Short answer: Nobody outside DHA can say how hard the exam is, because DHA publishes no pass rate and no difficulty rating. It does publish pass scores from 45 to 70 percent depending on title. Difficulty depends on your title, your preparation and your starting point. Use timed practice to judge readiness.
Is the DHA exam difficult?
It depends on who is asking, and no source can honestly give one answer. DHA publishes the number of questions, the time and the pass score for each title, but not how many people pass or how hard the items are. Some websites state pass rates or call the exam easy or hard without a source. This guide separates what is published from what is opinion. Meddex is independent and is not connected to the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) or Prometric.
Key facts and where they come from
Official statements, with the document and the date we read it.
- DHA pass scores run from 45 to 70 percent across the 118 titles. Source: CBT Guideline, read 15 and 16 October 2026.
- Registered Nurse is 50 percent, and General Practice, General Dentist and Pharmacist are 60 percent. Source: CBT Guideline.
- DHA publishes no pass rate in the documents we read. Source: our reading of the guideline, the two manuals and the Sheryan FAQ.
- DHA calculates results from correct answers and domain weighting, and does not publish the weights. Source: Assessment Manual 7.2.13.
- EMREE’s organiser says its difficulty is set for a graduate with at least one year of training, and its blueprint suggests 40 percent easy, 40 percent moderately difficult and 20 percent difficult questions. Source: EMREE portal and Blueprint, read 15 October 2026.
- EMREE’s pass mark is 60 percent for the 2025 to 2026 cycle and is set periodically. Source: EMREE portal.
What do the pass scores say about difficulty?
Less than they seem to. A pass score of 50 percent on one paper and 70 percent on another does not mean the first is easier, since the questions, the weighting and the way scores are set differ and DHA does not explain them. The numbers tell you how large a share you must answer correctly, and nothing about how demanding each answer is.
Compare it with other exams you know: a 60 percent pass mark on a paper of hard questions can be harder than 75 percent on a paper of easy ones. See why nurse pass mark claims disagree for a worked example of checking a figure.
Is there a published pass rate?
Not in DHA’s documents that we read. Pages that quote a rate rarely cite DHA, and some pre-date the current guideline. Our page on pass rate and attempts records what DHA does publish about results and retakes, and says so where it publishes nothing. We do not offer a pass rate and we do not promise a pass.
What does EMREE publish?
More on difficulty, because the blueprint has a suggested mix. Out of 120 questions the blueprint gives 48 easy, 48 moderately difficult and 24 difficult, with the footnote that distributions may differ by five points per category. The organiser says the level is that of a graduate with at least one year of training. Read the blueprint tasks and difficulty mix for how to use that.
How can you judge how hard it will be for you?
Measure, do not guess. Take a mixed baseline first, then timed sets by subject, then full-length timed mocks if your profession has them. Look at your trend by subject over a few weeks, not a single score. Where your results are steady and no subject is far behind, you have evidence. Where they swing, you do not yet. Our guide to mock tests explains when to start, and how long to prepare gives planning ranges.
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.
Last updated .