Master of Medicine in Family Medicine degree (MMED FM), established in 2014, is a fully accredited 4-year curriculum. The program prepares the graduate to competently serve as a primary care clinician, “consultant to primary care team” in the District/county or church hospital setting, where the need for competent consultant-level doctors with generalist skills are required most.

The training that is provided cuts across the breadth of Medical and Surgical disciplines, with emphasis on the integration of emotional and spiritual care while being mindful of the context of the patient’s family and community.

The MMED FM curriculum is founded on Christian principles of discipleship and mentor-ship, equipping one for competent, compassionate, whole-person care particularly among under-resourced contexts in East Africa and beyond.

Accreditation

The University was granted full accreditation by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Board in 2015 and by the Commission for University Education in March 2017.

Admission to Family Medicine & Community Care

We admit students from Eastern, Central and Southern Africa who meet our admission criteria and pass the written and oral interviews.

Currently, our program has students from Uganda, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and Kenya. We have also had expressed interests from Malawi, Zimbabwe and West Africa in the past.

Applications open between January each year and April. After that, shortlisted candidates are to interviewed at Kabarak Main campus and all teaching hospitals at their own expense. We anticipate selecting 12 residents each year.

We envision the health and wholeness of individuals and their communities through compassionate health care that exemplifies the healing power of Christ.

To train and disciple Family Medicine professionals to be community caregivers, providing comprehensive and holistic health care.

Specialist Licensure Information (Medical Practitioners & Dentist Board of Kenya)

After successful completion of the MMED FM degree, each graduate must complete two years of supervised practice in a recognized institution to be eligible for special recognition as a Family Medicine consultant by the MPDB of Kenya.

The University utilizesthe Four largest Church hospitals affiliated with Kabarak University: Tenwek Hospital, AIC Kijabe Mission Hospital, PCEA Chogoria Mission Hospital and AIC Litein Hospital, as teaching campuses for effective implementation of the part I program.

To effectively equip our students as consultants and administrators with skills to bring about quality improvement, significant amount of time is spent at a smaller 100-150 bed capacity part II Christian hospitals spread across the country.

Part I is slightly less than two years in duration and involves an opening four months of block courses taken at KABU.  These cover the Art of Family Medicine, its self-understanding and goals as a consultant to the primary health care team; Community Oriented Primary Care (COPC), adult learning principles and evidence-based medicine; Academic Writing principles and preparation for research; a Christian view of healing and care and Bioethics within a Christian framework and a comprehensive emergency skills training course.  You will then move to your matched mission Teaching Hospital (Tenwek, Kijabe, Litein or Chogoria) for the core clinical rotations in Medicine, Paediatrics, Obstetrics/Gynecology, and Surgery including Orthopedics with integrated emergency care responsibilities.

Some part of core rotation or sub-specialty rotations may be completed at an alternative Part I teaching hospitals to the one to which you have been matched as need arises.

Part II of the program is the final two years and involves understanding health care law in Kenya, Dermatology, Mental health training and Counseling, health systems, comprehensive continuity of Acute and Chronic care of your own patient panel including working with a community health centre, integrated Sub-specialty rotations in ENT and Ophthalmology.

It will include rotations at a county hospital and a cross-cultural (preferably out of country) setting.  Besides generous elective time, there is protected non-clinical time for thesis, research and writing and also residents’ own reading time and completion of assignments.

The MMED FM will train physicians for the following main roles:

Primary Care Team Consultant

A primary care team consultant provides competent comprehensive clinical care unlimited by age, gender or organ system with awareness of inter-relatedness of psychological, social-cultural, family, community and spiritual dimensions.

Leader

A leader within the health care team coordinates members of the team and collaborates with community and other sectors to ensure continuity of care.

Communicator

A communicator has the skills to effectively collaborate with the health care team on an institutional and community level while also providing empathy, compassion and health education to patients and families.

Scholar

A scholar is a self-directed life-long learner prompted by patients’ problems and community needs to engage in practice improvement and community engagement.

Health Advocate

A health advocate promotes holistic health of individuals, families and communities and strategically engages with the health care system for policy reform.

• Competent holistic OPD and Inpatient skills.
• Critical thinking skills and Diagnostician skills
• Emergency Medicine and Surgical skills.
• Communication skills
• Scientific foundation in medicine ( EBM, Research, and QI)
• Professional values and ethical behavior
• Community focus: Population health
• Health Systems: Leadership and management skills
• Spiritual integration in practice

The MMED FM shall extend for a period of at least 4 years but not more than 7 years. Parts I and II of the programme will consist of minimum of 20 months and 28 months, respectively.

To qualify for graduation, students must complete a total of 217 credit factors divided as follows; 7515 patient care hours/ 750 lecture hours/ 72 credit factors for research and thesis.

In addition to the minimum entry requirements specified for Masters Degree at Kabarak University, you must meet the following conditions to be eligible for admissions to MMED FM:

• A holder of the M.B.Ch.B. degree or equivalent from institutions recognized by Kabarak University Senate and Commission for University Education (CUE), registered or register-able as a medical practitioner by the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board of Kenya (MPDB)
• Have completed a minimum 2 years of service post-internship if working with the county government and considering applying for county study leave.*
• Pass admission requirements and interviews as determined by the Department of Family Medicine and Community Care

* (Not applicable to applicants sponsored by Mission hospitals or from private practice on self- sponsorship)

Tuition Fees

Tuition Fees: Kshs 90,000 per semester (variable administrative fee per semester)

Duration: 12 semesters

Mode of Application

Application forms and further details are available from the Admissions offices or website: www.kabarak.ac.ke . Duly completed forms should be returned to any of those offices with a non-refundable fee of Kshs.1500, payable to:

Kabarak University into any of the following bank accounts:
Standard Chartered Bank – 01040-943637-01 Nakuru;
Trans National Bank – 0040503005 Nakuru;
Kenya Commercial Bank – 1109663161 Nakuru;
Equity Bank – 0310294445167 Nakuru Kenyatta Avenue

M-Pesa Option: 511480, Account no: Full names.

For those not eligible for Ministry of Health sponsorship, the Institute of Family Medicine (INFA-MED, Nairobi) will receive applications for a scholarship covering 2/3 of tuition. For sponsored residents, a monthly Educational Stipend of Ksh110,000 ispaid to them for the duration of the program.

Applicants from counties must secure fully paid county study leave.