Blessy Babu Jan 25, 2024
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What is DHA?A General Guide For The Dubai Health Authority Exam

Healthcare professionals are known to put their lives on the frontline to deliver the best service to patients. Various certification boards and organisations play a vital role in helping medical professionals validate their skills through proper training. The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) is one of the prominent organizations initiated by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and the Ruler of Dubai. 

The DHA exam is the key to the practice of the medical profession in the Emirate of Dubai. So, to begin your work in the Dubai healthcare field, you must pass the DHA exam first. Here we will help you better understand the DHA exam, its importance, and its exam pattern.

What is the DHA Exam?

DHA Exam is a nationwide examination conducted by the Dubai Health Authority for healthcare professionals to secure licences to work in Dubai's healthcare sector.

What is a DHA License? 

A DHA license is a medical license issued by the Health Regulation Department (HRD) of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) for healthcare professionals who need a DHA license to pursue their careers in the Dubai Health Sector. Professionals in the healthcare industry must apply for a DHA license in Dubai and pass the skill test and assessments to obtain the license. 

The DHA aims to transform Dubai into a leading healthcare destination by fostering highly skilled medical professionals and enhancing community engagement. If you want to be a part of Dubai’s healthcare system, you must get the best DHA Training.  Only with adequate education and knowledge you can take the DHA exam and become a licensed medical professional in Dubai. 

Why Should You Take the DHA Exam?

DHA is a mandatory licensing exam for all healthcare workers in Dubai. You should take the DHA exam if you are interested in practising in the Emirates of Dubai. 

Only with the DHA certification a healthcare worker can begin his or her career in Dubai. Be it any medical field, a doctor, nurse, dentist, veterinarian, ophthalmologist, dietician, or Ayurvedic professional, you must enrol and pass the Dubai Health Authority certification exam to work in the Dubai Health Sector.  

Whether you are a medical professional who has worked for years or is just beginning your career, DHA certification aims to qualify you before entering the Dubai medical industry.  

As per the Dubai Health Authority, the government emphasizes prioritising customer experience, efficiency, excellence, and transparency, which sets the standard for Dubai healthcare facilities. 

What is the eligibility for taking the DHA Exam? 

The minimum requirement to be part of Dubai Healthcare is to have a primary degree qualification and two years of clinical experience. On passing the exam, you will become one of the professionals in the Dubai medical industry that protects public health and improves the quality of life within the Emirate of Dubai. 

DHA oversees licensing for all healthcare workers in Dubai from Allied Healthcare Professionals to professionals in the Dental, Psychology, and Nursing departments, etc.  

DHA Exam Syllabus? 

The DHA exam syllabus is your planning tool for the DHA exam preparation. It will help you to create the right time management strategy for exam preparation. For different healthcare categories, there is a specific DHA exam syllabus, pattern, and passing marks, which are as follows:

What is the DHA Exam Syllabus? 

The DHA exam syllabus is your planning tool for the DHA exam preparation. It will help you to create the right time management strategy for exam preparation. For different healthcare categories, there is a specific DHA exam syllabus, pattern, and passing marks, which are as follows:

DHA Exam Syllabus For Nurses

The DHA Exam Syllabus for Nurses consists of the following topics.  

  • Fundamentals of Nursing -25%
  • Pediatric Nursing -18%
  • Adult Nursing -20%
  • Maternal -15%
  • Unit Management and Leadership-22%

DHA Exam Syllabus For General Practitioners

The DHA exam syllabus for General Practitioners consists of 12 major topics, which are as follows: 

  • Chronic Diseases
  • Acute and/or Common Medical Problems
  • Common Pediatric Problems
  • Women Health
  • Emergency Problems
  • Common Surgical Problems
  • Common Psychiatric Problems
  • Common Eye and ENT Problems
  • Common Derma Problems
  • Basic Epidemiology and EBM Concepts
  • Family Medicine Concepts
  • Screening and Periodic Health Examination

DHA Syllabus For Pharmacists

The DHA Exam Syllabus for Pharmacists covers ten topics which include the following. 

