Kenya Medical Training College
Department of Clinical Medicine
Course Outline for Diploma in Clinical Medicine
Content
1. Communication and Critical Thinking
2. Medical Psychology
3. Nursing Skills
4. Community Health I
5. Medical Microbiology I
6. Medical Parasitology I
7. Medical Biochemistry I
8. Clinical Methods I
9. General Pathology I
10. General Pharmacology
11. Human Anatomy I
12. Medical Physiology I
13. Clinical Placement
Module 1: Communication and Critical Thinking
Course Outline
Week Dates Units and Topics
From To
Week 1 Introduction to Communication - communication, theories, model,
elements, stages, processes and importance
Week 2 Introduction to Communication - One way and two-way communication;
advantages, disadvantage, effective communication, characteristics,
advantages and barriers to effective communication,
Week 3 Introduction to Communication - mode of communication- intrapersonal,
interpersonal, digital, visual, mass communication, oral, verbal, nonverbal
and written communication,
Week 4 Introduction to Communication - patterns to communication - direction of
communication and strategies of improving communication,
Week 5 Introduction to Communication - Artificial intelligence (AI) - definition,
the role of AI in communication
Week 6 Introduction to Communication – practical
Week 7 Listening Skills - Types, listening steps, levels of listening, barriers to
effective listening, Improving listening skills.
Week 8 CAT
Week 9 Listening Skills – practical
Week 10 Reading and writing skills - reading – process, purpose, techniques and
strategies, writing – process, academic writing, memos, letters, academic
and report writings.
Week 11 Reading and Writing Skills – practical
Week 12 Critical and Creative Thinking - Definition of critical thinking, types of
critical thinking, Importance of critical thinking,
Week 13 Critical and Creative Thinking - cognitive thinking - definition, importance,
limitation. creative thinking, logical thinking; definition, the importance of
thinking logically,
Week 14 Critical and Creative Thinking - Reasoning - definition, the importance of
reasoning in decision making,
Week 15 Critical and Creative Thinking - Impact of reasoning in critical thinking,
argument – definition, inductive and deductive argument, fallacies/flaws,
logic, barriers to critical thinking,
Week 16 Critical and Creative Thinking - clinical reasoning, problem-solving,
application of critical thinking
Week 17 Critical and Creative Thinking – practical
Week 18 Critical and Creative Thinking – practical
Week 19 REVISION
Week 20 END OF SEMESTER EXAMINATION
Module 2: Medical Psychology
Course Outline
Week Dates Units and Topics
From To
Week 1 Introduction to psychology; historical background, foundations of
psychology, goals of psychology, schools of thought, contemporary
approaches
Week 2 Branches, relevance of psychology in Health care practice, goals, methods of
study in psychology
Week 3 Human growth and development; factors influencing human development,
theories of development,
Week 4 Stages of human development: prenatal development; neonatal; infancy;
childhood; puberty; adolescence; adulthood, old age, aging, death and dying.
Week 5 Personality; structure of personality; ID, ego and superego, types of
personality and defence mechanisms.
Week 6 Theories of personality; Psychoanalytic, Trait, Behaviourism, Humanistic,
biological, Freud’s theory
Week 7 Psychosexual, Ericksons, Carl Roger's theories and Maslow’s hierarchy of
needs.
Week 8 CAT
Week 9 Motivation; introduction to motivation, drives of motivation
Week 10 Theories of motivation; cognitive, arousal, incentive and Abraham Maslow's
theories of motivation
Week 11 Application of motivation in health, hindrances to motivation
Week 12 Cognitive psychology: Learning; definition, Distinction between learning
and performance. Theories (Behaviourist-classical and operant conditioning,
Week 13 Insight learning and Social learning theory.
Week 14 Emotions: Definition, theories; James Lange theory, Cannon-Bard theory,
Schacter singer’s theory, functions of emotions,
Week 15 Memory: Definition, Memory process, retrieval process, theories of
forgetting, types of rehearsal and memory dysfunction.
