Medical Courses come in various categories and classifications. Medical courses are arguably the most marketable careers in Kenya today, with employment guaranteed shortly after graduation. This is because Medical practitioners are needed in almost all social institutions in society.
Healthcare is a critical sector of the economy that requires a large number of health workers to run its operations successfully. In view of this, Kenya has invested heavily in educating healthcare providers and dispatching them to serve in various hospitals across the country.
Where are medical courses offered?
Today, there are over 60 universities offering a variety of medical courses in Kenya. This is stepped up with the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC); a government-established institution fully dedicated to offering quality and affordable education in the field of medicine. The college (KMTC) has 71 branches spread all over the country both in urban and rural settings.
In addition to that, there are hundreds of technical training institutions and about 10 National Polytechnics offering courses in the medical profession such as medical engineering and medical laboratory sciences. All these institutions have continued to train medical practitioners and strengthening the workforce in the health sector.
Where do medical practitioners work?
Apart from the normal hospital setting, we have other institutions such as schools, churches, military, prisons, and NGOs that require medical personnel amongst themselves in order to manage their health departments effectively.
There are many courses that one can pursue as a medical practitioner in Kenya. Certainly, not all of them are marketable. This article outlines a list of the most marketable medical courses in Kenya that one can pursue and land a job upon graduation.
1. Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBCHB).
Bachelor of medicine and surgery is beyond reasonable doubt the most marketable medical course in Kenya as of now. Physicians and Surgeons taking this course undergo vigorous training of not less than 6 years, which involves in-class training, practical clinical lessons, and research. After a long period of training, the graduates are dispatched to the job market which normally begins with an internship program before one is fully absorbed as a physician.
A candidate who wishes to pursue a bachelor of medicine and surgery in Kenya must have scored the minimum university entry grade of C+ and have at least a grade of B in the following subjects: Biology, Chemistry/Physics, Mathematics/Physics. A certified physician in Kenya earns a basic salary of between Ksh 127,000 and Ksh 583,000.
2. Clinical Medicine.
Clinical medicine is a medical course that deals with the direct diagnosis of the patient and administration of drugs. Medical practitioners in this field assess the patient, diagnose, treat and administer measures to prevent disease and infection.
In order to pursue a clinical medicine course, a candidate must have scored a good grade in biology, English, mathematics, and physics, or chemistry. The exact grades depend on whether the candidate wants to pursue a diploma or degree course. The average monthly salary for a clinical officer in Kenya is ksh 80,000.
3. Bachelor of Nursing.
Nurses are very fundamental workers in the health sector, they perform complex tasks and help out the doctors with their technical work in the hospitals. A nurse is typically trained to perform basic tasks that a doctor can also perform in the absence of a nurse. It is the nurses who receive patients and conduct first aid to them before they see a doctor or a clinical officer.
4. Pharmacy.
A pharmacist is a healthcare professional who deals with the usage, preservation, and prescription of drugs. A pharmacist, also known as a chemist or druggist issues guidelines on how to use medications and warns of any adverse effects that may arise from taking the medications. They complete the prescriptions