Skip to content
Pathrel
Start free
All courses
Health Sciences

Diploma in Clinical Medicine and Surgery

The Diploma in Clinical Medicine and Surgery is Kenya's flagship clinical officer training programme, offered primarily at the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) and regulated by the Clinical Officers Council of Kenya.

Duration
3 years
Next intake January 2027
Public tuition
Ksh 122,200
Ksh 366,600 total
Private tuition
Ksh 116,800
Ksh 350,400 total
Job market
Very high
Market demand for graduates

The short answer

What it costs
Up to Ksh 122,200 a year at a public institution, Ksh 366,600 for the whole course. Up to Ksh 116,800 a year at a private one.The detail
Who can get in
A KCSE mean grade of C or above. There is another way in without it.The detail
How long, and when
Takes 3 years, full-time, with 12 months of attachment. Next intake January 2027, at 109 institutions.The detail
Where it leads
8 careers in the catalogue. The least exposed to AI is Dental Ceramist, at 3 out of 100.The detail

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Overview

Students study human anatomy and physiology, clinical diagnosis, minor surgery, pharmacology, community health, and specialty rotations, building the broad clinical competence needed to diagnose and treat patients independently at frontline health facilities. Skills RequiredClinical DiagnosisMinor SurgeryPharmacology BasicsPatient ManagementCommunity Health PracticeKey SubjectsHuman Anatomy and PhysiologyClinical MedicineMinor SurgeryPharmacologyCommunity HealthMedical EthicsCertificationsClinical Officers Council of Kenya RegistrationSpecializationsGeneral Clinical PracticeBroad frontline diagnosis and treatment across common conditions. Surgical AssistanceFocus on minor surgical procedures and theatre support.

Clinical officers form a backbone of Kenya's healthcare workforce, particularly in rural and primary healthcare settings where they often provide the first and sometimes only point of medical contact.

Training combines classroom and laboratory instruction with extensive clinical rotations in hospital wards, outpatient departments, and community health settings, followed by a mandatory one-year internship before licensing.

Graduates work as clinical officers in public and private hospitals, health centres, and NGOs, with strong further progression into Higher Diploma specialisations (e.g., ENT, ophthalmology, anaesthesia) or a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery.

The programme suits students with strong biology and chemistry grades who want a hands-on, patient-facing medical career with a shorter and more accessible pathway than becoming a full medical doctor.

What you study

6 subjects
  • Human Anatomy and Physiology
  • Clinical Medicine
  • Minor Surgery
  • Pharmacology
  • Community Health
  • Medical Ethics

Modules

10 in the programme

  • Human Anatomy

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Human body structure and organs covering body systems, organs, and tissues relevant to clinical and health science practice.

  • Medical Physiology

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Body function and physiological systems covering body systems, organs, and tissues relevant to clinical and health science practice.

  • Communication Skills

    Year 1Semester 12 creditsCore

    Written and oral communication skills for professional workplace communication and effective correspondence.

  • Information Communication Technology

    Year 1Semester 12 creditsCore

    Computer applications and digital literacy for professional practice and competency development in the field.

  • Human Anatomy and Physiology

    Year 1Semester 14 creditsCore

    Structure and function of the human body systems, including organs and tissues for professional practice and competency development in the field.

  • Pharmacology

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Principles of drug action, dosing, and prescribing for professional practice and competency development in the field.

  • Clinical Medicine I

    Year 2Semester 14 creditsCore

    Diagnosis and management of common medical conditions for professional practice and competency development in the field.

  • Minor Surgery

    Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

    Basic surgical procedures, theatre practice, and post-operative care techniques.

  • Community Health

    Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore

    Public health principles and community-based clinical practice for professional practice and competency development in the field.

  • Clinical Rotations and Internship

    Year 3Semester 212 creditsCore

    Supervised clinical placements across hospital departments, followed by for professional practice and competency development in the field.

Specialisations

  • General Clinical Practice

    Broad frontline diagnosis and treatment across common conditions, with emphasis on practical application in Kenyan industry contexts and compliance with relevant national standards and regulatory requirements.

  • Surgical Assistance

    Focus on minor surgical procedures and theatre support, with emphasis on practical application in Kenyan industry contexts and compliance with relevant national standards and regulatory requirements.

  • Community Health

    Focus on primary healthcare, disease prevention, health promotion, and community-based healthcare delivery within Kenya's primary healthcare system.

