10 Medical Schools in Kenya

Kenya’s medical schools are among the best in Africa. They provide excellent education and training to people who want to become doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare workers. Since there is a growing need for healthcare services and skilled medical professionals, these schools are very important in making sure we have good doctors and nurses.

In this article, I will closely examine 10 medical schools in Kenya. I’ll talk about what makes each of them special, what they are really good at, and what subjects they focus on.

With this article, my goal is to share important information about medical education in Kenya. I want to help students and people who want to work in healthcare make smart choices about their careers.

Overview of 10 Medical schools in Kenya 

1. Moi University School of Medicine (MUSOM)

MUSOM, which started in 1988 and accepted students in 1990 as a Health Sciences Faculty, believes in training healthcare professionals who can help their local communities. They focus on teaching skills like self-learning, solving problems, and good communication.

This school doesn’t just teach hospital-based medicine; they also emphasize preventing diseases and promoting good health in the community.

Right now, the University has four undergraduate programs: Medicine and Surgery (MBChB), Medical Laboratory Science, Physical Therapy, and Medical Psychology. They also offer 16 postgraduate programs in different medical fields.

2. University of Nairobi Medical School

The Medical School at the University of Nairobi, founded in 1967, is one of Kenya’s oldest medical institutions. The university is dedicated to training top-notch healthcare professionals and groundbreaking researchers to address new health challenges.

Their experts are at the forefront of creating national health policies. The school offers various academic programs, including Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD degrees, as well as diplomas.

Moreover, they run two modern hospitals that serve as both training hubs for students and healthcare centers for patients. This setup enables UoN medical students to gain real-world experience alongside their studies.

3. Kenyatta University School of Medicine

The School of Medicine, formerly called the School of Health Sciences, was created in August 2004 with the aim of excelling in health research, teaching, and creating new healthcare products. They provide an undergraduate program, the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB), which takes six years to finish.

This program is made to help students really understand what it means to be a doctor and give them the skills they need to be good and caring doctors.

The school provides advanced programs for people who already finished their basic medical education. These programs include Master’s degrees like Master of Medicine (MMed) and Master of Science (MSc) in different medical fields like surgery, pediatrics, women’s health (obstetrics and gynecology), and internal medicine.

The school also offers a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program in medicine and a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree.

4. Kenya Methodist University School of Medicine

Kenya Methodist University (KeMU) is a Christian university supported by the Methodist Church in Kenya. It’s privately owned and officially recognized with a charter. The university provides various study options, including full-time classes you attend in person, online courses for distance learning, and a mix of both.

For face-to-face classes, students mainly learn in labs and clinics, and they start in September each year. Distance learning programs begin in January, May, and September, so students can choose when to start their studies to suit their schedule.

5. Maseno University Medical School

The Maseno University Medical School is located in Maseno, a town in Kisumu County, Kenya. It’s a public university, and it received accreditation from the Commission for University Education in Kenya back in 1991.

The medical school is a part of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, which also includes the Schools of Nursing, Public Health, and Pharmacy. They offer different programs in medicine and related fields.

For undergraduates, there’s a six-year program called Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB), as well as Bachelor of Science degrees in Nursing and Pharmacy. The MBChB program includes both classroom learning and hands-on clinical training.

At Maseno University Medical School, they offer postgraduate programs like Master of Medicine (MMed) in various specialties such as Internal Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, and Anesthesiology. They also provide a Master of Science degree in Public Health.

6. Mount Kenya University School of Medicine

Mount Kenya University is a school that really likes science and technology. They also know a lot about health stuff. Before this school, there was another one called Thika Institute of Technology, which started in 1996 and was the first one allowed to teach pharmacy.

The Health Sciences College at MKU offers classes in medicine, surgery, medical labs, clinical medicine, public health, pharmacy, and nursing.

The university has some really good programs, and they’re considered some of the best in Kenya and East Africa. In particular, the Medical School is known for training top-notch medical professionals. 

7. Egerton University

Egerton University is the oldest university in Kenya, and it’s a public one. They have a great Faculty of Health Sciences known for giving excellent education in various health fields. The faculty’s main goal is to prepare capable professionals who can help in healthcare and the community as a whole.

The Faculty of Health Sciences at Egerton University provides both bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in different health science areas like medicine, nursing, clinical medicine, medical lab sciences, environmental health, and health records and information management.

These programs are made to give students the important knowledge and skills they need to become good at their jobs in these fields.

8. Kisii University School of Health Sciences

Kisii University’s School of Health Sciences is a well-known college in Kenya. They offer both bachelor’s and master’s programs in healthcare fields. Their goal is to provide excellent education and training to students who want to work in healthcare.

The School of Health Sciences has a team of experienced and skilled faculty members who are dedicated to teaching students the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in their chosen fields. Moreover, the school has modern and advanced facilities and equipment, which are essential for hands-on training and research.

9. Uzima University Medical School

Uzima University is a Christian university in Kisumu, Kenya. It’s a private university that started in 2005 and offers different degree programs. They also have the Uzima University Medical School, which began in 2011 and is located at Uzima Hospital in Kisumu.

The main aim of the medical school is to teach capable and ethical doctors who can provide excellent healthcare not just in Kenya but worldwide.

Their main program is the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB), which takes six years to complete. It’s meant to give students a strong understanding of medical sciences and clinical medicine.

Moreover, students get a chance to learn by working in real healthcare situations during clinical rotations at different healthcare places.

10. Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology medical school

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) is a government-owned university in Juja, Kenya. It started in 1981 as a college for middle-level education and was initially called Jomo Kenyatta College of Agriculture and Technology. 

Back in 1994, the college turned into a real university and got a new name, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT). Today, JKUAT has grown a lot and has over 22,000 students.

The College of Health Sciences works closely with the healthcare needs of Kenyan people and the government, both nationally and in different counties. It was created to encourage teamwork between the University and Research Institutions like the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) to help them develop together. 

The teamwork between these government institutions has been a good example of using resources effectively to make progress in the field. The College has different schools, like the School of Nursing, School of Public Health, School of Medicine, School of Pharmacy, and School of Biomedical Sciences.

Want to study in other countries? I reccommend you to check out my previous articles on medical schools in Morroco, Spain, Sweden and China.