Short answer: DHA’s CBT Guideline lists a separate row for each specialist title, so the exam is specific to your specialty, with its own code, content areas and pass score. Specialist titles are 150 questions in three hours at 55 to 70 percent; six consultant titles are 100 questions at 70 percent. Titles not listed use an oral assessment.
Is the DHA specialist exam general or specific?
Specific. DHA’s guideline gives each specialist title its own header line and its own list of content areas, rather than one shared paper. A General Practitioner sits the General Practice exam, and a dermatologist at specialist level sits the Specialist Dermatology exam. The lists differ in length and subject, and DHA prints no weights. Meddex is independent and is not connected to the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) or Prometric.
Key facts and where they come from
From DHA’s CBT Guideline, cover reads “Updated - Sep 2026”, read 15, 16 and 18 October 2026.
- 37 specialist physician titles are listed. 36 of them are 150 questions in 3 hours; Specialist Hematopathology is 100 questions in 3 hours at 60 percent.
- Specialist pass scores run from 55 to 70 percent depending on title. Examples: Internal Medicine 60, Family Medicine 60, Emergency Medicine 60, Obstetrics and Gynecology 60, Dermatology 65, Pediatrics 70, Neurosurgery 70, Sports Medicine 55, and most others 65.
- Six consultant physician titles (Dermatology, Endocrinology, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Ophthalmology, Pediatrics): 100 questions in 3 hours, 70 percent.
- General Practice: 150 questions in 3 hours, 60 percent, twelve content areas.
- Titles not listed in the guideline use an oral assessment instead. Source: guideline preview page.
- The stated duration includes registration and introduction time.
A few rows side by side
These are examples, so open the guideline for your own title.
| Title | Questions | Duration | Pass score |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Practice | 150 | 3 hours | 60 percent |
| Specialist Dermatology | 150 | 3 hours | 65 percent |
| Specialist Internal Medicine | 150 | 3 hours | 60 percent |
| Specialist Pediatrics | 150 | 3 hours | 70 percent |
| Specialist Hematopathology | 100 | 3 hours | 60 percent |
| Consultant Dermatology | 100 | 3 hours | 70 percent |
How different are the content lists?
Very. General Practice has twelve broad areas, from chronic diseases to screening. Specialist lists are narrower and deeper, and the longest, Specialist Emergency Medicine, runs to about nineteen headings in our reading of the two-column layout, which can make a count off by one or two. We have not recorded the lists for every specialty, so read yours. The physician subject map and the six-week GP plan cover the general title.
What do you need to be eligible at specialist level?
The PQR has rows by title with tiers for specialty certificates, and we have not summarised them. One candidate answer mentions three years after a postgraduate degree for dermatology, but we did not find that in the sections we read, so confirm with DHA. For the general title, see eligibility by profession.
How should you prepare for a specialty row?
Treat the heading list as your coverage checklist, tick each heading once, then spend extra time where your own practice results are weakest. Keep a margin of shared knowledge, since the exam can include areas outside your sub-interest. Meddex’s physician track is built around the General Practice style, so check DHA exam for doctors for what it covers before relying on it for a specialty row. How to find your title in the guideline shows how to read the row.
What about consultant titles?
Six consultant physician titles are listed, each 100 questions in three hours at 70 percent. DHA’s Assessment Manual also says that a fourth attempt is not available for Tier 3 consultant upgrades, so the attempt rules for consultants are tighter than for general titles. Read the retake rules in order before you plan an upgrade. We did not read the PQR rows that set which route and tier apply to you.
What we do not know
Related guide
Other titles with 100 question papers are listed in which DHA exams have fewer than 150 questions.
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. Review of Meddex content by named, licensed clinicians is not complete yet. See how we write and check our content.
Last updated .