Week 16 Intelligence: Definition. Models; Psychometric approach, fluid and
crystallized intelligence, intelligence as information process, Triarchic
theory, componential intelligence, logical reasoning, Concept of intelligence
Quotient and Artificial intelligence.
Week 17 Practical
Week 18 Practical
Week 19 REVISION
Week 20 End of Semester Examinations
Module 3: Nursing Skills
Course Outline
Week Dates Units and Topics
From To
Week 1 Infection Prevention - Introduction, standard precautions and
universal precautions, infection cycle, chain of infection and how to
break the chain, nosocomial infections, aseptic techniques, donning
and removing personal protective equipment’s, sterile techniques,
medical waste management and injection safety.
Week 2 Infection Prevention – Practical
Week 3 Injection Safety - Safe injection principles and procedures; proper
injection technique, use of safety boxes,
Week 4 Injection Safety – Practical
Week 5 Basic Nursing procedures - Patient admission procedure, bed
making, patient safety and wellbeing, nursing care - assisting or
transporting a patient to washroom, bathroom, sluicing.
Week 6 Basic Nursing procedures - patient monitoring, feeding, liaising
with other medical staff in patient care, compiling progress reports,
preparing of patients for various procedures, counselling,
discharging or escorting patients and handing over.
Week 7 Basic Nursing procedures - administration of drugs, (oral,
injectables, special therapies), wound cleaning and dressing,
Week 8 CAT
Week 9 Basic Nursing procedures – practical
Week 10 Basic Nursing procedures – practical
Week 11 Basic Nursing procedures – practical
Week 12 Basic Nursing procedures – practical
Week 13 Basic Nursing procedures – practical
Week 14 Counselling - Definition, concept of counselling, types of
counselling, characteristics of a good counsellor; counselling skills,
counselling process- GATHER, SOLER, interventions and
management.
Week 15 Counselling – Practical
Week 16 Counselling – Practical
Week 17
Week 18
Week 19 REVISION
Week 20 End of Semester Examinations
Module 4: Community Health I
Course Outline
Week Dates Units and Topics
From To
Week 1 Determinants of health status: Introduction, WHO definition,
community, health, types of communities, functions of community,
community feelings, dimensions of community,
Week 2 Health and community systems, wellness, dimensions of health, concepts
of community health, purpose of community health, objectives of
community health
Week 3 Primary Health Care (PHC); definition, characteristic of PHC,
principles of PHC, Elements of PHC.
Week 4 MDGs - concepts and definitions. SDGs. Vision 2030.
Week 5 MDGs - concepts and definitions. SDGs. Vision 2030.
Week 6 Community-Based Health Care (CBHC); introduction to community-
based health care and community health strategy. implementing.
Week 7 Universal Health Coverage (introduction, definition, global perspective,
objectives, pillars, priority areas, benefits of implementing UHC)
Week 8 CAT
Week 9 Health promotion; definition, principles, illness prevention, levels of
prevention.
Week 10 Ottawa charter (definition, aims and objectives) health education
approaches
Week 11 Disease prevention and protection
Week 12 Steps in carrying out health education program,
Week 13 Common topics of health education,
Week 14 Planning for health education and topics for health education
Week 15 Health education methods – mass, group, individual methods
Week 16 Teaching aids (posters, charts, videos) Teaching aids (demonstrations
Week 17 Global health; definition, frame work of social determinants, global health
care delivery, skills in global health, core competencies of global health
Week 18 Global health and climate change, and global health and sustainable
development goals.
