In 1973 Morbid Anatomy was carved out as a separate department. Right from the onset of the department in 1973, it operated administratively as a single unit with two components: the teaching wing in the College of Medicine of the University of Nigeria and the diagnostic wing in the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital.

It is currently staffed by three (3) full time academic staff (one Senior Lecturer and two Lecturers I) and six non-academic staff.

UNDERGRADUATE TEACHING
Training in Morbid Anatomy is directed towards imparting to the students, the morphological alterations that take place in the disease process. This takes place immediately they complete their training in the basic sciences concerned with the normal functioning and structure of the human body (Anatomy, Physiology, and Biochemistry). Morbid Anatomy forms the backbone for all the clinical training they will receive in the future.

POSTGRADUATE TEACHING
The department is a major center for training and preparing medical doctors for the fellowship examinations of the National Postgraduate Medical College. There are presently five resident doctors in the department at various stages of the residency programme. The resident doctors understudy and work with the academic staff who are all consultant pathologists, at autopsy, surgical, and clinical biopsy assessment. They also participate in undergraduate teaching through assistance at seminars and practical sessions. There is a weekly pathology post-graduate seminar for the four pathology departments. The residents participate with their consultants at regular clinico-pathological and mortality conferences with the various clinical departments in the hospital.