Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (both Direct and Diploma Entry)

Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, or in Latin: Medicinae Baccalaureus Baccalaureus Chirurgiae (abbreviated in many ways, e.g. MBBS, MB ChB, MB BCh, MB BChir (Cantab), BM BCh (Oxon), BMBS), are the two first-professional degrees in medicine and surgery awarded upon graduation from medical school by universities in countries that follow the tradition of the United Kingdom (UK). The historical degree nomenclature suggests that they are two separate undergraduate degrees; however, in practice, they are usually treated as one and conferred together.

The Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) degree program at Kabale University School of Medicine (KABSOM) takes five years to complete. Students who graduate with an MBChB and complete a one-year internship are allowed by the Uganda Medical and Dental Practionioner’s Council (UMDPC) to practice as medical doctors.

Overview

Code KMS
Duration 5 Years
Study time Fulltime
Intake August

Entry requirements

UACE (or equivalent) with two principal passes in Biology and Chemistry, and a subsidiary in Physics or Mathematics, plus UCE (or equivalent) with 5 passes; Or a Degree/Diploma in a health discipline or biological sciences

Fees structure

Tuition Fees per Semester (East African) UGX 2,699,000
Tuition Fees per Semester (Non East Africans) UGX 4,048,500
Fieldwork/School Practice/Industrial Training/Internship/COBERS Fees (per year) UGX 470,000 (Years 1,2 &4)

Functional Fees

Compulsory fees UGX
Application fee 50,000
Registration fees (per Academic Year) 40,000
Identity Card (Payable once in the 1st Semester) 20,000
Student Manual (Payable once in the 1st Semester) 20,000
Library fee (per Academic Year) 20,000
Medicare fee (per semester) 30,000
Undergraduate Students’ Gown (Payable once in the 1st Semester) 50,000=
Computer Laboratory fee (per Academic Year) 50,000
Training materials (for Students of Engineering only) (per Semester) 100,000
Professional Development fee (for students of Law only) (per year) 150,000
Skills Laboratory Fee (for Students of DEHS, BNS, BEHS, MBChB only) (Per semester) 200,000=
Examination fee (per semester) 50,000
Innovation fund (per year) 100,000
Research fee (per Academic Year) 20,000
Development Fund (per Academic Year) 100,000
Student Games Union fee (Academic Year) 20,000
Student Guild fee (per Academic Year) 20,000
Contribution to the Uganda National Students’ Association (UNSA) (per Academic Year) 2,000
Certification (per copy) 5,000
Graduation fee (Payable on Completion of Studies)
a)    Ceremony 80,000
b)    Transcript 50,000
c)     Certificate 50,000
d)    Convocation 20,000
Total 200,000
Consequential fees 
Late Registration (per semester; after the deadline for official registration) 50,000
Replacement of Transcript (per issue) 50,000
Replacement of other University Credentials (Admission Letter, Identity Card, Library Card, etc…) 20,000
Retake/Supplementary/Missed/Special Exam fee (per course) 50,000
To be remitted to the respective Institute 
Driving skills OR Kitchen Kit for Tourism and Hospitality 490,000/=
To be remitted to NCHE via www.ura.go.ug 
Contribution to National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) Collections (per Academic Year) 20,000
  1. The University Council reserves the right to adjust the fees without prior notice.
  2. These Programmes are run over Weekends, during Fulltime, or in Recess/Holiday Sessions.

Contribution to NCHE should be deposited using a payment reference number generated via www.ura.go.ug

Fees Structure 2025-2026

Course details

  • LH Lecture Hours
  • CH Contact Hours
  • TH Tutorial Hours
  • CU Credit Units

Year I

                                                                           SEMESTER I
Code Course Name LH TH PH CL.H CH CU
SOM111 BASIC HISTOLOGY AND EMBRYOLOGY 40 20 20 0 60 4
SOM112 ANATOMY OF THE UPPER LIMB 20 20 30 0 45 3
SOM113 ANATOMY OF THE LOWER LIMB 20 20 30 0 45 3
SOM114 INTRODUCTION TO PHYSIOLOGY 40 30 10 0 60 4
SOM115 PHYSIOLOGY OF CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM 30 20 10 0 45 3
SOM116 GENERAL BIOCHEMISTRY 30 30 30 0 60 4
SOM117 INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY 30 30 0 0 45 3
Total 24