Week 19 REVISION
Week 20 End of Semester Examinations
Module 5: Medical Microbiology I
Course Outline
Week Dates Units and Topics
From To
Week 1 Introduction to microbiology, Terminologies
Week 2 Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
Week 3 Taxonomy and classification of organisms,
Week 4 Infection Prevention and Control
Week 5 cba Bacteriology Introduction
Week 6 Bacteria growth
Week 7 Cocci; Streptococci,
Week 8 CAT
Week 9 Cocci; staphylococci
Week 10 Other Cocci
Week 11 Mycobacilli
Week 12 Bacilli clostridium
Week 13 Moraxella ,Neisseria
Week 14 Proteus, klebsiella
Week 15 Enterococci(Salmonella, shigella)
Week 16
Week 17
Week 18
Week 19 REVISION
Week 20 End of Semester Examinations
Module 6: Medical Parasitology I
Course Outline
Week Dates Units and Topics
From To
Week 1 Introduction: definition of terms, and host-parasite relationship
Week 2 Introduction: classification of parasites,
Week 3 Introduction: classification of parasites,
Week 4 Introduction: sources of infections, modes of transmission, pathogenic effect of
parasitic infections.
Week Helminthology: classification of helminths (cestodes, trematodes, Nematodes)
Week 6 Helminthology: Intestinal cestodes (Taenia saginata, Taenia solium, hymenolepis
nana Dyphyllobothrium latum, Echynococcus granulosus) general characteristics,
epidemiology, mode of transmission, life cycle, pathogenic effect, control and
prevention.
Week 7 Helminthology: Intestinal cestodes (Taenia saginata, Taenia solium, hymenolepis
nana Dyphyllobothrium latum,) general characteristics, epidemiology, mode of
transmission, life cycle, pathogenic effect, control and prevention.
Week 8 CAT
Week 9 Helminthology: Tissue cestodes (Echynococcus granulosus, Echynococcus
multilocuraris) general characteristics, epidemiology, mode of transmission, life
cycle, pathogenic effect, control and prevention.
Week 10 Helminthology: Trematodes Blood flukes (Schistosoma haematobium, Schistosoma
mansoni, Schistosoma japonicum) general characteristics, epidemiology, mode of
transmission, life cycle, pathogenic effect, control and prevention.
Week 11 Helminthology: Trematodes Lung, Liver and intestinal flukes (Fasciola hepatica
fasciola gigantica, paragominus westermani) general characteristics, epidemiology,
mode of transmission, life cycle, pathogenic effect, control and prevention
Week 12 Helminthology: Intestinal nematodes (Ascaries lumbricoides, Enterobius
vermicularis, Anchylostoma duodenale, Necator americanus, Trichiuri trichuria,
strongyloids stercolaris, Trichinella spiralis
Week 13 Helminthology: Intestinal nematodes (Ascaries lumbricoides, Enterobius
vermicularies, Anchylostoma duodenale, Necator americanus, Trichiuri trichuria,
strongyloids stercolaries, Trichinella spiralis
Week 14 Helminthology: Intestinal nematodes (Ascaries lumbricoides, Enterobius
vermicularies, Anchylostoma duodenale, Necator americanus, Trichiuri trichuria,
strongyloids stercolaries, Trichinella spiralis
Week 15 Helminthology: Somatic nematodes (Wucheria bancrofti, Loa loa)
Week 16 Helminthology: Somatic nematodes (Onchocercus volvulus, Druncuculus medinesis)
Week 17
Week 18
Week 19 REVISION
Week 20 End of Semester Examinations
Module 7: Medical Biochemistry I
Course Outline
Week Dates Units and Topics
From To
Week 1 Introduction, the importance of medical biochemistry,
Week 2 Chemical bonds, functional groups
Week 3 PH & buffering system,
Week 4 DNA/RNA Structure and Function,
Week 5 Water and electrolytes,
Week 6 Water-soluble vitamins.
Week 7 Fat-soluble vitamins.
