Short answer: For doctors, the DHA exam is one step in a longer licensing process: eligibility, application, primary-source verification, booking, then a computer-based exam. Meddex mock exams use 150 questions in 3 hours as a planning format. It is separate from EMREE, the residency entrance exam.
The path to the exam
The licensing journey follows a general order, although the details depend on your category, qualifications and experience. Check the DHA for the authoritative list.
- Check eligibility for your category.
- Apply through the DHA licensing system.
- Complete primary-source verification of your credentials.
- Receive exam eligibility and book an appointment.
- Sit the exam, then finish the remaining licensing steps.
What the exam feels like
Expect computer-based, single-best-answer questions, mostly short clinical vignettes. The skill is ranking plausible options, not spotting an obscure fact. Arrive early with the documents the test centre requires, and plan the pacing: a steady rate with a few minutes left to review flagged questions.
What to revise
Cover the clinical core across medicine, surgery, emergencies, maternal and child health and mental health. Do not neglect medication safety, infection control, ethics and law and public health, which are easy to under-revise when you work in one specialty.
Where EMREE fits
If you also want a residency place, EMREE is a separate entrance exam with its own organiser and registration. Prepare for each separately. They are different exams with different purposes.
Frequently asked questions
This article is general educational guidance, not official advice. Exam rules, fees and timelines are set by the Dubai Health Authority and the test provider and can change, so always confirm the latest details on their official channels.
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