  • Emergency Care

    Focus on emergency medical care, trauma management, acute illness treatment, and emergency department operations within Kenyan healthcare facilities.

A day as a student

Early years combine classroom and lab study of anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology; later years shift to supervised clinical rotations in hospital wards and outpatient departments, culminating in the mandatory internship year.

The trade-offs

In its favourAgainst it
Very high, stable demand as a backbone role in Kenya's healthcare system, especially outside major cities.Demanding clinical rotation schedule and a mandatory unpaid or low-paid internship year before full registration.
Shorter, more accessible pathway to independent clinical practice than becoming a medical doctor.High-pressure, emotionally demanding frontline patient care work.

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 349 health sciences courses
Public118k to 122k
118k at KMTC (Year 2-3 self-sponsored)122k at KMTC (Year 1 self-sponsored)
Private70k to 117k
70k at Outspan Medical College117k at North Coast Medical Training College

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

KMTC self-spon 118K-122K/yr (tvet.co.ke). Outspan 70K, NCMTC 117K/yr (victormatara.com).

Students can access HELB loans and county bursaries; some county governments sponsor students in exchange for a post-qualification service bond.

Funding options

  • HELB TVET/Diploma Loan

    Loan

    Needy Kenyan students enrolled in accredited diploma programmes.

  • County Government Bursaries

    Bursary

    Bursaries for needy students from their respective counties.

Scholarships

2 recorded

  • County Government Bursaries

    BursaryKsh 20,000Kenyan

    Bursaries for needy students from their respective counties.

  • HELB TVET/Diploma Loan

    LoanKsh 60,000Kenyan

    Needy Kenyan students enrolled in accredited diploma programmes.

Scholarships you could apply for

14 usable where it is taught
Save one and be reminded before it closes

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade
Cminimum entry
Alternative entry

Equivalent qualifications recognised by the Clinical Officers Council of Kenya.

When it next starts

Taught at 109 institutions
January 2027109 institutions

Including Uzima University, Kirinyaga University, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.

May 2027107 institutions

Including Kirinyaga University, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya Methodist University.

September 2027109 institutions

Including Uzima University, Kirinyaga University, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.

How you are assessed

3 components

  • Continuous Assessment Tests

    Coursework25% of the mark

    Tests across pre-clinical and clinical theory units.

  • Clinical Rotation Assessments

    Coursework35% of the mark

    Supervised clinical performance assessments during hospital rotations.

  • Final Examinations

    Examination40% of the mark

    End-of-semester and final qualifying examinations.

Accreditation

  • Clinical Officers Council of Kenya

    Professional licensing bodyRequired

    Registration with the Council, following graduation and a one-year internship, is required for independent practice.

Regulated by the Clinical Officers Council of Kenya; primarily offered at KMTC campuses nationwide, KUCCPS-listed (Health Sciences & Related cluster).

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

  • Clinical Officer (Public Health Facility)

    Very high demandKsh 35,000 to Ksh 55,000

    Diagnoses and treats patients at a public hospital or health centre.

  • Clinical Officer (Private Hospital/Clinic)

    High demandKsh 40,000 to Ksh 70,000

    Provides clinical care at a private hospital or clinic, often with higher pay than public roles.

  • Clinical Officer Intern

    Very high demandKsh 25,000 to Ksh 35,000

    Completes the mandatory one-year internship under supervision before full registration.

  • Clinical Officer

    High demandKsh 45,000 to Ksh 90,000

    Provides clinical care including diagnosis, treatment, and patient management in hospitals, health centres, and clinics across Kenya.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work as clinical officers in public and private hospitals, health centres, and NGOs, following mandatory internship and Council registration.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

  • Microsoft Office

    ProductivityPrimary

    Documentation, reports, and patient record management.

  • SPSS

    Statistical software

    Statistical analysis for health research and data interpretation.

  • Laboratory Information Management System

    Lab software

    Sample tracking and laboratory data management.

Certifications

Common misconceptions

  • Clinical officers are the same as doctors.

    Clinical officers provide broad frontline diagnosis and treatment under the medical system, but work within a defined scope distinct from fully qualified medical doctors.

  • Graduates can start practising immediately after the diploma.

    A mandatory one-year internship and registration with the Clinical Officers Council are required before independent practice.

Further reading

Read next