Week 8 CAT
Week 9 Structure, property and function of carbohydrates
Week 10 Structure, property and function Proteins
Week 11 Structure, property and function of nucleic acids
Week 12 Structure, property and function of lipids
Week 13 nucleic acid metabolism
Week 14 protein synthesis process
Week 15 Protein degradation
Week 16 gout, phenylketonuria
Week 17
Week 18
Week 19 REVISION
Week 20 End of Semester Examinations
Module 8: Clinical Methods I
Course Outline
Week Dates Units and Topics
From To
Week 1 Introduction to Clinical Methods; Introduction, communication skills, patients
clerking; clinician-client relationship, questioning skills, listening skills, giving
feedback,
artificial intelligence (AI) in communication, clerkship – physical and virtual,
physical examination techniques, examination equipment, health provider safety,
patient safety
Week 2 Digital Health and Telemedicine; remote patient consultation, history taking,
physical examination, clinical decision making, patient education and counselling,
coordination of care, security and privacy, technical support, medical apps,
documentation, virtual clinics, AI-Driven Chatbots, Mobile Health Apps, wearable
devices:
Documentation; Introduction, uses of medical records (manual records, Electronic
Health Records (EHRs)), sources of medical records, characteristics of a good
medical record, management of medical records, types of medical records, individual
records, AI and documentation, reporting tools, data protection
Week 3 History taking - Introduction, communication skills, patients clerking; clinician-client
relationship, questioning skills, listening skills, giving feedback, clerkship – physical
and virtual,
History taking - artificial intelligence (AI) in communication,
History taking - general medical/clinical history format: - biodata, chief complaint,
history of present illness (HPI), review of systems past medical and surgical history,
personal social economic history, family history.
Week 4 History taking - History taking in special situations – paediatric, surgical. trauma,
obstetrics and gynaecology, the elderly, mental illness, patients with disabilities
(physical, visual, deaf/Deaf,), deaf/Deaf etiquette, artificial intelligence in history
taking.
Week 5 History taking – practical
Week 6 History taking - Practical
Week 7 General examination - introduction, examination techniques, examination equipment,
AI in physical examination, general survey; local examination (wound, mass,
fracture, goitre, breast)
Week 8 CAT
Week 9 General examination - vital signs – temperature, pulse, blood pressure, respiratory,
Pulse Oximetry, anthropometric measurements in children (weight, head
circumference, upper arm circumference and length/height) and adults (height and
weight, BMI).
Week 10 General examination – practical
Week Dates Units and Topics
From To
Week 11 Documentation; Introduction, Uses of Medical Records, Sources of Medical Records,
Characteristics of A Good Medical Record, Management of Medical Records, Types
of Medical Records, individual records, Ai and documentation. Telemedicine -
remote patient consultation, history taking, physical examination, clinical decision
making, patient education and counselling,
Week 12 Telemedicine - coordination of care, security and privacy, technical support, medical
apps, documentation. Respiratory system examination – introduction – applied
anatomy and physiology, history taking, examination technique,
Week 13 Respiratory system examination - general examination, inspection, palpation,
percussion and auscultation,
Week 14 Respiratory system examination - investigations, procedures - oxygen devices and
administration, intubation, bag-mask ventilation, chest x-ray, CPR, chest tube
insertion, sputum collection
Week 15 Respiratory system examination – practical
Week 16 Cardiovascular system examination- introduction – applied anatomy and physiology,
history taking, examination technique;
Week 17 Cardiovascular system examination- inverted 'J', - general examination, inspection,
palpation, percussion, auscultation, examination of the peripheral vascular system,
Week 18 Cardiovascular system examination- investigations, chest x-ray for cardiorespiratory
ratio, ECG, CPR,
Week 19 Cardiovascular system examination- practical
Week 20 End of Semester Examinations
Module 9: General Pathology I
Course Outline
Week Dates Units and Topics
From To
Week 1 Introduction to Pathology; historical perspectives of pathology, definition of terms
in pathology, branches of pathology,
Week 2 Core aspects of pathology- risk factors, aetiology, pathogenesis, pathophysiology,
clinical significance
Week 3 Application of pathology- histopathology, cytopathology, immunohistochemistry,
autopsy, haematology, microbiology
Week 4 Cell growth Disorders – cell growth and cycle, agenesis, anaplasia, diploma,
dysgenesis, hypoplasia,
Week 5 Neoplasia: definition, types of neoplasia, histological classification, benign versus
malignant neoplasia, characteristics of neoplasms,
Week 6 Neoplasia – Epithelial tumours
Week 7 Neoplasia – Connective tissue tumours
Week 8 CAT
Week 9 Cell injury: causes of cell injury, pathogenesis and pathophysiology
Week 10 Cell injury: cellular adaptations
Week 11 Cell death, changes after cell death -gangrene, pathological calcification
Week 12 Intracellular accumulations- fats, glycogen, pigments, cholesterol. cell ageing-
causes, effects.
