Health Sciences

Master of Medicine in Family Medicine

The Master of Medicine in Family Medicine is a postgraduate medical specialty programme that trains medical doctors to become specialist family physicians. The programme prepares graduates to provide comprehensive, continuous, and coordinated primary care across all ages, genders, organ systems, and disease entities in Kenya and beyond.

Core areas of study include comprehensive primary care, chronic disease management, acute care, paediatric care, maternal and reproductive health, mental health, geriatric care, emergency medicine, community health, evidence-based medicine, and research methods. Students engage with both theoretical foundations and extensive clinical practice in diverse settings.

The programme is offered by numerous universities across Kenya, with Moi University having established the first Family Medicine programme in Kenya in 2005. Aga Khan University offers the programme in Nairobi. The programme is rooted in the belief that quality primary care is the foundation for all medical care, considering patients' physiologic, psychological, socio-economic, cultural, and spiritual dimensions.

Students develop competencies in comprehensive clinical assessment, chronic disease management, acute care, paediatric and maternal care, mental health care, preventive medicine, community-oriented primary care, care coordination, and family medicine research. The programme includes coursework, clinical rotations, examinations, and a research dissertation.

The programme is delivered over four years with full-time residency mode. Moi University's programme is based at its School of Medicine in Eldoret with access to MTRH and community health centres. The programme is designed for medical doctors seeking to specialise in family medicine and primary care.

Graduates pursue careers as family physicians, primary care specialists, community health leaders, medical educators, and health system managers in hospitals, health centres, medical schools, and health ministries.

Skills Required

Comprehensive Primary Care Practice
Chronic Disease Management and Coordination
Acute and Emergency Care in Primary Settings
Paediatric and Maternal Health Care
Mental Health in Primary Care
Preventive Medicine and Health Promotion
Community-Oriented Primary Care
Evidence-Based Medicine and Clinical Reasoning
Care Coordination and Referral Management
Family Medicine Research and Scholarship

Key Subjects

Comprehensive Primary Care
Chronic Disease Management
Acute Care and Emergency Medicine
Paediatric and Maternal Health
Mental Health in Primary Care
Preventive Medicine
Community Health
Evidence-Based Medicine
Geriatric Care
Family Medicine Research Methods

Certifications

KMPDC Specialist Registration in Family Medicine
WONCA Family Medicine Certification

Specializations

Rural and Remote Family Medicine

Focuses on providing comprehensive primary care in rural and remote settings, managing limited resources, and addressing health disparities in underserved communities.

Chronic Disease Management

Examines management of chronic conditions including diabetes, hypertension, HIV, and cardiovascular diseases in primary care settings with care coordination.

Maternal and Child Health

Covers maternal care, antenatal and postnatal management, child health, immunisation, and managing common paediatric conditions in family practice.

Mental Health in Primary Care

Focuses on mental health care in primary settings, managing common mental disorders, depression, anxiety, and integrating mental health into family practice.

Geriatric Care

Examines care of elderly patients, managing multiple comorbidities, polypharmacy, cognitive decline, and end-of-life care in family practice.

Community Health and Public Health

Covers community-oriented primary care, population health, health promotion, disease prevention, and integrating public health into family medicine practice.

Duration: 4 years
Public, up to: Ksh 734,400
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

Comprehensive Primary Care
Chronic Disease Management
Acute Care and Emergency Medicine
Paediatric and Maternal Health
Mental Health in Primary Care
Preventive Medicine
Community Health
Evidence-Based Medicine
Geriatric Care
Family Medicine Research Methods

