Certificate in pharmacy Kenya – what you need to know

Below we answer all your questions about taking a certificate in pharmacy course in Kenya.

Where can I pursue a Certificate in pharmacy Kenya

Now- and this is likely to be disappointing to some- we don’t have any institutions accredited to offer a certificate course in pharmacy in Kenya.

In fact, medical schools and colleges in Kenya offering Pharmacy as a course start at the Diploma with universities going up to the Degree level.

And that is as per the regulations set by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB), which is the body in charge of regulating the training and practice of pharmacy in Kenya.

So, in short, as far as we know, you can only pursue a Diploma or Degree in pharmacy and not a certificate.

Let’s look at the minimum grades required to qualify for a Diploma in Pharmaceutical Technology (as the course is sometimes called) and the degree to see if you’re lucky.

Minimum qualifications for a pharmacy course in Kenya

·   KMTC diploma in pharmacy

As with most KMTC courses (diplomas), you must have a Mean Grade of C plain. In addition, you need a C plain in English/Kiswahili, Biology/Biological Sciences, Chemistry/Physical Sciences and a C in either Mathematics or Physics/Physical Sciences.

·   Diploma in Pharmaceutical Technology in National Polytechnics

College such as Kabete National Polytechnic and Kisumu Polytechnic offers a Diploma in Pharmacy if you have met the following qualifications:

Mean grade of C (Plain) at KCSE with a C (Plain) in Math/Physics, Kiswahili/English, Chemistry, and lastly Biological Sciences.

·  Diploma in Pharmaceutical Technology (MKU) and other Universities

This is usually a three (3) year programme consisting of 1 year pre-clinical training and two years of clinical training.

You can proceed to the Bachelor of Pharmacy programme if you get good grades at the Diploma level.

The entry requirements are as follows:

KCSE Mean Grade of C plain With a C plain in Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics/Physics, and English/Kiswahili.

·   Bachelor of Pharmacy Programme

The Bpharm. is a highly competitive course and you must have passed well.

Here are the general entry requirements:

KCSE Mean grade of C Plus (+) together with the grades indicated for in one of the following alternative subjects cluster:

Alternative A:

• Biology – B
• Chemistry-B,
• Physics /Maths-C+
• English/Kiswahili – B

Alternative B:

• Biological Sciences -B+
• Physical Sciences -B+
• Maths -C+
• English/Kiswahili -B

Other qualifications:

Also accepted are applicants with KCSE mean grade of C+ plus a Diploma in Pharmaceutical Technology or Clinical Medicine or Nursing, or Dental Sciences, or Biological Sciences from an accredited Training Institution.

An applicant with a KCSE mean grade of C+ along with a degree in Chemistry or Biological Sciences from an accredited University may also be qualified.

What other options remain?

If you’re unable to join any of the two pharmacy programs, there is one more option: taking a pharmacy certificate online in a foreign medical training institution (a simple Google search will give you plenty of schools).

We, however, strongly discourage you from going this route because the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) doesn’t recognize such online pharmacy certificate programs.

Certificate in pharmacy Kenya- frequently asked questions

Does MKU offer certificate in pharmacy?

No. At the moment, MKU (and all other universities for that matter as earlier said) doesn’t offer a certificate in pharmacy course.

You can only take a Diploma in Pharmacy course or a Degree in Pharmacy at MKU.

Final words

To sum it up, we have seen that you’re cannot pursue a certificate in pharmacy in Kenya at the time of publishing this article.

But all is not lost as you can take a diploma in Pharmacy or even a Degree if you have good grades.

It’s also worth noting that KMTC offers a higher diploma in pharmacy for diploma holders.

Contact the highlighted institutions for details about intakes and fee structure.

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John Gitahi

CPA John Gitahi is a former college lecturer and has been involved in education all his life. He's passionate about helping young people make great career choices. He studied Commerce and ICT at the University and runs several successful online entreprises. He is also an avid traveller.