Skip to content
Nairobi · KenyaFree to read
Health Sciences

Master of Medicine in Diagnostic Imaging & Radiation Medicine

The Master of Medicine in Diagnostic Imaging & Radiation Medicine is a master's programme offered at Kenyan universities. This postgraduate degree prepares professionals for advanced practice and research careers in health sciences.

Duration
1-2 years
Public, up to
Ksh 352,000
Private, up to
Ksh 213,875
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
15 students
Award
Masters

What you study

10 subjects
  • Epidemiology
  • Biostatistics
  • Health Systems Management
  • Public Health Research Methods
  • Health Policy and Planning
  • Clinical Research Methods
  • Health Economics
  • Disease Control
  • Nutrition Assessment
  • Healthcare Ethics

Modules

12 in the programme
  • Diagnostic Radiology Fundamentals

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Interpretation of plain radiographs across body systems.

  • Computed Tomography (CT) Imaging

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Advanced cross-sectional imaging interpretation and protocols.

  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

    Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore

    MRI physics, protocols, and interpretation across specialties.

  • Diagnostic Ultrasound

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Obstetric, abdominal, and musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging.

  • Interventional Radiology

    Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

    Image-guided minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

  • Radiation Oncology Principles

    Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore

    Foundational principles of radiotherapy for cancer treatment.

  • Nuclear Medicine

    Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore

    Radioisotope imaging and therapeutic applications.

  • Radiological Physics and Radiation Safety

    Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore

    Physics principles underpinning imaging modalities and radiation protection.

  • Paediatric Radiology

    Year 3Semester 33 creditsCore

    Imaging considerations specific to neonates and children.

  • Radiology Research Methodology

    Year 4Semester 13 creditsCore

    Research design and biostatistics for the dissertation component.

  • Dissertation Research

    Year 4Semester 23 creditsCore

    Original research addressing a diagnostic imaging question relevant to Kenya.

  • Specialty Board Examination Preparation

    Year 4Semester 36 creditsCore

    Structured revision for the final radiology board examination.

Specialisations

  • Musculoskeletal Radiology

    Imaging of bones, joints, and soft tissue.

  • Paediatric Radiology

    Imaging considerations specific to children.

  • Radiation Oncology

    Radiotherapy planning and delivery for cancer treatment.

  • Interventional Radiology

    Image-guided minimally invasive procedures.

  • Neuroradiology

    Imaging of the brain, spine, and nervous system.

A day as a student

A typical day involves attending public health lectures, analysing epidemiological data, participating in field visits, reviewing medical literature, presenting at journal clubs, and meeting with supervisors to discuss research projects.

The trade offs

In its favour

  • Among the highest-earning MMed specialties given a severe national shortage of radiologists
  • Growing interventional radiology subspecialty offers cutting-edge, high-demand procedural skills
  • More predictable working hours than most surgical or emergency specialties

Against it

  • Requires comfort with intensive image interpretation and less direct patient contact than clinical specialties
  • Very limited training slots — only offered at the University of Nairobi
  • High equipment and infrastructure costs mean advanced imaging is concentrated in major cities

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

WHO, KEMRI, and AMREF offer research grants. HELB provides postgraduate loans. CDC, NIH, and Fogarty International support health research in Kenya.

Funding options

  • HELB Postgraduate Loan

    Loan

    Kenyan citizens enrolled in accredited postgraduate programmes

  • WHO Research Grant

    Grant

    Public health researchers in WHO priority areas

  • KEMRI Research Grant

    Grant

    Health researchers affiliated with KEMRI

Scholarships

3 recorded
  • IAEA Radiation Medicine Fellowship

    FellowshipKsh 300,000

    Registered radiology trainee in an IAEA-supported training programme

  • HELB Postgraduate Scholarship

    LoanKsh 400,000Kenyan

    Admitted MBChB graduate with completed internship, Kenyan citizen

  • County Government Bonded Scholarship

    SponsorshipKsh 1,000,000Kenyan

    County-nominated medical officer bonded to return to county diagnostic service

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade
MBChB degree with completed internship
Alternative entry
Prior experience in a radiology department as a medical officer strengthens applications given very limited slots

How you are assessed

5 components
  • Final Specialty Board Examination

    Exam5% of the mark

    Comprehensive final examination for specialist qualification.

  • Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)

    Practical20% of the mark

    Structured assessment of image interpretation and procedural skills.

  • Written Radiology Examinations

    Exam30% of the mark

    Annual written papers on imaging physics and interpretation.

  • Dissertation

    Research15% of the mark

    Original research dissertation on a diagnostic imaging question.

  • Continuous Clinical Assessment

    Clinical30% of the mark

    Ongoing evaluation of image interpretation and procedural competence.

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Health programmes are also regulated by KMPDC, Pharmacy and Poisons Board, Nursing Council of Kenya, or Clinical Officers Council as applicable.

Accredited by

  • Commission for University Education

    NationalRequired

    All Kenyan universities offering MMed programmes must be CUE accredited

  • Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council

    ProfessionalRequired

    Required for specialist registration and licensing as a radiologist

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

5 roles
  • Teleradiology Consultant

    Medium demandKsh 300,000 to Ksh 700,000

    Remote reporting for hospitals lacking a resident radiologist.

  • Consultant Radiologist (Public Hospital)

    High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 450,000

    Consultant posts in county and national referral hospital radiology departments.

  • Interventional Radiologist

    High demandKsh 400,000 to Ksh 900,000

    Image-guided procedural specialist, a rapidly growing subspecialty in Kenya.

  • Private Diagnostic Centre Radiologist

    High demandKsh 450,000 to Ksh 1,000,000

    Consultant reporting and procedural work at private diagnostic imaging chains.

  • Academic Radiologist / Senior Lecturer

    Medium demandKsh 220,000 to Ksh 480,000

    Teaching and research alongside clinical radiology practice.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as public health officers, clinical specialists, health programme managers, medical researchers, and health policy advisors in Kenya's health sector.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Related courses

Keep this

Fees and entry marks for Master of Medicine in Diagnostic Imaging & Radiation Medicine are restated every intake. Save it and the app keeps this version, so you can see what changed when it does.