  • Toxico logy–5%
  • Pregnancy and Lactation–5%
  • Paediatrics–5%
  • Geriatrics - 5%
  • Pharmacy Calculation and Compounding -15%
  • Pharmacokinetics–5%
  • Pharmaceutical Care and Disease State Management–35%
  • Medication Safety–5%
  • Over Counter Medication- 10%
  • Pharmacy Law and Ethics -10%

DHA Syllabus For Lab Technicians

The DHA Exam Syllabus for Lab Technicians covers eleven major topics which are as follows. 

  • Safety and Quality Control
  • Bacteriology
  • Virology
  • Immunology
  • Parasitology
  • Haematology
  • Blood Bank
  • Biochemistry
  • Hormones
  • Urinalysis
  • Mycology

DHA Syllabus For Dentists

The DHA Exam Syllabus for Dentists covers the following topics. 

  • Anaesthesia and Pain Management
  • Trauma
  • Temporomandibular Joint
  • Dentoalveolar Surgery
  • Implant Surgery
  • Reconstruction
  • Cosmetic
  • Deformities and Orthognathic Surgery
  • Patient Education
  • Ethics

DHA exam syllabus for Radiographers

The DHA Exam Syllabus for Radiographers will cover the following topics. 

  • Radiation Protection
  • X-ray
  • CT
  • MRI
  • Ultrasound
  • Nuclear Medicine
  • Fluoroscopy
  • General Anatomy
  • Patient Safety
  • Professionalism and Ethics
  • Angio

DHA Syllabus for Optometrists

The DHA Syllabus for Optometrists covers eleven major topics which include the following. 

  • Geometric Optics
  • Clinical Visual Optics
  • Basic Ocular Anatomy and Physiology
  • Binocular Vision
  • Refraction
  • Contact Lenses
  • Ocular Disease
  • Pediatric Optometry
  • Geriatric Optometry
  • Low Vision Practice
  • Environmental Optometry

DHA exam syllabus for Radiology / Diagnostic Radiology

The DHA exam syllabus for Radiology or Diagnostic Radiology covers the following topics. 

  • Gastrointestinal
  • Genitourinary
  • Neuro
  • Head and Neck
  • Musculoskeletal
  • Chest
  • Cardiovascular
  • Paediatrics
  • Interventional
  • Breast
  •   Nuclear Medicine
  • Ultrasonography
  • Contrast and Safety

Dubai Health Authority exam syllabus of Anesthesia Technicians

The DHA Exam syllabus for Anesthesia Technicians covers the topics which are listed below. 

  • Airway
  • Anesthesia Machine
  • Respiratory
  • Cardiovascular
  • Transfusion
  • Resuscitation and Crisis
  • Central Nervous System
  • Infection Control
  • Professionalism and Ethics
  • Obstetrics Anesthesia
  • General Anesthesia
  • Regional Anesthesia

DHA exam for Respiratory Technician

The Dubai Healthcare Authority Exam Syllabus for the Respiratory Technician includes eleven topics which are followed. 

  • Patient Data
  • Assessment and Evaluation
  • Equipment Manipulation, Troubleshooting / Quality Control
  • Patient Safety
  • Therapeutic Procedures
  • Airway Patency and Care
  • Bronchial Hygiene Techniques
  • Infection Control
  • Mechanical Ventilation
  • Pulmonary Rehabilitation and Home Care
  •  Patient Education

You would also be interested to know Tips to Pass the DHA exam. 

The DHA Exam Pattern 

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has created several pathway certifications for healthcare workers in different medical fields. Each exam has its very own syllabus with specifications and a standard pattern. Adequate DHA practice exams and training can help you pass the test on your first attempt. 

DHA Exam Pattern For Different Healthcare Professions

The DHA Exam pattern for the different healthcare categories is included here in the table. 

