Health Sciences

Master of Medicine in Anaesthesia

The Master of Medicine in Anaesthesia is a postgraduate medical programme that trains medical doctors to become specialist anaesthesiologists. The programme combines advanced medical theory with intensive clinical training in anaesthesia, critical care, and pain management.

Core areas include anaesthesia theory, regional anaesthesia, critical care medicine, pain management, perioperative care, pharmacology of anaesthetic agents, anaesthesia for speciality surgery, and research methods. Students engage with both theoretical study and extensive clinical practice in hospital settings.

The programme is offered by the University of Nairobi and Moi University. Both are public universities offering the programme over four academic years through full-time clinical training at affiliated teaching hospitals including Kenyatta National Hospital and Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital.

Students develop competencies in general anaesthesia, regional anaesthesia, critical care, pain management, perioperative assessment, emergency anaesthesia, and research methods. The programme includes coursework, clinical rotations, examinations, and thesis.

The University of Nairobi charges approximately KES 382,000 (Year 1), KES 332,000 (Years 2-3), and KES 362,000 (Year 4), total KES 1,408,000 (~KES 352,000/year). Moi University confirmed offering M.Med in Anaesthesia and Critical Care over 4 years. Entry requires an MBChB degree, registration with the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council, and successful pre-entry interview.

Graduates pursue careers as consultant anaesthesiologists, critical care specialists, pain medicine specialists, and academic faculty in medical schools.

Skills Required

General Anaesthesia Administration
Regional and Local Anaesthesia
Critical Care Medicine
Pain Management
Perioperative Assessment and Care
Anaesthesia Pharmacology
Emergency and Trauma Anaesthesia
Anaesthesia for Speciality Surgery
Clinical Research Methods
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Anaesthesia Theory and Practice
Regional Anaesthesia
Critical Care Medicine
Pain Management
Perioperative Care
Anaesthesia Pharmacology
Anaesthesia for Speciality Surgery
Emergency and Trauma Anaesthesia
Clinical Research Methods
Thesis Research

Certifications

KMPDC Specialist Registration in Anaesthesia
KSA Professional Membership

Specializations

Cardiothoracic Anaesthesia

Focuses on anaesthesia for cardiac and thoracic surgery, covering cardiopulmonary bypass, thoracic anaesthesia, and cardiac critical care.

Paediatric Anaesthesia

Examines anaesthesia for infants and children, covering paediatric pharmacology, paediatric airway management, and neonatal anaesthesia.

Obstetric Anaesthesia

Covers anaesthesia for obstetric procedures, covering epidural anaesthesia, caesarean section anaesthesia, and managing obstetric emergencies.

Critical Care Medicine

Focuses on critical care, covering ICU management, ventilator management, sepsis management, and multi-organ failure.

Pain Medicine

Examines pain management, covering acute pain management, chronic pain management, palliative care, and interventional pain medicine.

Neuroanaesthesia

Covers anaesthesia for neurosurgery, covering neurophysiology, neuroanaesthesia techniques, and managing neurosurgical emergencies.

Duration: 4 years
Public, up to: Ksh 352,000
Private, up to: Ksh 213,875
Job market: Very 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

Anaesthesia Theory and Practice
Regional Anaesthesia
Critical Care Medicine
Pain Management
Perioperative Care
Anaesthesia Pharmacology
Anaesthesia for Speciality Surgery
Emergency and Trauma Anaesthesia
Clinical Research Methods
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Foundations of Anaesthesia
Year 1Semester 14 creditsCore
Examines anaesthesia theory, basic anaesthesia techniques, airway management, and fundamental principles of safe anaesthesia practice.
Anaesthesia Pharmacology
Year 1Semester 14 creditsCore
Covers pharmacology of anaesthetic agents, including intravenous agents, inhalational agents, muscle relaxants, and local anaesthetics.
Regional Anaesthesia
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines regional anaesthesia techniques, covering spinal, epidural, nerve blocks, and ultrasound-guided regional anaesthesia.
Clinical Research Methods
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers research design, data collection, analysis, and conducting clinical research, preparing trainees for their thesis.
Critical Care Medicine
Year 2Semester 14 creditsCore
Covers ICU management, ventilator management, haemodynamic monitoring, sepsis management, and managing critically ill patients.
Anaesthesia for Speciality Surgery
Year 2Semester 24 creditsCore
Examines anaesthesia for speciality surgery, covering cardiac, neuro, paediatric, obstetric, and thoracic anaesthesia.
Pain Management
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers acute and chronic pain management, palliative care, interventional pain medicine, and multidisciplinary pain management.
Emergency and Trauma Anaesthesia
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines emergency anaesthesia, trauma management, rapid sequence induction, and managing anaesthetic emergencies.
Perioperative Care and Assessment
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers preoperative assessment, optimisation, intraoperative management, and postoperative care and recovery.
Advanced Critical Care
Year 4Semester 14 creditsCore
Examines advanced critical care, covering multi-organ failure, advanced ventilator strategies, extracorporeal support, and critical care ethics.
Research Seminar
Year 4Semester 13 creditsCore
Preparation of research proposal and thesis, including research design, literature review, methodology, and presentation.
Research Thesis
Year 4Semester 210 creditsCore
Original clinical research thesis on an anaesthesia or critical care topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and clinical knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Cardiothoracic Anaesthesia
Focuses on anaesthesia for cardiac and thoracic surgery, covering cardiopulmonary bypass, thoracic anaesthesia, and cardiac critical care.
Paediatric Anaesthesia
Examines anaesthesia for infants and children, covering paediatric pharmacology, paediatric airway management, and neonatal anaesthesia.
Obstetric Anaesthesia
Covers anaesthesia for obstetric procedures, covering epidural anaesthesia, caesarean section anaesthesia, and managing obstetric emergencies.
Critical Care Medicine
Focuses on critical care, covering ICU management, ventilator management, sepsis management, and multi-organ failure.
Pain Medicine
Examines pain management, covering acute pain management, chronic pain management, palliative care, and interventional pain medicine.
Neuroanaesthesia
Covers anaesthesia for neurosurgery, covering neurophysiology, neuroanaesthesia techniques, and managing neurosurgical emergencies.

