How to Apply for the DHA Exam: Step-by-Step Guide for General Practitioners (2026)

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) licensing exam is the mandatory Prometric assessment for General Practitioners who want to practice medicine in Dubai (outside the Dubai Healthcare City free zone). This guide walks you through the complete application process — from creating your Sheryan account to booking your Prometric slot.

Who needs the DHA exam?

Any General Practitioner or Family Medicine physician who wants to work in a DHA-licensed facility in Dubai must pass the DHA assessment, unless they qualify for a direct license under DHA's exemption criteria (for example, certain postgraduate qualifications plus significant recent Western experience). If in doubt, run a Self-Assessment in Sheryan before applying.

Step 1 — Confirm your eligibility as a GP

For the General Practitioner title, DHA typically requires:

• MBBS (or equivalent) from a recognised medical school.
• Internship of at least one year completed.
• Minimum 2 years of clinical experience after internship (varies by home country and category).
• Valid medical license or registration in your home country.
• Good standing certificate from every regulatory body you have been registered with in the last 5 years.

Exact requirements change — always cross-check on the official DHA Sheryan portal before paying any fees.

Step 2 — Create your Sheryan (DHA) account

Sheryan is DHA's single-sign-on portal for all licensing services.

1. Register with a personal email you will keep for years.
2. Verify your email and phone.
3. Complete your professional profile: qualifications, experience, and current employer.
4. Upload clear colour scans of your passport, photo, MBBS certificate, internship certificate, experience certificates, and good standing letters.

Step 3 — Submit the Primary Source Verification (DataFlow)

DHA outsources credential verification to DataFlow Group. You cannot sit the exam until your DataFlow report is complete and positive.

1. From your Sheryan application, initiate Primary Source Verification (PSV).
2. You will be redirected to DataFlow to pay and upload documents (MBBS, internship, experience, licenses, good standing).
3. DataFlow contacts each issuing institution directly. This typically takes 4–8 weeks — plan accordingly.
4. Track progress inside your DataFlow dashboard; respond to any clarification requests within 48 hours to avoid delays.

Tip: Start DataFlow as early as possible, even before you are fully ready to sit the exam. Slots and prep time are the easy part — verification is the bottleneck.

Step 4 — Pay DHA assessment fees

Once your PSV comes back positive, DHA generates a payment voucher for the assessment. Fees vary by title and are updated periodically on Sheryan. Pay through the portal using a credit or debit card.

Step 5 — Book your Prometric slot

After payment, DHA issues an Eligibility ID (sometimes called an authorization number) valid for Prometric.

1. Go to prometric.com/dha.
2. Choose Schedule an appointment and enter your Eligibility ID.
3. Pick a test centre — you can sit the DHA exam at any Prometric centre worldwide, not just in the UAE.
4. Choose a date and time. Popular Gulf-region slots fill up fast; book 4–8 weeks in advance where possible.
5. Print the confirmation and bring your passport on exam day.

Step 6 — On exam day

• The DHA GP assessment is a computer-based multiple choice exam delivered by Prometric.
• Typical format: 150 single-best-answer MCQs in 3 hours (subject to change — always check the official candidate guide from the exam authorities).
• No paper reference is allowed. Bring your passport and Eligibility ID printout.
• Arrive 30 minutes early for check-in and biometric capture.

Step 7 — After you pass

• Results usually appear in Sheryan within a few working days.
• Once you pass, you can proceed with the DHA license activation step (employer-sponsored license, PSV validity, malpractice insurance, etc.).

Frequently asked questions

How long does the whole DHA application take end-to-end?
From starting DataFlow to sitting the exam, plan for 2–4 months in the best case. Missing documents or slow issuing institutions can extend this significantly.

Can I apply for DHA from outside the UAE?
Yes. The entire application is online through Sheryan and DataFlow, and you can sit the exam at any Prometric centre worldwide.

How should I prepare?
Practice with a Gulf-specific MCQ bank aligned to the DHA blueprint. Try the MedQgulf DHA MCQs or start with our free demo.

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Ready to prepare? Explore our full DHA question bank for General Practitioners or read the broader Gulf licensing exam guide.