Modules

10 in the programme

Family Medicine Principles and Practice
Year 1Semester 14 creditsCore
Examines family medicine principles, comprehensive primary care, patient-centred consultation, and the biopsychosocial model of care in family practice.
Comprehensive Clinical Assessment
Year 1Semester 14 creditsCore
Covers comprehensive clinical assessment across all ages, systems-based examination, diagnostic reasoning, and formulating management plans in primary care.
Chronic Disease Management
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines management of chronic conditions including diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, HIV, and care coordination for patients with multiple comorbidities.
Paediatric and Maternal Health
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers maternal care, antenatal and postnatal management, child health, immunisation, growth monitoring, and managing common paediatric conditions in family practice.
Acute Care and Emergency Medicine
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines acute care in primary settings, managing emergencies, triage, stabilisation, and deciding on referral for patients presenting with acute conditions.
Mental Health in Primary Care
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers mental health care in primary settings, managing common mental disorders, depression, anxiety, substance use, and integrating mental health into family practice.
Community Health and Preventive Medicine
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines community-oriented primary care, population health, health promotion, disease prevention, and integrating public health into family medicine practice.
Evidence-Based Medicine
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers evidence-based medicine principles, critical appraisal, applying research evidence to clinical practice, and clinical reasoning in family medicine.
Geriatric and Palliative Care
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines care of elderly patients, managing multiple comorbidities, polypharmacy, cognitive decline, and providing palliative and end-of-life care in family practice.
Research Methods and Dissertation
Year 4Semester 26 creditsCore
Original research dissertation on a family medicine topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and primary care knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Rural and Remote Family Medicine
Focuses on providing comprehensive primary care in rural and remote settings, managing limited resources, and addressing health disparities in underserved communities.
Chronic Disease Management
Examines management of chronic conditions including diabetes, hypertension, HIV, and cardiovascular diseases in primary care settings with care coordination.
Maternal and Child Health
Covers maternal care, antenatal and postnatal management, child health, immunisation, and managing common paediatric conditions in family practice.
Mental Health in Primary Care
Focuses on mental health care in primary settings, managing common mental disorders, depression, anxiety, and integrating mental health into family practice.
Geriatric Care
Examines care of elderly patients, managing multiple comorbidities, polypharmacy, cognitive decline, and end-of-life care in family practice.
Community Health and Public Health
Covers community-oriented primary care, population health, health promotion, disease prevention, and integrating public health into family medicine practice.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MMed Family Medicine residency begins with morning clinic sessions where residents see patients with diverse presentations across all ages and conditions. Residents conduct comprehensive assessments, manage chronic diseases, handle acute presentations, and provide preventive care under consultant supervision. Academic sessions include lectures on family medicine principles, evidence-based medicine, and case discussions linking clinical findings to community health. Residents rotate through various clinical settings including district hospitals, health centres, and community health programmes, gaining exposure to rural and urban primary care. Mental health sessions teach integrating mental health into primary care. Paediatric and maternal health rotations cover antenatal care, child health, and family planning. On-call duties involve managing emergencies and providing continuity of care. Research methodology sessions prepare residents for their dissertation. The programme at Moi University is based at the School of Medicine in Eldoret with MTRH and community health centre access. The four-year programme culminates in MMed examinations and dissertation defence.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's push towards universal health coverage creates very high demand for family physicians across the health system.
Family medicine offers diverse clinical practice across all ages, systems, and conditions, providing intellectually stimulating and varied work.
Moi University's programme, established in 2005, is the first and most experienced family medicine programme in Kenya.
Programme is offered at numerous universities across Kenya, providing wide geographic access for prospective students.

Against it

Four-year full-time residency requires significant time commitment and may limit income during training years.
Family physicians may earn less than other specialists despite comprehensive training and workload.
Many listed universities may not have established MMed Family Medicine programmes, limiting actual training options.
Family medicine is still developing as a recognised specialty in Kenya, which may affect career advancement in some settings.

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

Public190k to 734k

190k at Moi University734k at Kenyatta University

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

KU 734K (joweri.com). Kabarak ~200K (kabarak.ac.ke). AKU 214K (businessradar)

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. PRIMAFAMED offers family medicine grants for African professionals. Aga Khan University provides partial scholarships for eligible MMed students. The programme's primary care focus attracts health system strengthening funding.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
PRIMAFAMED Family Medicine Grants
Aga Khan University Financial Aid

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate medical studies at recognised universities.
PRIMAFAMED Family Medicine Grants
ScholarshipKsh 400,000
PRIMAFAMED provides family medicine grants for African professionals pursuing family medicine training and faculty development.
Aga Khan University Partial Scholarship
ScholarshipKsh 400,000
Aga Khan University offers partial scholarships for eligible MMed students based on need and merit.

