DHA oral assessment or computer-based test: which applies to your title?

How do you know if your title has an oral assessment?

DHA runs two kinds of professional assessment: a computer-based test for titles listed in its CBT Guideline, and an oral assessment for titles it does not list. The guideline row for your title decides which one applies, and the Sheryan portal shows the mode of exam for each title. This guide explains how to check, and what DHA says about the oral format. Meddex is independent and is not connected to the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) or Prometric.

How do you check your own title?

Four steps, using DHA’s documents.

1. Open the current CBT Guideline and search for your exact title and code. If a row exists, your title has a computer-based test.
2. If there is no row, note that the guideline says unlisted titles are assessed orally.
3. Confirm in Sheryan. DHA’s service pages show the mode of exam for each title, and we did not open every one, so this step is yours to take.
4. If your title is not in the PQR either, the Sheryan FAQ says to choose the closest title in the Self-Assessment Tool, and that DHA’s credentialing team will select the suitable title.

What does DHA say the oral format is?

Very little. The one description is in the Assessment Manual: questions should be clinical scenarios, at least five different cases. Those may test theoretical knowledge and problem solving, clinical skills and best practice, and ethics, professionalism and communication. That is the only official statement of item style, and it applies to the oral route, not the computer-based test.

We found no statement of how long the oral assessment lasts, how many assessors are present, or whether it is in person or online. Do not rely on a website that says it knows.

How might you prepare for scenario questions?

This is our suggestion, because DHA gives no references for the oral route. Practise talking through a case aloud in a fixed order: what you would assess, what you would do first and why, what could go wrong, and how you would explain it to the patient. Include an ethics or communication angle in every case, since DHA names it. Record yourself or practise with a colleague, and time it. Our guide to ethics and consent for the DHA exam and SBAR handover help with structure.

What practice content is there?

Meddex practice is written for the computer-based format. Our questions are multiple choice, so they do not rehearse speaking a case aloud. They can still help with the knowledge underneath. If you are on the oral route, see how exam format and pass mark by title shows which titles are on the CBT list.

Frequently asked questions