Master of Medicine in Psychiatry Program Offered at University of Nairobi

Masters 3 Years Fulltime Fee: on application Intake: Ongoing

Masters (Accredited by: University of Nairobi)

About Master of Medicine in Psychiatry Masters program.

The Master of Medicine degree course in Psychiatry at the University of Nairobi is intended to train medically qualified doctors to master the practice of diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental illness as well as giving them a sound scientific foundation to enable them to teach students (undergraduate and post graduate), and carry out original research.


The emphasis in this course is on clinical and practical work and most of the teaching will be by "bed side" teaching in the wards during ward rounds and clinical case conference. The candidate who shall be a full time employee of the Hospital will be assigned clinical responsibility over a wide variety of patients and shall spend most of his/her working hours including night and weekend calls admitting, clerking, examining and treating patients under supervision by his/her teachers.




The lectures will mainly be introductory occupying not more than two hours of each working day. The course will be continuous from first to the third year. During this period the candidate will select a dissertation topic as he acquires knowledge and experience nad will complete the dissertation during the final year.

Objectives of Master of Medicine in Psychiatry

The Master of Medicine degree course in Psychiatry at the University of Nairobi is intended to train medically qualified doctors to master the practice of diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental illness as well as giving them a sound scientific foundation to enable them to teach students (undergraduate and post graduate), and carry out original research.

Entry requirements for Master of Medicine in Psychiatry

The candidate eligible for admission into the Master of Medicine in Psychiatry programme at the University of Nairobi shall fulfil all three of the following conditions:


Be in possession of a medical degree from the University of Nairobi or other institutions recognized by the University of Nairobi's Senate and the degree should be registrable in Kenya.


Shall have completed at least one year of intern-ship in a medical institution recognized by the University of Nairobi's Senate.


Should have at least one year of clinical experience as a medical officer or equivalent in a hospital or institution recognized by the University of Nairobi's Senate.

Master of Medicine in Psychiatry Course Subjects

 

The programme shall consist of a three year full time study by clinical work, coursework, dissertation and examination, and at least two of these three years must be spent in an institution in East Africa, recognized by the University of Nairobi's Senate.




Course outline


First year


Lectures and demonstrations shall including all of the following subjects:




  1. Introduction to Psychiatry



  2. Psychology relevant to Psychiatry



  3. Neuro-Sciences:




  • Neuroanatomy



  • Neurophysiology &Neuroendocrinology



  • Neurobiochemistry



  • Neuropathology




  1. Neuropharmacology



  2. Psychopathology



  3. Neurology



  4. Social Science in Relation to Psychiatry



  5. Genetics of Mental Illness



  6. Methods of Investigations in Psychiatry including basic Statistics



  7. History of Psychiatry




The Master of Medicine in Psychiatry candidate shall also undertake full time clinical work in a Psychiatric hospital or medical institution recognised by the University of Nairobi's Senate at the level of senior house officer, registrar or tutorial fellow.


Second year


The Master of Medicine in Psychiatry course at the University of Nairobi shall be devoted to general clinical Psychiatry and relevant aspects of general medicine the candidate shall continue to work in a psychiatric hospital or medical institution recognised by the University of Nairobi Senate at the level of registrar, senior house officer or tutorial fellow.




At least three months of the year shall be spent neurological unit and another three months in a provincial psychiatric unit.




The following subjects shall be taught in lectures and tutorials:






      1. The Functional Psychoses



      2. The Organic Psychoses, Alcoholism and Drug Dependence



      3. Organic Psychosomatic and Psychosexure



      4. Treatments in Psychiatry


The candidates shall also be required to attend


i) Clinical case conferences






      1. Journal Club Meeting



      2. Research talks




Third year


The Master of Medicine in Psychiatry candidate shall continue with full time clinical work as in the first and second years in the same institutions.




In addition, the Master of Medicine in Psychiatry candidate shall spend at least three months each of clerkship in forensic psychiatry and child psychiatry, and an option of 3 months in either mental subnormality, psycho therapy or any other medical speciality approved by the faculty board of medicine according to the candidate's field of interest and future specialisation.




The following subjects shall be taught in lectures and tutorials:




  1. Forensic Psychiatry



  2. Child & Adolescent Psychiatry



  3. Mental Subnormality



  4. Social and Transcultural Psychiatry



  5. Community Psychiatry



  6. Psychotherapy



  7. Behaviour Therapy



About University of Nairobi

The University of Nairobi is a world-class university committed to scholarly excellence. University of Nairobi mission is to provide quality university education and training and to embody the aspirations of the Kenyan people and the global community through creation, preservation, integration, transmission and utilization of knowledge.

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