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About this exam

The DHA General Practitioner (GP) licensing assessment is the examination component of the Dubai Health Authority's process for licensing physicians to practise as general practitioners in the Emirate of Dubai. It is intended for physicians who have completed their primary medical qualification and are seeking a DHA licence to work in Dubai's health sector - whether in a hospital, clinic, or primary care setting. The DHA is the government body responsible for health regulation in Dubai; its health regulation sector administers the Dubai health licensing system and the licensing and training pathways for health professionals, and it publishes policy, regulation, and circular content on its official portal. Because the assessment draws on the breadth of undifferentiated general practice, preparation should be organised around the domains a GP actually works in: internal medicine, family medicine and primary care, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, and surgery with emergency medicine. The highest-yield approach is to work through the common, high-morbidity presentations in each domain - acute and chronic disease management, safe prescribing, red-flag recognition, and referral thresholds - and to practise single-best-answer questions under timed conditions. Candidates should verify examination format, item count, duration, fees, retake rules, and licence validity directly with the DHA before booking; these details are not published on the DHA homepage.

What you'll study

Common questions

About DHA GP Exam preparation

What does the DHA GP exam actually test?

It assesses the breadth of undifferentiated general practice: recognising and managing common presentations across adult medicine, primary care, child health, women's health, and surgical/emergency problems. Expect emphasis on safe first-line management, red-flag recognition, and knowing when to refer rather than on rare subspecialty detail.

What is the question format?

The published format is multiple choice. In practice, licensing assessments of this type use single-best-answer clinical vignettes. Plan on scenario-based stems with a short case, then a question on diagnosis, next step, or initial management. Confirm the exact format with the DHA before your sitting, as it is not stated on the DHA homepage.

How long is the exam and how many questions?

The item count and time limit are not published in the official material retrieved for this page, so they are recorded as unverified. Do not rely on figures from forums or older test-prep material. Check the DHA licensing pages or contact the DHA directly for the current blueprint before you schedule.

How difficult is it, and what is the pass mark?

The passing score is not stated in the retrieved official source. Difficulty comes mainly from breadth and time pressure rather than from obscure content: most candidates know the medicine but lose marks on second-line choices, paediatric dosing, and emergency prioritisation. Aim to be consistently correct on common conditions rather than perfect on rarities.

How many times can I retake it, and how long is the licence valid?

Retake policy and licence validity are not given in the retrieved official source and are marked unverified here. These are administrative rules set by the DHA and can change, so confirm the current retake limits, waiting periods, and validity period through the DHA health regulation pages or the DHA contact centre.

What should I study first?

Start with family medicine and primary care plus internal medicine, which jointly carry the largest share of undifferentiated presentations. Then add paediatrics and obstetrics and gynaecology, where dosing and pregnancy-specific safety rules are easy marks to lose. Finish with surgery and emergency medicine, focusing on acute abdomen, trauma basics, and resuscitation priorities.

What are the most common failure modes?

Three recur: not answering the question asked (choosing the correct diagnosis when the stem asks for the next step), over-investigating instead of choosing the appropriate first-line action, and ignoring safety details such as contraindications in pregnancy, renal dosing, and paediatric weight-based prescribing. Timed practice with review of every wrong answer targets all three.

How should I prepare in the final weeks?

Move from reading to retrieval: answer mixed-topic question sets under timed conditions, then review explanations for both correct and incorrect options. Keep a running list of recurring errors and re-test only those topics. Do not start new resource piles late - consolidate high-yield guidelines on hypertension, diabetes, asthma, infection, and antenatal care.

Is this page affiliated with the DHA?

No. This is independent study material and is not produced, endorsed, or reviewed by the Dubai Health Authority. Always treat the DHA's own published regulations, circulars, and licensing guidance as authoritative, particularly for eligibility, documentation, fees, and scheduling, which this page does not verify.