Jobs for Diploma in Medical Laboratory Sciences Graduates

The laboratory technician route

The Diploma in Medical Laboratory Sciences trains laboratory technicians to collect samples and run routine tests in haematology, microbiology, parasitology, clinical chemistry and blood transfusion. It is offered mainly by Kenya Medical Training College campuses and accredited private colleges over about three years. Almost every hospital, health centre and private clinic with a laboratory employs technicians at this level, which keeps demand steady.

Licensing

The Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board (KMLTTB) registers laboratory practitioners. After graduating you complete the board's internship and examination requirements, register and hold a current practising licence. Laboratories are inspected, and employers will ask for your KMLTTB documents before you start work.

Jobs for diploma holders

• Laboratory technician in county health centres and hospitals
• Laboratory technician in private hospitals, clinics and diagnostic chains
• Field and laboratory assistant in research projects and clinical trials
• Phlebotomy and sample collection roles in diagnostic networks

Entry requirements

Public places, including KMTC, are applied for through KUCCPS. The typical minimum is a KCSE mean grade of C (plain) with specified grades in Biology, Chemistry, and Mathematics or Physics, plus English or Kiswahili.

Getting hired

Private labs value technicians who are quick, accurate and comfortable with automated analysers, while rural facilities often want people who can manage a small lab independently, including stock of reagents and quality control. Willingness to work nights and weekends is often required in hospitals. A tidy logbook from your attachment that shows the tests you can perform is a useful interview aid.

Progression

Technicians can take higher national diplomas in specialised areas such as histology and cytology, blood transfusion or microbiology, or upgrade to a BSc in Medical Laboratory Science. These lead to technologist posts, higher job groups in county service and supervisory roles. Research careers often begin with diploma-level laboratory work on projects run by research institutes.

Biosafety habits, correct sample labelling and careful recording of results are what supervisors watch most closely in new technicians, so make them routine from your first day.