Short answer: The organiser says some unscored trial questions are added, so a sitting can have more than 120 items, and that poorly performing questions are removed before results are recalculated. Marks are correct answers over the number of questions. Negative marking and the number of live options are not stated, so treat them as reported.
Are all EMREE questions scored?
No, according to the organiser’s FAQ. Some questions are trial questions that are not intended for scoring, so a sitting can have more than the usual 120 items, with extra time given. You cannot tell which are which, so treat every question as if it counts. Meddex is independent and is not connected to the EMREE organiser, UAE University or the National Institute of Health Specialities.
Key facts and where they come from
From the organiser’s portal, read 15 October 2026.
- There are usually 120 questions to be completed within 3 hours. Source: exam structure page.
- Some unscored trial questions are added, so a sitting can have more than 120 items, with extra time given. Source: FAQs.
- After each sitting, item statistics are run and poorly performing questions are removed before the final result is recalculated. Source: FAQs.
- Marks are described as correct answers over the number of questions. Source: FAQs.
- Negative marking is not mentioned on any organiser page or in the blueprint. Source: all pages read.
- The only official sample file shows four options per item. No organiser page states the number of options for the live exam. Source: sample file.
What are unscored trial questions?
They are new questions tried out with real candidates to see how they perform, before they count in future. This is a common practice in large exams. The organiser says that they exist and that extra time is given when a sitting has more than 120 items. It does not say how many there are, so we do not guess.
For you the point is practical: do not spend your time trying to spot the trial ones, and do not assume a strange question is one. Answer every question as well as you can.
What happens to questions that perform badly?
After each sitting the organiser runs item statistics and removes poorly performing questions before it recalculates the final result. A badly performing question might be one that almost nobody answered correctly, or one where strong candidates did worse than weak ones. Removing it protects candidates from a flawed question. The practical effect for you is that the number of scored questions can end up below the number you saw, so the pass mark is a percentage, not a fixed count. See what 60 percent means.
Is there negative marking?
The organiser does not state it. Marks are described as correct answers over the number of questions, which fits no penalty, but that is not an explicit statement. Candidate sources report no negative marking, and we label that as reported. Our advice, which is not the organiser’s, is to answer every question: if there is no penalty a blank earns nothing and a guess costs nothing. Check the on-screen instructions at your sitting in case the rule is stated there.
How many options does each question have?
The organiser’s one official sample, an old 21-item file, shows four options per question. No organiser page states the number for the live exam, and candidate sources disagree between four and five. So four is what the sample shows, not a rule. Practise with whatever count your bank uses, but make sure you can eliminate options in both cases. EMREE exam format and number of questions covers the rest of the format.
How should you practise given all this?
Treat every question as scored, answer every question, and practise elimination so that a guess is an informed one. Time yourself with a margin, since a sitting with trial questions can be longer than 120 items and extra time is given for that. Use free EMREE questions to rehearse the habit, and keep a note of any question where you changed your answer, so that you can see whether changing helped.
What we do not know
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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