Career paths · 2 min read
Clinical officer jobs in Kenya: registration, licence and applications
What the Clinical Officers Act requires before you can work, how the yearly licence works, and how to prepare for public and private posts.
Clinical officers carry a large share of outpatient care in Kenya, especially in health centres and county hospitals. The profession is regulated by the Clinical Officers Council under an Act of 2017. Here is what the Act requires and how it affects every application you make.
Registration comes first
Section 17 of the Act says no one may render medical services in Kenya as a clinical officer unless registered by the Council. Doing so is an offence with a fine of up to KSh 100,000, up to five years in prison, or both.
To be registered you must have completed a prescribed course at an approved training institution, applied in the prescribed form, paid the fee, be a fit and proper person and have passed the examinations the Council prescribes (section 16(1)).
The licence is renewed every year
Section 22 requires a registration certificate and a practising licence to practise clinical medicine. A licence expires on 31 December of the year it is issued (section 22(2)), so renew it before the new year and keep the current copy ready for applications.
Trained outside Kenya? Section 16(2) requires a recognised diploma or degree and at least twelve months of supervised practice under a registered clinical officer before registration.
Prepare your application
- Registration certificate and current practising licence.
- Diploma or degree certificate and transcripts.
- Internship completion letter.
- Any specialty training the advert asks for, such as anaesthesia, ENT or orthopaedics.
Public posts are mostly advertised by county public service boards, because health services are a county function. Private hospitals, faith-based facilities and NGOs recruit directly.
Private practice has extra rules
Running your own clinic needs a separate private practising licence, applied for in duplicate with the prescribed fee. The Council issues it within sixty days to a registered clinical officer who is not suspended (section 21).
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Frequently asked questions
Can I work as a clinical officer without registration?
No. Section 17 of the Clinical Officers Act makes it an offence, with a fine of up to KSh 100,000, up to five years in prison, or both.
When does a clinical officer's licence expire?
On 31 December of the year it is issued, under section 22(2) of the Act.
Who hires clinical officers in Kenya?
Mostly county governments through their public service boards, plus private, faith-based and NGO facilities.