Types of Categories For the DHA Exam DHA Exam Pattern Passing Score
Exam Pattern for Nurses 150 Multiple Choice Questions with a time limit of 165 minutes. 55%
Exam Pattern For General Practitioners It consists of 150 Multiple Choice Questions with a time limit of 165 minutes. 60%
Exam Pattern for Pharmacists Includes 150 Multiple Choice Questions which need to be solved in 165 minutes. 60%
Exam Pattern for Lab Technicians Consists of 100 Multiple Choice Questions. Which need to be answered within 150 minutes. 55%
Exam Pattern for Dentists Consists of 100 Multiple Choice Questions with a time limit of 150 minutes. 60%
Exam Pattern for Radiographers Consist of 100 Multiple Choice Questions with a time limit of 150 minutes. 55%
Exam Pattern for Optometrists Consists of 100 Multiple Choice Questions with a time limit of 150 minutes. 55%
Exam Pattern for Radiology/ Diagnostic Radiology Consists of 150 Multiple Choice Questions with a time limit of 165 minutes. 65%
Exam Pattern for Anesthesia Technicians The exam consists of 100 Multiple Choice Questions with a time duration of 150 minutes. 55%
Exam Pattern for Respiratory Technicians The exam for Respiratory Technicians consists of 100 Multiple-Choice Questions with a time duration of 150 minutes. 55%

DHA Exam Duration and Passing Score

The DHA Exam duration varies between 150 minutes to 165 minutes. Upto 150 multiple-choice questions based on different clinical scenarios are offered in the following specialities: 

  • General Practitioner 
  • General Dentist 
  • Assistant Nurse 
  • Dermatologists 
  • Orthodontics 
  • Paediatrics 
  • Physiotherapist 
  • Obstetrics and Gynecologists 
  • Radiographer 
  • Registered Nurse 

DHA exams are scored on a scale of zero to 100, where you will need to earn a minimum of 55 percent as the passing score to be eligible to be licenced. This scale applies to all DHA exams, and you will need immense training to pass the test on your first attempt. 

Here, you will find the Tips to Pass the DHA exam and know about NIOS Course.

The DHA Exam Registration and Fees

The applicants can apply online to register for the DHA exam. The registration fee for the DHA exam costs AED 210 and can vary with different specifications. You can have a maximum of 3 shots on the exam, and if you still fail, you can have a go at it after one year. The exam results are valid for up to 5 years conditioned by the health professional qualification requirement, but the medical license will be helpful for up to one year. 

DHA Licence Requirements 

DHA Licence is issued to all medical professionals to work in the Dubai healthcare industry. How can you get a Medical License to practice in Dubai? There are various requirements to be filled in to get the DHA licence, and these include:

  • A Passport-size photograph with a white background 
  • Passport copy - both front and back.
  • All education certificates, such as 10th and 12th certificates, Bachelor’s Degree, Diploma, Master’s Degrees, etc. 
  • An attested employment experience certificate from a medically recognised body in your country. 
  • Nursing/ Pharmacy/ Dental/ Medical/ Other Council association registration certificate. 
  • Good physicians conduct certificates issued from a medically recognized body of your country. 
  • BLS certificate (Basic Life Support) - Only for Nurses. 
  • A Log Book of two years attested and stamped - only for MS Surgeons. 

 

DHA Exam FAQs

Following are some of the most common questions and answers to clarify the doubts of the DHA exam takers. 

Who Takes the Dubai DHA Exam?

Healthcare professionals in Dubai from traditional, complementary and alternative medicine who require a DHA license to operate in Dubai, including Physicians, Dentists, Nurses/Midwives, and Allied Healthcare professionals, take the DHA Exam. 

What is the purpose of the DHA Exam? 

The purpose of the DHA Exam is to help healthcare professionals facilitate working as licensed, skilled and qualified professionals to deliver quality healthcare services to residents of Dubai.

What are the Passing Requirements of DHA?

The passing requirement for different DHA categories varies between professions. Therefore, the DHA exam passing score varies from 45 to 75 percent. 

How many times can one take to clear the DHA Exam? 

The candidates are allowed 3 attempts to clear the DHA exam. 

Also check out: How To Apply for The DHA Exam?

In Conclusion, 

The DHA certification must licence an aspiring medical professional who wishes to work in the Dubai medical industry. This certification will help open up many job opportunities that validate your professional performance. Prepare and practice for healthcare courses such as DHA, and more like IP DRG Coding training with Edoxi Training Institute. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare vigorously for the DHA exam and focus on passing on the first attempt to kick-start your career.

Trainer: OET, DHA, NCLEX and Communication Skills

Blessy Babu is a highly accomplished OET, DHA and NCLEX Trainer with Edoxi Training Institute, Dubai. She is also a dedicated communicative English trainer who keeps track of the progress of her students and helps them achieve their career goals. She constantly updates herself and creates innovative lesson plans that will enrich the learning experience of participants.

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