Kenyan Undergraduate Medical Curriculum Review: Integrating Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and Digital Health/ Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
1
Kenya Medical Association (KMA), Nairobi, Kenya
2
Ducit Blue Foundation (DBF), Abuja, Nigeria
3
Medical Students' Associations of Kenya (MSAKE), Nairobi, Kenya
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global health threat driven by inappropriate antibiotic use, leading to longer hospital stays and increased mortality. Simultaneously, digital health and information and communications technology (ICT) are reshaping healthcare through improved patient management and care coordination. To prepare future physicians, undergraduate medical curricula must adapt to address both AMR and digital innovation.
METHODS:
The review began by mapping medical schools offering undergraduate medicine courses, as identified by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC). Curricula were then examined against KMPDC guidelines to assess the presence of AMR and Digital Health/ICT content. To complement this review, a student survey was conducted via Google Forms, focusing on exposure to AMR, Digital Health/ICT, and awareness of emerging technologies such as nanobots
RESULTS:
Findings revealed strong but imperfect integration of AMR compared to limited coverage of Digital Health/ICT. Among respondents, 94.4% reported receiving AMR training, predominantly delivered through lectures (75%). However, 41.7% rated this training as only “somewhat adequate.” In contrast, only 61.1% of respondents reported exposure to Digital Health/ICT, most often through online resources (44.4%), with 44.4% rating its depth as “not at all adequate.” Awareness of emerging technologies was particularly low: 83.3% of students reported never encountering the concept of nanobots during their training, while 36.4% of those who had were introduced to it exclusively through research contexts.
CONCLUSIONS:
The findings expose a clear gap between AMR and Digital Health/ICT education in Kenyan medical schools. While AMR is broadly covered, teaching quality needs improvement. Conversely, Digital Health/ICT content remains insufficient and lacks emphasis on rapidly evolving technologies. Modernising curricula to strengthen AMR pedagogy and embed comprehensive Digital Health/ICT training—including emerging innovations—is essential for equipping future physicians to address pressing health challenges and leverage digital tools effectively in patient care.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global health threat driven by inappropriate antibiotic use, leading to longer hospital stays and increased mortality. Simultaneously, digital health and information and communications technology (ICT) are reshaping healthcare through improved patient management and care coordination. To prepare future physicians, undergraduate medical curricula must adapt to address both AMR and digital innovation.
METHODS:
The review began by mapping medical schools offering undergraduate medicine courses, as identified by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC). Curricula were then examined against KMPDC guidelines to assess the presence of AMR and Digital Health/ICT content. To complement this review, a student survey was conducted via Google Forms, focusing on exposure to AMR, Digital Health/ICT, and awareness of emerging technologies such as nanobots
RESULTS:
Findings revealed strong but imperfect integration of AMR compared to limited coverage of Digital Health/ICT. Among respondents, 94.4% reported receiving AMR training, predominantly delivered through lectures (75%). However, 41.7% rated this training as only “somewhat adequate.” In contrast, only 61.1% of respondents reported exposure to Digital Health/ICT, most often through online resources (44.4%), with 44.4% rating its depth as “not at all adequate.” Awareness of emerging technologies was particularly low: 83.3% of students reported never encountering the concept of nanobots during their training, while 36.4% of those who had were introduced to it exclusively through research contexts.
CONCLUSIONS:
The findings expose a clear gap between AMR and Digital Health/ICT education in Kenyan medical schools. While AMR is broadly covered, teaching quality needs improvement. Conversely, Digital Health/ICT content remains insufficient and lacks emphasis on rapidly evolving technologies. Modernising curricula to strengthen AMR pedagogy and embed comprehensive Digital Health/ICT training—including emerging innovations—is essential for equipping future physicians to address pressing health challenges and leverage digital tools effectively in patient care.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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