Health Sciences

Master of Clinical Medicine in Child Health and Adolescence Health

The Master of Clinical Medicine in Child Health and Adolescence Health at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology is a postgraduate programme offered through the School of Medicine in the College of Health Sciences. The programme provides clinical officers with advanced specialisation in paediatric and adolescent healthcare, addressing critical gaps in specialised child health services in Kenya.

The programme was introduced as one of three Master of Clinical Medicine programmes at JKUAT, providing career progression for clinical medicine graduates. It equips practitioners with advanced knowledge and skills in child health, adolescent health, growth and development, paediatric diseases, and adolescent-specific healthcare challenges.

Students engage with advanced clinical topics including paediatric diagnosis and treatment, adolescent mental health, developmental disorders, immunisation programmes, nutrition in childhood, and management of chronic childhood diseases. The curriculum combines theoretical study with extensive clinical rotations in paediatric and adolescent health settings.

Admission requires a Bachelor's degree with at least Second Class Honours (Upper Division) in a relevant field from JKUAT or any institution recognised by the University Senate. Applicants with Second Class Honours (Lower Division) may be considered with at least three years of relevant experience, while Pass degree holders need at least five years of relevant postgraduate experience.

The programme is offered on both full-time and part-time bases at JKUAT's main campus in Juja. The College of Health Sciences provides modern clinical training facilities, and the programme includes clinical attachments at partner hospitals for hands-on paediatric and adolescent health training.

Graduates are prepared for specialised clinical roles in paediatric departments, child health programmes, adolescent health clinics, and maternal and child health services. The programme addresses Kenya's significant need for specialised child health practitioners, particularly in underserved areas.

Skills Required

Advanced paediatric clinical diagnosis
Adolescent health assessment and management
Child growth and development monitoring
Management of childhood diseases
Adolescent mental health support
Immunisation programme management
Paediatric emergency care
Nutritional assessment in childhood
Child health research methods
Family-centred care approaches

Key Subjects

Paediatric Clinical Medicine
Adolescent Health and Development
Child Growth and Development
Paediatric Infectious Diseases
Adolescent Mental Health
Immunisation and Preventive Care
Paediatric Nutrition
Chronic Childhood Diseases
Neonatal Care
Research Methods in Child Health

Certifications

Clinical Officers Council of Kenya (COCK) Registration
Kenya Paediatric Association Membership
International Paediatric Association Certification

Specializations

Paediatric Clinical Medicine

Focuses on advanced diagnosis, treatment, and management of diseases and conditions affecting infants, children, and adolescents in clinical settings.

Adolescent Health

Addresses the unique healthcare needs of adolescents, including mental health, reproductive health, substance use, and developmental challenges.

Neonatal Care

Covers advanced neonatal care practices, including management of premature infants, neonatal infections, and critical care for newborns.

Paediatric Infectious Diseases

Focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of infectious diseases in children, including immunisation programmes and tropical paediatric diseases.

Child Nutrition and Growth

Examines nutritional requirements, growth monitoring, and management of malnutrition and nutritional disorders in children.

Adolescent Mental Health

Develops skills in identifying and managing mental health conditions in adolescents, including depression, anxiety, and behavioural disorders.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 248,000
Private, up to: Ksh 221,100
Job market: High

The programme

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

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 15 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Paediatric Clinical Medicine
Adolescent Health and Development
Child Growth and Development
Paediatric Infectious Diseases
Adolescent Mental Health
Immunisation and Preventive Care
Paediatric Nutrition
Chronic Childhood Diseases
Neonatal Care
Research Methods in Child Health