Week 13 Inflammation: acute inflammation – causes of inflammation, cardinal signs of
inflammation, vascular and cellular changes in inflammation
Week 14 Inflammation - chemical mediators of acute inflammation, applied aspects of acute
inflammation
Week 15 Chronic inflammation – causes, types, mediators of chronic inflammation. Applied
aspects of chronic inflammation- Tuberculosis, Syphilis
Week 16 Tissue repair: control of cell growth, cell cycle, types of tissues, proliferation
capacities of tissues, healing of tissue by regeneration, Growth factors in tissue
repair, application of growth factors in tissue repair, Repair by connective tissue
deposition: scar, keloids, Extra cellular matrix: basement membrane, function,
components, characteristics
Week 17 Healing of Epithelial tissues - wound strength, complications of wound head
healing, factors affecting wound healing
Week 18 Healing in specialised tissues- fractures, nerves, tendons, muscles.
Week 19 REVISION
Week 20 End of Semester Examinations
Module 10: General Pharmacology
Course Outline
Week Dates Units and Topics
From To
Week 1 Introduction to Pharmacology and Therapeutics - definitions of terminologies,
history of Pharmacology,
Week 2 Introduction to Pharmacology and Therapeutics – principles and concepts in
pharmacology and therapeutics, importance of drugs, sources of drugs, drug
classification. Complementary, alternative and illicit medicine.
Week 3 Introduction to Pharmacology and Therapeutics - Concept of essential drugs, rational
and repurposing use of drugs. Principles of drug prescribing. Multi-drug regimens
and polypharmacy.
Week 4 Drug Development and Regulation - Introduction, approaches of drug discovery and
development and efficacy monitoring; Stages of drug development, classification
and naming of drugs, pre-clinical and clinical trials,
Week 5 Drug Development and Regulation - Biotechnology in drug development,
Regulatory agencies and approval processes, Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Kenya,
Pharmacy and Poisons Act, Dangerous Drugs Act, Controlled substances
Week 6 Drug formulation, preparations and administration - Drug forms, Rights of
medication administration, Routes of drugs administration,
Week 7 Drug formulation, preparations and administration - Therapeutic drug monitoring,
advanced drug delivery systems.
Week 8 CAT
Week 9 Drug formulation, preparations and administration – Practical
Week 10 Pharmacokinetics - Introduction, drug movement across biological membranes.
Week 11 Pharmacokinetics – Drug Absorption, Distribution, mechanisms and clinical
implications
Week 12 Pharmacokinetics – Drug metabolism and biotransformation, mechanisms and
clinical implications
Week 13 Pharmacokinetics – Drug Excretion. mechanisms and clinical implications
Week 14 Pharmacodynamics - Introduction, Receptor theory, Drug-receptor interactions,
Week 15 Pharmacodynamics - Dose-response relationships, factors modifying drug action,
Variability in Drug Response:
Week 16 Pharmacodynamics - Factors contributing to inter-individual variability, adverse
drug reactions, drug tolerance, habituation, addiction and physical dependence.
Week 17 Pharmacodynamics - Drug safety and interactions
Week 18 Special Populations and consideration: pregnant and lactating women, Paediatrics,
and the elderly pharmacology.
Week 19 REVISION
Week 20 End of Semester Examinations
Module 11: Human Anatomy I
Course Outline
Week Dates Units and Topics
From To
Week 1 Introduction: Historical background of human anatomy
Week 2 Definition of terms used in anatomy: - anatomy and its branches,
terms related to position, terms related to movement.
