Health Sciences

Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Education

The Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Education is a postgraduate research programme offered at the University of Nairobi through the College of Health Sciences. The programme trains scholars to conduct advanced research on medical education, curriculum development, assessment methods, and health professions training, contributing to the quality and effectiveness of medical education in Kenya and beyond.

Students engage with educational theory, curriculum design, assessment and evaluation, simulation-based education, health professions education research, and research methodology. The programme combines coursework with thesis research, requiring candidates to develop a research proposal, conduct independent research, and produce a doctoral dissertation that makes an original contribution to medical education knowledge.

Kenya faces critical shortages of health professionals and needs high-quality medical education to train the next generation of doctors, nurses, and allied health workers. The programme addresses national health workforce priorities under Vision 2030 and the Kenya Health Policy Framework by training researchers who can improve medical education quality, curriculum relevance, and training outcomes.

Teaching methods include lectures, seminars, educational research projects, and supervised thesis work. Students have access to UoN’s medical education facilities at the Kenyatta National Hospital campus and collaborate with clinical educators at teaching hospitals.

Graduates pursue careers as medical education researchers, university lecturers, curriculum developers, assessment specialists, and health professions education consultants in universities, medical schools, teaching hospitals, and international health education organisations. The programme provides advanced expertise for leadership roles in medical education research and practice.

This programme is ideal for holders of a Master’s degree in medical education, health professions education, or a clinical discipline with education interest who are committed to advancing knowledge in medical education.

Duration: 3-5 years
Public, up to: Ksh 428,000
Private, up to: Ksh 400,000
Job market: Moderate

The programme

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

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time, Part-time
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 6 students
Award: PhD

What you study

10 subjects

Educational Theory in Health Professions
Curriculum Development and Design
Assessment and Evaluation in Medical Education
Simulation-Based Education
Research Methodology
Health Professions Education Research
Educational Leadership
Thesis Research
Biostatistics
Medical Education Policy

Modules

12 in the programme

Educational Theory in Health Professions
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Learning theories, adult learning, constructivism, and their application to health professions education
Medical Education Theory and Foundations
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Medical education theory, examining foundational principles, conceptual frameworks, and theoretical debates that shape contemporary understanding in this field.
Curriculum Development and Design
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Principles and methods of curriculum design, needs assessment, competency-based education, and curriculum evaluation
Curriculum Development for Health Professions
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Curriculum development, exploring development theories, sustainable practices, and their application in addressing contemporary challenges in Kenya and beyond.
Assessment and Evaluation in Medical Education
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Assessment methods including written exams, OSCE, workplace-based assessment, and programme evaluation
Simulation-Based Medical Education
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Use of simulation in medical training, debriefing methods, and simulation-based assessment
Research Methodology in Medical Education
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Quantitative and qualitative research methods for studying medical education, including survey design and ethnographic approaches
Interprofessional Education and Practice
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Interprofessional education, examining pedagogical theories, educational frameworks, and their application in teaching, learning, and curriculum development.
Health Professions Education Research
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Current topics and evidence in health professions education research including interprofessional education and technology-enhanced learning
Research Methods in Medical Education
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Research design and methodology, covering quantitative and qualitative approaches, data collection techniques, and analytical frameworks relevant to doctoral-level research in the field.
Educational Leadership and Management
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Leadership of medical education programmes, faculty development, and educational management in health institutions
Departmental Seminars
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Research presentations and peer review of doctoral work, providing a platform for doctoral candidates to present research findings, engage with peer feedback, and explore contemporary debates in.

