Veterinary medicine

Veterinary medicine is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, control, diagnosis and treatment of disease, disorder and injury in animals. Veterinarians also deal with animal rearing, husbandry, breeding, research on nutrition, among other issues. For an agricultural country like Kenya, veterinary medicine is an important part of the sector.

Bachelor programme

Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine

Course code - J30

The Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine programme is designed to train personnel with the requisite knowledge and skills to work as veterinary surgeons, animal scientists and nutritionists, veterinary pharmacists, public health officers and epidemiologists.

The degree programme responds to the emerging needs by addressing animals in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) regions, emphasizing acquisition of practical skills including entrepreneurship. At the end, the students are well equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to meet the market expectations.

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Master programmes

MASTER OF VETERINARY MEDICINE

Course code: - J536

The increased demand for livestock and livestock products, and Small Animal expertise calls for specialized knowledge and skills. This requires new technologies and approaches to meet the demands. A changing society, which is informed, with specific needs and the need for environmental conservation with specific demands, requires a specialized veterinarian. The programme aims to produce a graduate who becomes a specialist. The graduate will have a better focused career path and will be responsive to both public and private sector needs. The graduate will be in tandem with regional and international trends and will be more inspired and motivated to provide quality services. The Masters programme combines a taught course and a research component in clinical veterinary medicine.

The course aims to produce: Specialist in one of the following areas; bovine medicine and herd health; ovine and caprine medicine and flock health; porcine medicine and herd health; camel medicine and herd health; equine medicine and herd health and small animal medicine, by equipping the candidate with adequate knowledge, skills and attitudes; A graduate who is in tandem with regional and international trends; A graduate with adequate knowledge, skills and attitudes for planning, analyzing, executing, reporting and evaluating research projects; A graduate who can teach and carry out research at the University and other tertiary institutions.

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MASTER OF VETERINARY SURGERY (MVETSURG)

Course code: - J541

The Master of Veterinary Surgery degree is intended to equip the graduates with specific surgical skills that will enable them develop specialties for surgical practice in specific fields. The course will entail specialized course including principles of veterinary surgery, veterinary diagnostic imaging, soft tissue surgery, veterinary orthopedics and dentistry, anesthesiology, emergency and critical care. The course is also intended to train such clinicians on how to carry out scientific research, publication and introduce them to teaching of undergraduate students in veterinary surgery.

The course aims to: Equip graduate veterinarians with knowledge, skills and competence in specialized areas of veterinary surgery; Promote aptitude and clinical proficiency of graduate veterinarians in diagnosing, surgical handling, postoperative management and prognostication of animals with surgical disease/condition; Provide graduate veterinarians with opportunities to pursue careers in specialist surgical practice, research and teaching; Promote knowledge of surgical science through research and publications.

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MASTER VETERINARY THERIOGENOLOGY (MSC. THERIOGENOLOGY)

Course code: - J540

Reproductive wastage constitutes a large part of potential genetic losses in animals worldwide. The veterinarian plays an important role in management and prevention of most conditions causing these losses. The main objective of this course is to enhance capacity building in the area of Theriogenology among veterinarians by training individuals to attain competence in handling cases of reproduction and obstetrics and thus ensure optimal animal productivity. Graduates from this course will be enabled to seek registration as Consultants with the Kenya Veterinary Board as well as other international relevant bodies.

The course aims to equip the graduate with: Specialized knowledge and skills to handle reproductive problems; the capacity to be recognized as a consultant with the Society of Theriogenology.

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Doctoral Programmes

Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Veterinary Clinical Studies

Course code: J87

The course is offered at the University of Nairobi to promote high standards of scholarly creativity, proficiency in a clinical discipline and professional service, experience in teaching, and independent and critical research.

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Higher Doctorate Degrees

Those eligible for the award of a Higher Doctorate of the University of Nairobi must among other requirements be holders of the Doctor of Philosophy or Doctor of Medicine degree of the University of Nairobi or the Doctor of Philosophy degree from any other recognized university of at least five years standing.

The Common Regulations for Higher Doctorates of the University of Nairobi other than Honorary Degrees are set out in the University Calendar. The Higher Doctorate, the regulations stipulate, shall only be awarded for the original published work such as would give a candidate authoritative international standing in his/her particular field of research.

The application must be based wholly or substantially on original work of distinction carried out by the candidate. The term ‘‘published’’ shall mean printed in a referred journal, book or monograph which shall have been made available to the public.

The submitted works by the candidate is assessed by an Evaluation Panel.

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