Modules

12 in the programme

Advanced Paediatric Clinical Medicine
Year 1Semester 14 creditsCore
Covers advanced clinical diagnosis, treatment protocols, and management strategies for paediatric conditions and diseases.
Child Growth and Development
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development from infancy through adolescence, covering developmental milestones and assessment tools.
Research Methods in Child Health
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Introduces research methodologies for child health research, covering study design, data collection, statistical analysis, and ethical considerations in paediatric research.
Paediatric Infectious Diseases
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of infectious diseases in children, including immunisation programmes and tropical paediatric diseases.
Adolescent Health and Development
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Addresses the unique healthcare needs of adolescents, including reproductive health, mental health, substance use, and developmental challenges.
Paediatric Nutrition
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines nutritional requirements, growth monitoring, and management of malnutrition and nutritional disorders in children.
Neonatal Care
Year 2Semester 34 creditsCore
Covers advanced neonatal care practices, including management of premature infants, neonatal infections, and critical care for newborns.
Adolescent Mental Health
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Develops skills in identifying and managing mental health conditions in adolescents, including depression, anxiety, and behavioural disorders.
Chronic Childhood Diseases
Year 2Semester 33 creditsElective
Covers management of chronic conditions in children, including diabetes, asthma, sickle cell disease, and congenital disorders.
Immunisation and Preventive Care
Year 2Semester 33 creditsElective
Examines immunisation schedules, cold chain management, and preventive health strategies for children and adolescents.
Clinical Rotations in Paediatric and Adolescent Health
Year 2Semester 36 creditsCore
Supervised clinical rotations in paediatric wards, neonatal units, and adolescent health clinics, providing hands-on clinical experience.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 48 creditsCore
An original research thesis in child health and adolescence health, demonstrating mastery of research methods and contribution to child health practice.

Specialisations

Paediatric Clinical Medicine
Focuses on advanced diagnosis, treatment, and management of diseases and conditions affecting infants, children, and adolescents in clinical settings.
Adolescent Health
Addresses the unique healthcare needs of adolescents, including mental health, reproductive health, substance use, and developmental challenges.
Neonatal Care
Covers advanced neonatal care practices, including management of premature infants, neonatal infections, and critical care for newborns.
Paediatric Infectious Diseases
Focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of infectious diseases in children, including immunisation programmes and tropical paediatric diseases.
Child Nutrition and Growth
Examines nutritional requirements, growth monitoring, and management of malnutrition and nutritional disorders in children.
Adolescent Mental Health
Develops skills in identifying and managing mental health conditions in adolescents, including depression, anxiety, and behavioural disorders.

A day as a student

A typical day for a Master of Clinical Medicine in Child Health and Adolescence Health student at JKUAT combines morning lectures on paediatric clinical medicine, child development, or adolescent health with afternoon clinical rotations in paediatric wards and adolescent health clinics. Students engage in case presentations, clinical skills simulations, and evidence-based medicine discussions focused on child health. Research methodology sessions prepare students for their thesis work, while clinical attachments at partner hospitals provide hands-on experience in paediatric and adolescent care. The programme's integration of theoretical study with clinical practice ensures graduates are both academically prepared and clinically competent.

The trade offs

In its favour

The programme addresses Kenya's critical shortage of specialised child health practitioners, creating strong career prospects in paediatric care.
Both full-time and part-time study options accommodate working clinical officers seeking career advancement.
The programme covers both child and adolescent health, providing comprehensive training across the paediatric age spectrum.

Against it

Exact tuition fees were not publicly available, making financial planning difficult for prospective students.
The programme is currently offered only at JKUAT, limiting institutional choice for prospective students.
Clinical rotations require significant time in hospital settings, which may be challenging for part-time students with work commitments.

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

Public187k to 248k

187k at Moi University248k at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

Private221k to 221k

221k at Mount Kenya University221k at Mount Kenya 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

Moi ~187K/yr. JKUAT ~248K unverified. MKU 104,550/sem (mku.ac.ke).

Funding options include HELB postgraduate loans for Kenyan students, JKUAT internal postgraduate scholarships, and county government health sponsorship for clinical officers seeking advanced child health training.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
JKUAT Postgraduate Scholarships
County Government Health Sponsorship

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
JKUAT Postgraduate Scholarships
ScholarshipKsh 150,000
Students demonstrating academic merit and financial need at JKUAT, subject to availability.
County Government Health Sponsorship
ScholarshipKsh 496,000Kenyan
Clinical officers employed by county governments may receive sponsorship for specialised child health training to address county health workforce needs.

