Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Physiology
The Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Physiology is a doctoral programme offered at the University of Nairobi through the Department of Human Anatomy and Medical Physiology. It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in medical physiology, organ function and clinical physiology. The programme addresses Kenya's medical physiology research and clinical physiology development needs.
The short answer
- What it costs
- Up to Ksh 396,000 a year at a public institution, Ksh 1,188,000 to Ksh 1,980,000 for the whole course. Up to Ksh 288,000 a year at a private one.The detail
- Who can get in
- A KCSE mean grade of Masters Degree or above, plus 1 subject grade. There is another way in without it.The detail
- How long, and when
- Takes 3-5 years, full-time, part-time, with 0 months of attachment. Next intake January 2027, at 3 institutions.The detail
- Where it leads
- 8 careers in the catalogue. The least exposed to AI is Dental Ceramist, at 3 out of 100.The detail
The programme
What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.
Overview
Students engage with advanced topics in cellular physiology, systems physiology, neurophysiology, cardiovascular physiology, respiratory physiology, renal physiology, endocrine physiology, gastrointestinal physiology, exercise physiology and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops physiological insights for Kenya's health challenges.
Kenya's medical education needs, clinical physiology services, research on high-altitude physiology, tropical physiology, non-communicable disease mechanisms and the demand for physiology research create demand for doctoral-level medical physiology expertise. The programme supports Kenya's medical education and clinical research goals.
Teaching is delivered through coursework, laboratory sessions and supervised research. At UoN, the Department of Human Anatomy and Medical Physiology offers PhD in Medical Physiology (H802) with tuition at KSh 396,000/year, Year 1 total KSh 428,000, Year 2 KSh 423,000, Year 3 KSh 473,000, total KSh 1,324,000 over 3 years.
Fees applicable to both local and international students. Applications open in April every year.
Graduates pursue careers as university professors, medical physiology researchers, clinical physiologists and biomedical researchers. They work in universities, medical schools, hospitals and research institutes.
What you study
10 subjects- Advanced Cellular and Molecular Physiology
- Systems Physiology and Integrative Biology
- Neurophysiology and Neuroscience
- Cardiovascular and Respiratory Physiology
- Renal and Acid-Base Physiology
- Endocrine Physiology and Metabolism
- Gastrointestinal Physiology
- Exercise and Environmental Physiology
- Tropical Physiology and High-Altitude Studies
- Research Methods in Physiology
Modules
8 in the programmeAdvanced Cellular and Molecular Physiology
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Cellular physiology, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.
Neurophysiology and Neuroscience
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Neurophysiology, covering anatomical and physiological principles, their structural-functional relationships, and clinical relevance.
Cardiovascular and Respiratory Physiology
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Cardiovascular physiology, covering anatomical and physiological principles, their structural-functional relationships, and clinical relevance.
Endocrine Physiology and Metabolism
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Endocrine physiology, covering anatomical and physiological principles, their structural-functional relationships, and clinical relevance.
Exercise and Environmental Physiology
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Exercise physiology, covering ecological principles, environmental management approaches, and sustainability challenges in contemporary contexts.
Research Methods in Physiology
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.
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.
Thesis Research
Year 3Semester 26 creditsCore
Doctoral thesis research and dissertation writing, involving original research, literature review, data analysis, and the production of a doctoral dissertation contributing new knowledge to the.
Specialisations
Neurophysiology
Research on neurophysiology
Cardiovascular Physiology
Research on cardiovascular physiology
Endocrine Physiology
Research on endocrine physiology
Exercise Physiology
Research on exercise and environmental physiology
A day as a student
A typical day involves conducting physiology research, running laboratory experiments on organ systems, analysing physiological data, reviewing physiology literature, attending seminars on systems physiology, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with medical schools, hospitals and KEMRI for research collaboration.
The trade-offs
| In its favour | Against it |
|---|---|
| Kenya's medical education creates demand | UoN PhD is expensive (KSh 1,324,000 total) |
| Access to KEMRI, KNH and medical schools | Requires laboratory equipment and animal models |
| Research contributes to understanding disease mechanisms | Ethical approvals for animal and human studies can be lengthy |
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 coursesAnnual 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 396k/yr verified (humananatomy.uonbi.ac.ke). KU 367.2k/yr (ku.ac.ke). KeMU 144k, Kabarak 288k/yr.
HELB provides postgraduate loans. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study. NACOSTI provides research grants for science and technology research.
Funding options
HELB Postgraduate Loan
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
NACOSTI Research Grant
Scholarships
3 recordedHELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
NACOSTI Research Grant
GrantKenyan
Science and technology researchers in Kenya
Scholarships you could apply for
2 usable where it is taught- Chevening Scholarships Kenya
Closes 30 November 2026FullUK Government
Full masters in UK
- AfDB Japan Scholarship Program
Closes 28 February 2027FullAfrican Development Bank
Full graduate study abroad
Getting in
The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.
What you need
At UoN: Bachelor's and Master's degree from UoN or recognised institution. Department of Human Anatomy and Medical Physiology. H802. Total KSh 1,324,000 over 3 years. Applications open in April. Fees applicable to both local and international students.
When it next starts
Taught at 3 institutionsIncluding Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Multimedia University of Kenya, University of Nairobi.
Including Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Multimedia University of Kenya, University of Nairobi.
Including Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Multimedia University of Kenya, University of Nairobi.
How you are assessed
3 componentsThesis Proposal Defence
Oral defence20% of the mark
Defence of research proposal before faculty panel
Coursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, laboratory projects and seminar presentations
Thesis
Thesis50% of the mark
Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence
Accreditation
Commission for University Education
AcademicRequired
Statutory body responsible for accreditation of university programmes in Kenya
Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at University of Nairobi (Department of Human Anatomy and Medical Physiology, H802, total KSh 1,324,000 over 3 years). Fees applicable to both local and international students. Applications open in April.
Where it leads
The roles it opens, and what you leave with.
Where graduates go
4 rolesBiomedical Researcher
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Biomedical research at research institutes
Clinical Physiologist
High demandKsh 220,000 to Ksh 550,000
Clinical physiology at hospitals
Medical Physiology Researcher
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Research at KEMRI and research institutes
University Professor
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaching and research in physiology departments
Graduate outcomes
Graduates pursue careers as university professors, medical physiology researchers, clinical physiologists and biomedical researchers. They work at medical schools, hospitals, KEMRI and universities.
Where these fields lead
8 careers- Dental CeramistHealth Sciences3Low exposure
- Occupational Therapist AssistantHealth Sciences3Low exposure
- PsychologyHealth Sciences3Low exposure
- Dental ProsthetistHealth Sciences4Low exposure
- Dental Laboratory TechnicianHealth Sciences5Low exposure
- General DentistHealth Sciences5Low exposure
- Veterinary PathologistHealth Sciences5Low exposure
- Community Health NurseHealth Sciences6Low exposure
Certifications
Industry links
Common misconceptions
Medical physiology is just about how the body works.
The field covers cellular physiology, neurophysiology, cardiovascular, endocrine, exercise and tropical physiology.
There is no demand for physiology PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's medical education and clinical research create demand.
Physiology research is purely descriptive.
The programme uses molecular techniques, electrophysiology, imaging and statistical analysis.
Only doctors study this PhD.
The programme attracts biomedical scientists, pharmacologists and exercise scientists.