KMTC Diploma Courses: Clinical Medicine, Nursing and Lab Technology
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Aug 07, 2026 • Fields of Study
KMTC runs 3-year diplomas in Clinical Medicine and Surgery, several nursing tracks, and Medical Laboratory Sciences. Each needs a KCSE mean grade of C or its equivalent.
🎓 Diploma in Clinical Medicine and Surgery: 3 years, leads to registration with the Clinical Officers Council
🎓 Kenya Registered Nursing and Midwifery: 3 years, leads to registration with the Nursing Council of Kenya
⏱️ Kenya Registered Community Health Nursing: 3.5 years
🎓 Diploma in Medical Laboratory Sciences: 3 years, leads to registration with the Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board
Why KMTC diplomas matter
The Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) trains most of the country's clinical officers, nurses, and lab technologists. It runs dozens of campuses across Kenya, so you study close to home while earning a diploma that a national regulator recognizes. All three tracks below start after KCSE and lead straight into a licensed health career.
Diploma in Clinical Medicine and Surgery
This diploma trains clinical officers, health workers who diagnose and treat common conditions, run outpatient clinics, and refer complex cases to doctors. The course runs 3 years at KMTC campuses. Entry needs a KCSE mean grade of C with passes in English or Kiswahili, Biology, Chemistry, and Mathematics or Physics.
Graduates register with the Clinical Officers Council before practicing. Clinical officers make up a large share of Kenya's frontline health workforce, especially in rural and sub-county facilities where doctors are scarce.
Nursing diplomas
KMTC offers several nursing diploma tracks. Kenya Registered Nursing and Midwifery and Registered Nursing Mental Health and Psychiatry both run 3 years. Kenya Registered Community Health Nursing runs 3.5 years and adds a community health focus alongside clinical nursing skills.
Entry needs a KCSE mean grade of C with English or Kiswahili, Biology, and Chemistry among your subjects. After graduation, you register with the Nursing Council of Kenya, the body that licenses nurses and midwives to practice in Kenya.
Diploma in Medical Laboratory Sciences
This 3-year diploma trains lab technologists who run blood tests, microbiology cultures, and other diagnostic work doctors depend on for diagnosis. Entry requires a KCSE mean grade of C with strong passes in Biology and Chemistry.
Graduates register with the Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board before working in a hospital or private lab.
Course comparison
| Diploma | Duration | Registers with |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical Medicine and Surgery | 3 years | Clinical Officers Council |
| Kenya Registered Nursing and Midwifery | 3 years | Nursing Council of Kenya |
| Community Health Nursing | 3.5 years | Nursing Council of Kenya |
| Medical Laboratory Sciences | 3 years | Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board |
How to apply
Apply through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) if you are joining straight from KCSE, or apply directly to KMTC for self-sponsored places. Confirm current subject cluster requirements and intake dates on the KMTC website before you submit your application, since specific campus intakes and fee structures change between cohorts.