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: Second Class Honours (Lower Division) with at least three years of relevant experience. Pass degree holders with at least five years of relevant postgraduate experience may also be considered. Applicants must be registered with the Clinical Officers Council of Kenya (COCK).

How you are assessed

4 components

Continuous Assessment Tests
Coursework30% of the mark
Regular tests, assignments, clinical case presentations, and practical assessments throughout each semester.
Clinical Practicum Assessment
Practical30% of the mark
Assessment of clinical competencies during supervised paediatric and adolescent health rotations, including OSCEs.
End-of-Semester Examinations
Exam20% of the mark
Written examinations at the end of each semester, testing mastery of paediatric and adolescent health knowledge.
Research Thesis
Project20% of the mark
An original research thesis in child health and adolescence health, demonstrating research competence and contribution to paediatric practice.

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). JKUAT is a CUE-chartered public university. The programme is also regulated by the Clinical Officers Council of Kenya (COCK) for professional practice.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Statutory accreditation for all Kenyan university programmes. JKUAT is a CUE-chartered public university.
Clinical Officers Council of Kenya (COCK)
Professional registrationRequired
Statutory body regulating clinical officers in Kenya. Graduates must be registered with COCK to practise as specialised clinical officers in child health.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Paediatric Clinical Officer
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 280,000
Provides specialised clinical care for children in paediatric departments, managing childhood diseases, growth monitoring, and preventive care.
Adolescent Health Specialist
Moderate demandKsh 110,000 to Ksh 250,000
Provides specialised healthcare services for adolescents, addressing mental health, reproductive health, and developmental needs.
Child Health Programme Coordinator
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 270,000
Coordinates child health programmes for NGOs, government agencies, or health facilities, managing immunisation, nutrition, and child survival initiatives.
Neonatal Care Specialist
High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 300,000
Provides specialised care for newborns, including premature infants and those with neonatal complications, in hospital neonatal units.
Paediatric Research Officer
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 230,000
Conducts research on child health issues at research institutions, universities, or international health organisations.
Child Health Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 220,000
Teaches clinical medicine with paediatric specialisation at medical training colleges or universities, combining clinical practice with academic instruction.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue specialised clinical roles in paediatric departments, child health programmes, adolescent health clinics, and maternal and child health services across Kenya.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

SPSS
SoftwarePrimary
Statistical analysis software for child health research, data analysis, and evidence-based practice in paediatric settings.
Electronic Health Record (EHR) Systems
SoftwarePrimary
Digital patient record systems used in paediatric clinical practice for patient management, growth tracking, and clinical documentation.
WHO Child Growth Standards
ReferencePrimary
International growth standards for monitoring child growth and development, essential for paediatric clinical practice.
UpToDate
Software
Clinical decision support resource providing evidence-based paediatric and adolescent health information for clinical practice.
Zotero
Software
Reference management software for organising research sources and producing academic citations in child health research.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Child health specialisation is only for medical doctors, not clinical officers.
The programme specifically provides clinical officers with advanced child health specialisation, expanding the workforce of trained child health practitioners in Kenya.
Adolescent health does not require specialised training.
Adolescents have unique healthcare needs including mental health, reproductive health, and developmental challenges that require specialised knowledge and approaches.
Clinical officers with child health training cannot work in major hospitals.
Graduates work in paediatric departments of major hospitals, specialised child health clinics, and adolescent health programmes alongside other healthcare professionals.
Kenya has sufficient paediatric specialists without training clinical officers.
Kenya faces a significant shortage of child health specialists, particularly in rural and underserved areas, making this programme critical for expanding access to specialised child healthcare.
The programme only covers physical health of children.
The curriculum includes adolescent mental health, developmental disorders, and psychosocial aspects of child and adolescent health alongside physical health.