 

                                                                             SEMESTER II
Code Course Name LH TH PH CL.H CH CU
SOM121 SYSTEMIC HISTOLOGY  AND EMBRYOLOGY 30 30 30 0 60 4
SOM122 ANATOMY OF THE THORAX AND THE ABDOMEN 30 20 40 0 60 4
SOM123 ANATOMY OF THE PELVIS AND PERINEUM 15 10 20 0 30 2
SOM124 PHYSIOLOGY OF THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM 30 20 10 0 45 3
SOM125 PHYSIOLOGY OF THE GASTRO-INTESTINAL SYSTEM 30 20 10 0 45 3
SOM126 PRINCIPLES OF BIOCHEMISTRY 30 30 30 0 60 4
SOM127 GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY 30 30 0 0 45 3
Total 27

 

                                                                             RECESS TERM
Code Course Name LH TH PH CL.H CH CU
SOM131 BASIC COMMUNICATION AND COMPUTER SKILLS 20 30 20 0 45 3
SOM132 PROFESSIONALISM AND ETHICAL PRACTICE 30 30 0 0 0 3
SOM133 COMMUNITY BASED EDUCATION AND SERVICES (COBERS) I 10 20 40 10 45 3
Total 9

 

Year II

                                                                          SEMESTER I
Code Course Name LH TH PH CL.H CH CU
SOM211 ANATOMY OF THE HEAD AND NECK 20 20 30 0 45 3
SOM212 GENITO-URINARY AND RENAL PHYSIOLOGY 30 10 20 0 45 3
SOM213 ENDOCRINE AND REPRODUCTIVE PHYSIOLOGY 40 30 10 0 60 4
SOM214 GENERAL PHARMACOLOGY AND THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM 40 30 10 0 60 4
SOM215 GENERAL PATHOLOGY 30 10 20 0 45 3
SOM225 CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY 40 20 20 0 60 4
SOM217 NEURO ANATOMY 30 20 40 0 60 4
Total   25

 

                                                                        SEMESTER II
Code Course Name LH TH PH CL.H CH CU
SOM221 SYSTEMIC PHARMACOLOGY 40 20 20 0 60 4
SOM222 SYSTEMIC PATHOLOGY 30 30 30 0 60 4
SOM223 NEUROPHYSIOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF SPECIAL SENSES 40 30 10 0 60 4
SOM224 CHEMOTHERAPY 40 20 20 0 60 4
SOM127 PARASITOLOGY 30 0 30 0 45 4
SOM226 CLINICAL PATHOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES 30 10 20 0 45 3
SOM227 IMMUNOLOGY 30 10 20 0 45 3
Total 26
                                                                             RECESS TERM
Code Course Name LH TH PH CL.H CH CU
SOM231 INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY 40 40 0 0 60 4
SOM232 COMMUNITY BASED EDUCATION AND SERVICES (COBERS) II 10 20 40 30 60 4
Total 8

 

