Short answer: The EMREE organiser says face recognition and official identification are a must, that arriving more than 10 minutes late means no entry, that nobody may leave in the first half hour, and that sharing questions leads to debarment. There is an optional 15-minute practice session, and some questions are unscored trial items.
Where these rules come from
These points are from the organiser’s portal, the UAE University College of Medicine and Health Sciences “Medical Board Exams” site, read on 15 October 2026: its rules, FAQ, exam structure and results pages. They are labelled official. Meddex is independent and is not connected to the EMREE organiser, UAE University or the National Institute of Health Specialities. Rules can change between sittings, so read the current pages and the confirmation you receive.
Identification and face recognition
The rules page says face recognition and official identification, passport and UAE ID, are a must. The FAQ is a little softer: it says an Emirates ID is preferred and a valid passport is mandatory for non-residents. Because the two pages differ in emphasis, bring both documents if you have them, and ask the organiser at the contact address on its pages if anything is unclear. Check that the name on your identification matches your registration.
Arrival and timing
The code of practice says that anyone arriving more than 10 minutes after the start is not admitted, and that arriving within 10 minutes gives no extra time. Candidates may not leave during the first half hour. The pages give the College in Al Ain as the test centre, so plan your travel and any visa yourself, because the FAQ says the visa to travel for the exam is the candidate’s job. Confirm the venue for your sitting.
Plan to arrive early. A calm check-in is worth more than one more revision hour.
Inside the exam
The exam is computer based, and paper may be offered if circumstances require. The structure page says there are usually 120 questions in 3 hours. The rules mention an optional 15-minute practice session before a computer-based sitting, if required, and a Chief Proctor who announces halfway and three-quarter time. You must accept an on-screen confidentiality agreement. Sharing questions on social media leads to debarment and a report to the health authorities.
The FAQ says some trial questions are added that are not intended for scoring, so a sitting can have more than 120 items, with extra time given. After each sitting, item statistics are run and poorly performing questions are removed before the final result is recalculated. You cannot tell which items are trial items, so treat every one as scored.
Pacing, with our arithmetic
Three hours for 120 questions is an average of 90 seconds. The halfway announcement is a good moment to check that you are near question 60, and the three-quarter announcement a moment to check that you are near question 90. Flag and move on when a question stalls. See time management for 150 and 120 question exams for a flagging system.
Results, transcripts and appeals
The processing page says an electronic statement of score and ranking is issued within ten working days of the exam, and the schedule page shows a result date about four days after each sitting. Every attempt goes on the transcript and is forwarded to the health authorities, so retakes are not invisible. An appeal goes through an online form. Attempts and validity are covered in how EMREE scores are used.
A short checklist
Do this in the week before.
- Re-read the rules and FAQ pages and note the date you read them.
- Check that your identification matches your registration, and pack both documents.
- Plan travel to the test centre with a margin of at least an hour.
- Do one timed set at the pace above, with a mid-point check.
- Read the EMREE application checklist and the EMREE exam guide once more.
What we could not confirm
The organiser does not state the number of answer options in the live exam or whether negative marking applies. Until it does, answer every question. Fees and date changes are covered on the organiser’s application pages, and we do not quote fees.
Related guide
For the travel, ID and arrival side of the same rules, see the EMREE test centre in Al Ain.
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.
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