A day as a student

A typical day during the M.Med in Anaesthesia programme combines ward rounds, theatre sessions, tutorials, seminars, and independent study. The programme is primarily clinical, with trainees based at teaching hospitals. Morning ward rounds involve reviewing preoperative patients, assessing anaesthetic plans, and managing postoperative patients in recovery and ICU. Theatre sessions provide hands-on experience administering general and regional anaesthesia for various surgical procedures, under consultant supervision. Trainees manage airways, monitor patients, administer anaesthetic agents, and handle intraoperative emergencies. Critical care sessions involve managing ICU patients, ventilator management, haemodynamic monitoring, and managing critically ill patients. Pain management sessions cover acute and chronic pain management, epidural management, and palliative care. Tutorials cover anaesthesia theory, pharmacology, physiology, and clinical scenarios. Seminars and journal clubs provide opportunities for discussing current evidence, clinical guidelines, and research. On-call duties provide experience with emergency anaesthesia, trauma management, and out-of-hours critical care. Research methods sessions prepare trainees for their thesis, covering research design, data collection, and analysis. The programme includes rotations through various surgical specialities including general surgery, obstetrics, paediatrics, cardiothoracic, and neurosurgery. The programme culminates in a research thesis and clinical examinations for specialist certification.

The trade offs

In its favour

Very high demand for anaesthesiologists in Kenya, with excellent career prospects and job security.
Programme provides comprehensive training in anaesthesia, critical care, and pain management, offering diverse career paths.
Graduates are eligible for KMPDC specialist registration, enabling independent specialist practice.
Programme includes extensive clinical training at major teaching hospitals, providing hands-on experience.

Against it

Programme is expensive at ~KES 352,000/year over 4 years (total ~KES 1,408,000).
Programme duration is 4 years, longer than most other Master's programmes.
Programme requires MBChB degree and KMPDC registration, limiting access to medical doctors only.
Clinical training involves long hours, on-call duties, and high-stress environments.

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 352k

187k at Moi University352k at University of Nairobi

Private200k to 214k

200k at Kabarak University214k 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

UoN 352K (uonbi.ac.ke). Moi ~187K. AKU 214K (businessradar.co.ke). Kabarak unverified

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. KMPDC may provide training support for medical professionals. KSA and WFSA may provide professional development support. Some hospitals and counties may sponsor doctors for specialist training. International medical organisations may provide fellowships and training support.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
KMPDC Training Support
KSA Professional Development

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
KMPDC Training Support
ScholarshipKsh 300,000Kenyan
Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council supports specialist training for medical professionals in Kenya.
WFSA Fellowships
GrantKsh 500,000
World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists provides fellowships and training grants for anaesthesiologists in developing countries.

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: Applicants must hold an MBChB degree, be registered with KMPDC, possess a certificate of good conduct, have valid professional indemnity cover, and pass a pre-entry interview. Foreign applicants must provide evidence of English proficiency. Contact respective universities for specific admission requirements.

How you are assessed

4 components

Continuous Clinical Assessment
Coursework30% of the mark
Continuous assessment through clinical performance, case presentations, ward rounds, and clinical skills evaluation during rotations.
Written Examinations
Examination30% of the mark
Written examinations covering anaesthesia theory, pharmacology, physiology, and clinical scenarios.
Clinical and OSCE Examinations
Practical40% of the mark
Practical clinical examinations including OSCEs, clinical case assessments, and demonstrating anaesthesia and critical care skills.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original clinical research thesis on an anaesthesia or critical care topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and clinical knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE) and the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC). University of Nairobi and Moi University (both public) offer M.Med in Anaesthesia. All programmes meet CUE and KMPDC standards for postgraduate medical training. Graduates are eligible for KMPDC specialist registration in anaesthesia.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE and the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC). University of Nairobi and Moi University (both public) offer M.Med in Anaesthesia. All programmes meet CUE and KMPDC standards for postgraduate medical training. Graduates are eligible for KMPDC specialist registration in anaesthesia.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Consultant Anaesthesiologist
Very high demandKsh 400,000 to Ksh 1,500,000
Provides anaesthesia services in hospitals, overseeing perioperative care, administering anaesthesia, and managing anaesthetic emergencies.
Critical Care Specialist
High demandKsh 400,000 to Ksh 1,300,000
Manages critically ill patients in ICU, overseeing ventilator management, haemodynamic monitoring, and critical care treatment.
Pain Medicine Specialist
Moderate demandKsh 350,000 to Ksh 1,200,000
Manages acute and chronic pain in patients, overseeing pain assessment, interventional pain procedures, and multidisciplinary pain management.
Anaesthesia Lecturer
High demandKsh 300,000 to Ksh 900,000
Teaches anaesthesia at medical school level, overseeing instruction, clinical training, research, and academic supervision.
Anaesthesia Service Director
Moderate demandKsh 500,000 to Ksh 1,500,000
Directs anaesthesia services in hospitals, overseeing service delivery, quality assurance, staff management, and anaesthesia department operations.
Locum Anaesthesiologist
High demandKsh 300,000 to Ksh 1,000,000
Provides anaesthesia services on locum basis across multiple hospitals, offering flexible practice and diverse clinical experience.

Graduate outcomes