Year III

                                                                             SEMESTER I
Code Course Name LH TH PH CL.H CH CU
                    Option A
SOM311 CLINICAL MEDICINE I 0 0 30 60 75 5
SOM312 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF MEDICINE I 30 40 20 0 60 4
SOM313 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF SURGERY I 30 40 20 0 60 4
SOM314 CLINICAL SURGERY I 0 0 30 60 75 5
                    Option B
SOM315 CLINICAL PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH I 0 0 30 60 75 5
SOM316 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF PEADIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH I 30 40 20 0 60 4
SOM317 OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY I 30 40 20 0 60 4
SOM318 CLINICAL OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY I 0 0 30 60 75 5
SOM319 HEMATOLOGY AND BLOOD TRANSFUSION 20 10 15 0 45 3
Total 21
                                                         SEMESTER II
Code Course Name LH TH PH CL.H CH CU
                       Option A
SOM311 CLINICAL MEDICINE I 0 0 30 60 75 5
SOM312 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF MEDICINE I 30 40 20 0 60 4
SOM313 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF SURGERY I 30 40 20 0 60 4
SOM314 CLINICAL SURGERY I 0 0 30 60 75 5
                       Option B
SOM315 CLINICAL PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH I 0 0 30 60 75 5
SOM316 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF PEADIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH I 30 40 20 0 60 4
SOM317 OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY I 30 40 20 0 60 4
SOM318 CLINICAL OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY I 0 0 30 60 75 5
SOM320 CHEMICAL PATHOLOGY 20 15 10 0 45 3
Total 21

 

                                                                             RECESS TERM
Code Course Name LH TH PH CL.H CH CU
SOM331 FORENSIC MEDICINE & TOXICOLOGY 20 20 20 20 60 5
SOM332 MENTAL HEALTH I 20 20 0 30 60 4
Total 8

 

Year IV

                                                     SEMESTER I
Code Course Name LH TH PH CL.H CH CU
SOM411 PRINCIPLES OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND DISEASE CONTROL 30 30 0 0 45 3
SOM412 RADIOLOGY IMAGINHG 30 20 20 10 60 4
SOM413 COMMUNITY HEALTH 30 30 0 0 45 3
SOM414 ANAESTHESIA AND CRITICAL CARE 30 20 0 35 75 5
SOM415 DERMATOLOGY & VENERIOLOGY 30 20 0 20 60 4
Total 23
                                   SEMESTER II
Code Course Name LH TH PH CL.H CH CU
SOM421 HEALTH POLICY, PLANNING, MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP 30 30 0 0 45 3
SOM422 RESEARCH METHODS AND EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE 30 30 0 0 45 3
SOM423 OPHTHALMOLOGY 20 20 0 30 60 4
SOM424 EAR, NOSE AND THROAT 20 20 0 30 60 4
Total 14

 

                                                                             RECESS TERM
Code Course Name LH TH PH CL.H CH CU
 ELECTIVES: Placement at health facility/site within the Kigezi region

Year V

                                                   SEMESTER I
    LH TH PH CL.H CH CU
  Option A
SOM511 CLINICAL MEDICINE II 0 0 30 60 75 5
SOM512 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF MEDICINE II 30 40 20 0 60 4
SOM513 CLINICAL SURGERY II 0 0 30 60 75 5
SOM514 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF SURGERY II 30 40 20 0 60 4
SOM519 PHARMACOTHERAPEUTICS 40 40 0 0 60 4
Total 22
  Option B
SOM515 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF PEADIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH II 30 40 20 0 60 4
SOM516 CLINICAL PEADIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH II 0 0 30 60 75 5
SOM517 OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY II 30 40 20 0 60 4
SOM518 CLINICAL OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY II 0 0 30 60 75 5
SOM519 PHARMACOTHERAPEUTICS 40 40 0 0 60 4
Total 22

 

                                                   SEMESTER II
    LH TH PH CL.H CH CU
  Option A
SOM511 CLINICAL MEDICINE II 0 0 30 60 75 5
SOM512 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF MEDICINE II 30 40 20 0 60 4
SOM513 CLINICAL SURGERY II 0 0 30 60 75 5
SOM514 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF SURGERY II 30 40 20 0 60 4
SOM519 PHARMACOTHERAPEUTICS 40 40 0 0 60 4
Total 22
  Option B
SOM515 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF PEADIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH II 30 40 20 0 60 4
SOM516 CLINICAL PEADIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH II 0 0 30 60 75 5
SOM517 OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY II 30 40 20 0 60 4
SOM518 CLINICAL OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY II 0 0 30 60 75 5
SOM519 PHARMACOTHERAPEUTICS 40 40 0 0 60 4
Total 22

 

Career opportunities