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: The programme is designed for medical doctors seeking to specialise in family medicine. Admission includes written and oral interviews as determined by the Departmental Postgraduate Committee. Full-time residency mode over four years.

How you are assessed

4 components

Continuous Clinical Assessment
Practical30% of the mark
Ongoing clinical assessment during residency rotations, evaluating patient management, clinical reasoning, consultation skills, and professional conduct.
Written Examinations
Examination30% of the mark
Written examinations covering family medicine principles, clinical management, evidence-based medicine, and community health, conducted at end of each academic year.
OSCE Examinations
Practical30% of the mark
Objective Structured Clinical Examinations assessing clinical skills, consultation skills, emergency management, and practical procedures in structured stations.
Research Dissertation
Research100% of the mark
Original research dissertation on a family medicine topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and primary care 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). Moi University's MMed Family Medicine was the first programme in Kenya, established in 2005. The programme meets KMPDC standards for specialist training in family medicine.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. Moi University's MMed Family Medicine was the first programme in Kenya, established in 2005.
Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC)
Professional accreditationRequired
KMPDC accredits and regulates medical specialty training. Graduates must register with KMPDC as specialist family physicians to practise in Kenya.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Family Physician
Very high demandKsh 250,000 to Ksh 800,000
Provides comprehensive primary care in hospitals or health centres, managing patients across all ages and conditions, and coordinating specialist care.
Primary Care Specialist
Very high demandKsh 220,000 to Ksh 700,000
Specialises in primary care in hospitals or clinics, managing chronic diseases, providing preventive care, and leading primary care teams.
Community Health Leader
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 600,000
Leads community health programmes, managing primary care initiatives, health promotion, and disease prevention at community level.
Medical Educator
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 700,000
Teaches family medicine and primary care in medical schools, training future family physicians and conducting primary care research.
Health System Manager
Moderate demandKsh 250,000 to Ksh 900,000
Manages health systems and primary care programmes in government, NGOs, or international organisations, applying family medicine expertise to health system strengthening.
Rural Family Physician
Very high demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 700,000
Provides comprehensive care in rural and underserved areas, managing diverse conditions with limited resources and improving access to quality care.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as family physicians, primary care specialists, and community health leaders in hospitals, health centres, medical schools, and health ministries.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

Electronic Health Record System
SoftwarePrimary
Electronic health record system for managing patient records, tracking chronic disease care, coordinating referrals, and maintaining continuity of care.
Clinical Decision Support Tools
SoftwarePrimary
Clinical decision support tools and guidelines for evidence-based primary care, including WHO treatment guidelines and clinical protocols.
Point-of-Care Testing Devices
Equipment
Point-of-care testing devices for rapid diagnostics in primary care, including glucose meters, haemoglobin analysers, and rapid diagnostic tests.
SPSS
Software
Statistical analysis software for family medicine research, analysing primary care data, and conducting community health research studies.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Family medicine is just general practice with no specialisation.
Family medicine is a recognised medical specialty requiring four years of postgraduate training, covering comprehensive care across all ages, systems, and conditions with specific competencies.
Family physicians are only for rural areas.
Family physicians are essential in both urban and rural settings, providing comprehensive primary care, managing complex patients, and coordinating care across all healthcare settings.
Family medicine has limited career prospects compared to other specialties.
Kenya's push towards universal health coverage and primary care strengthening creates very high demand for family physicians across the health system.
Family physicians cannot handle complex cases.
Family physicians are trained to manage complex patients with multiple comorbidities, coordinating specialist care while providing comprehensive and continuous care.
This programme is the same as a general MBChB.
The programme develops advanced specialist skills in comprehensive care, chronic disease management, care coordination, and community health beyond general medical training.
Family medicine is not needed in Kenya's specialist-driven system.
Kenya's health system reform prioritises primary care and universal health coverage, making family physicians essential for delivering quality comprehensive care.