Week 3 Structural organization of the body: chemical level, molecular level,
cellular level, tissue level, organ level and systems and organism
Week 4 Basic histology: cell structure: cell membrane structure, mosaic
model, organelles.
Week Epithelial tissue: classification, glands, functions, characteristics
applied aspects: adenoma, glandular lesions
Week 6 Connective tissue: classification, characteristics, cells of connective
tissues, fibres, ground substance, the function of connective tissues
Week 7 Muscle tissue: classification, characteristics, structure of muscles
Week 8 CAT
Week 9 Nervous tissue: classification of neurons- structural and functional,
glial cells clinical significance of histology
Week 10 Embryology: Cell division (meiosis, mitosis)
Week 11 Gametogenesis: spermatogenesis, oogenesis, Fertilization: stages,
outcomes, cleavage
Week 12 Body cavities, Week 1, week 2 (bilaminar disc), week 3
(gastrulation), Week 4- neurulation- primary and secondary
vesicles, spinal cord development derivatives of the germ layers
(mesoderm, endoderm, ectoderm
Week 13 Organogenesis: nervous system: neural tube, vesiculation, neural
tube , cardiovascular system: Heart tube, folding of heart tubes,
cardiac looping, valve formation
Week 14 GIT- oesophagus, stomach, small intestines, rectum, pancreas, liver,
spleen, mesenteries: Applied aspects.
Week 15 Respiratory system: origin, trachea, bronchioles, stages of lung
development, clinical significance of RS
Week 16 Genitourinary system: Urogenital sinus, cloaca, gonads,
gubernaculum, pronephros, mesonephros, metanephros, prostate,
urethra
Week 17
Week 18
Week 19 REVISION
Week 20 End of Semester Examinations
Module 12: Medical Physiology I
Course Outline
Week Dates Units and Topics
From To
Week 1 Cell biology; introduction, scope and importance of physiology, functions of the
cell organelle, cell cycle
Week 2 Cell genetics and inheritance.
Week 3 Homeostasis and homeostatic control mechanism, mechanism of transport across
cell membrane
Week 4 Body fluids; introduction, composition of body fluids, regulation of fluid and
electrolyte and temperature,
Week 5 Water balance, role of hypothalamus.
Week 6 Blood and lymphatic system; introduction, composition of blood, hemopoiesis,
factors that affect blood volume, normal blood cells count.
Week 7 Haemoglobin- structure and function, leucocytes- classification and functions,
platelets, blood typing,
Week 8 CAT
Week 9 Reticulo-endothelial system- lymph node, lymph vessels
Week 10 Respiratory system; structural function
Week 11 Mechanism of ventilation and perfusion
Week 12 Defence mechanism regulation of respiration;
Week 13 Volumes and capacities.
Week 14 Cardiovascular system; review structure of blood vessels and heart, blood
circulation.
Week 15 Conduction system of the heart, ECG, autonomic influence on the heart
Week 16 Cardiac cycle, heart sounds,
Week 17 Blood pressure and its regulation
Week 18 Muscular system; introduction- contractile process
Week 19 REVISION
Week 20 End of Semester Examinations
Module 13: Clinical Placement I
Course Outline
History taking; general medical, paediatric, surgical and trauma, obstetric and gynaecological
(reproductive health), elderly patients, unconscious and mental health (psychiatric).
Physical examination; general examination, local examination (wound, mass, breast, goitre,
fracture),
Vital signs – measurement of blood pressure, respiration, pulse, temperature, SPO2. Systemic
examination – respiratory and cardiovascular system;
Simple diagnostic skills/procedures; assessment of nutritional status - body mass index (BMI),
anthropometric measurements. Respiratory system – oxygen administration, ventilation,
cardiovascular system – CPR.
Infection prevention – sterilisation, gloving, gowning, hand washing, waste segregation,
Basic nursing skills: bed making, - safe injection, practice, drug administration – IM, oral, IV,
wound care, patient feeding, patient admission, patient monitoring, documentation,
