Dubai Healthcare City announces online exams for licenses

Dubai Healthcare City has implemented a licensing framework that will allow the physicians and dentists from more than 30 countries to appear for online exams, which if passed, grant eligibility to apply for DHCC license.

Dubai Healthcare City has partnered with Prometric, a testing provider that operates a network of secure test centers in more than 160 countries, to conduct online examinations for physicians and dentists from more than 30 countries representing Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, the MENA region and the Indian subcontinent.

The introduction of online licensing exams is part of a phased plan to strengthen DHCC’s regulatory standards in line with the agreement signed by UAE health authorities for the unification of medical licensing, and in line with Dubai Smart Government initiative.

Regulation and licensure of DHCC-based healthcare professionals and healthcare operators is handled by the Center for Healthcare Planning and Quality (CPQ), an independent regulator overseen by Dubai Healthcare City Authority (DHCA), the governing body and regulator of Dubai Healthcare City.

The online DHCA exam is a non-eligibility exam administered by Prometric; once a candidate passes the exam, he or she can apply for licensure through CPQ provided all other eligibility requirements are met for that specific professional category. These eligibility requirements include education, training, licensure and work experience.
The licensing framework takes into account the growing demand for certain specialties. The new country list is based on parameters of healthcare systems, specialization, evidence-based practice and standards of medical education.

Currently 11 exams are available for physicians and dentists: gastroenterology; general dentistry; general medicine; general surgery; internal medicine; obstetrics and gynecology; orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics; orthopedic surgery; pediatrics; periodontics; and prosthodontics.

Additional licensing exams will be introduced in phases over 2014-2015.

Candidates can visit the Prometric website (www.prometric.com) to register and schedule a DHCA exam. Exam passage is one of the minimum requirements for licensure.

For further information, please visit: www.dhcc.ae