Short answer: DHA’s licensing exam is a computer-based test, managed and run by Prometric, for the titles listed in its CBT Guideline. Titles not listed are assessed orally. EMREE is computer based, and its organiser says paper may be offered if circumstances require. Neither organiser publishes a paper option for DHA candidates.
Do you sit the DHA exam on paper?
Not according to DHA’s documents. The CBT Guideline describes a computer-based test, and DHA says these tests are managed and run by its partner Prometric. A different route exists for titles the guideline does not list, which is an oral assessment rather than a paper exam. This guide covers both DHA and EMREE, because people often ask about them together. Meddex is independent and is not connected to the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) or Prometric. Meddex is independent and is not connected to UAE University or the National Institute for Health Specialities (NIHS).
Key facts and where they come from
Official statements, with the document and the date we read it.
- DHA licensing CBTs are “managed and run” by Prometric. Source: CBT Guideline, read 15 October 2026.
- DHA’s format is multiple-choice questions. The guideline does not state a paper version. Source: CBT Guideline.
- Titles not listed in the guideline use an oral assessment. Source: CBT Guideline preview page.
- Identity checks use a valid passport matching the registration, and candidates should arrive 30 minutes before the appointment. Source: Assessment Manual 7.2.5 and 7.2.10, read 15 October 2026.
- EMREE is computer based, and the organiser says paper “may be offered if circumstances require”. Source: EMREE portal, Exam Structure page, read 15 October 2026.
- EMREE may offer an optional 15 minute practice session before a computer-based sitting. Source: EMREE portal, Rules page.
What does a computer-based DHA exam involve?
You book through the DHA and Prometric process, attend a test centre, and answer on screen. DHA’s manual describes passport-based identity checks, and one search snippet of Prometric’s pages, which we could not open, mentions fingerprint capture at check-in. That snippet is reported, not confirmed. See what happens at Prometric check-in for what is official and what is reported.
On screen, you can expect to practise navigation, such as moving between questions and flagging. Meddex mocks have flag, strike-through and a question grid, and the Prometric screen may differ, so read the on-screen tutorial on the day.
What does EMREE say about paper?
EMREE’s organiser describes a written exam of multiple-choice questions that is computer based, usually 120 questions in three hours. Paper “may be offered if circumstances require”. That is a contingency, not a choice you make when you register, and the pages we read do not describe how or when it would apply. The test centre is at the College in Al Ain.
For the practice session, the organiser’s rules say a 15 minute session may be offered before a computer-based sitting if required, so do not count on one. Our guide on the EMREE exam-day rules lists the rest.
What if DHA sends you to an oral assessment?
The guideline preview page says titles it does not list are assessed orally. That is a different format with scenario-based questions, covered in oral assessment or computer-based test. The Mode of Exam for your title is shown in Sheryan, so check there before you plan.
How should the format change how you prepare?
Practise on a screen. Reading long stems on a screen is different from reading them on paper, and eye strain and pace both change. Use timed sets, flag and return, and check how you read a stem at the end of a long session. Our guide to practice questions that work covers the habits, and the mock length guide says how long a set should be.
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 .