Specialisations

Academic Programme Management
Specialization in Academic Programme Management, preparing graduates for careers such as academic-program-director.
Curriculum Development
Specialization in Curriculum Development, preparing graduates for careers such as curriculum-developer.
University Teaching
Specialization in University Teaching, preparing graduates for careers such as university-lecturer.
Science Curriculum Development
Specialization in Science Curriculum Development, preparing graduates for careers such as science-curriculum-developer.
Health Education
Specialization in Health Education, preparing graduates for careers such as health-educator.
Public Health Education
Specialization in Public Health Education, preparing graduates for careers such as public-health-specialist.
Interprofessional Education
Research on interprofessional education
Assessment and Evaluation
Research on assessment in medical education
Simulation-Based Education
Research on simulation in medical education

A day as a student

A typical day combines coursework in educational theory with research activities including classroom observation, curriculum analysis, data collection, and thesis writing. Students attend medical education seminars, present research at departmental colloquia, and engage with clinical educators at teaching hospitals.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's medical schools expansion creates demand
Opportunities for international collaboration through FAIMER and WFME
Diverse career paths in academia, curriculum development, and education consulting
Contributes to improving health workforce quality and patient outcomes

Against it

Relatively new field in Kenya with limited local research infrastructure
Accessing medical schools for research can be challenging
Funding for education research is limited
Tuition fees are relatively high at KES 396,000 per year

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

Public367k to 428k

367k at Kenyatta University428k at University of Nairobi

Private200k to 400k

200k at Mount Kenya University400k at Aga Khan University

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

KU 367K/yr (ku.ac.ke). UoN 428K/yr (proxy). Moi unverified. MKU 200K/yr.

Students may access HELB postgraduate loans, FAIMER fellowships, and NRF research grants for medical education research.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 80,000
FAIMER Fellowship
Fellowship
NRF Research Grant
Grant

Scholarships

5 recorded

NRF Research Grant
GrantKenyan
Researchers at Kenyan institutions conducting research relevant to national development
NACOSTI Research Grant
GrantKenyan
Science and technology researchers in Kenya
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
FAIMER Fellowship
FellowshipKenyan
Health professions educators from developing countries
HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 80,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students enrolled in recognised universities

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: C+
Alternative entry: Relevant diploma or equivalent qualification

Master's Degree
Master's degree in medical education, health professions education, or a clinical discipline from a recognised university
Professional qualification
Health professional qualification (medicine, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, or allied health)
Research capability
Evidence of research ability through publications, reports, or academic work

How you are assessed

5 components

Thesis
Thesis50% of the mark
Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence
Thesis Proposal Defence
Oral defence20% of the mark
Defence of research proposal before faculty panel
Research Project
Coursework20% of the mark
Thesis Examination
Coursework100% of the mark
Oral Viva Voce
Coursework100% of the mark

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE).

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Mandatory accreditation for all university programmes in Kenya
Commission for University Education
AcademicRequired
Statutory body responsible for accreditation of university programmes in Kenya

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

7 roles

Health Professions Education Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 80,000 to Ksh 200,000
Advises medical schools and health training institutions on education quality and accreditation
Medical Education Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 80,000 to Ksh 180,000
Conducts research on medical education at research institutions and international health education organisations
University Lecturer (Medical Education)
High demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 200,000
Teaches medical education and conducts research in university medical schools
Curriculum Developer (Medical)
Moderate demandKsh 70,000 to Ksh 160,000
Designs and evaluates medical curricula for universities, professional bodies, and health training institutions
Simulation Centre Director
High demandKsh 220,000 to Ksh 550,000
Simulation centres at teaching hospitals
Curriculum Developer
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Curriculum at medical schools and KMTC
University Professor
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaching and research in medical schools

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work as medical education researchers, university lecturers, curriculum developers, and health professions education consultants in universities, medical schools, and teaching hospitals.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Medical education is just about teaching doctors
Medical education encompasses curriculum design, assessment, simulation training, interprofessional education, and educational research across all health professions including nursing, pharmacy, and dentistry.
A PhD in medical education is not needed in Kenya
Kenya faces critical health workforce shortages requiring high-quality medical education research to improve training outcomes and produce competent health professionals.
Medical education research is not real research
Medical education research uses rigorous quantitative and qualitative methods to study learning, assessment, curriculum outcomes, and educational interventions, producing evidence that improves health professions training.
Only medical doctors can pursue a PhD in medical education
The programme is open to health professionals from various fields including nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, and allied health sciences who are interested in education research.

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