Department of Health and Medical Services, established and operative since 1953 was the formal body looking after the healthcare system in Emirates before Dubai Health Authority (DHA) was formed. Under the directives of the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Health Authority was formed in 2007 and took over the charge to oversee the healthcare system of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Dubai Health Authority is completely a government organization providing quality healthcare services through hospitals and other facilities directly falling under its direct jurisdiction. It ensures the healthcare strategies and policies for public and private hospitals and clinics in Dubai.
DHA ensures to protect public health and improve quality of life. It forms the strategies to meet Dubai’s future healthcare needs, takes care of partnerships between service providers of public and private sectors, issues the licensing regulations across Dubai Health Sector and also works for increasing the transparency and accountability of the healthcare system in the Emirates.
DHA aims to transform Dubai’s healthcare system to a leading healthcare destination by focussing on the quality, patient’s safety and his rights, clinical competency and also ensuring Dubai’s access to best medical care wherever needed by respective patient’s family, friends or visitors. In October 20211, Dubai Health Strategy was released which intends to examine Dubai’s medical sector to ensure efficient, quick and pocket friendly healthcare services to everyone. The plan was implemented to offer affordable healthcare to both Emiratis and expatriates.
Any medical health professional who wants to practice in Dubai, UAE must qualify the DHA exam. It is a licensing examination mandatory to be qualified by the healthcare professionals to rehearse in Dubai. The evaluation process can either be oral or online test depending upon the professional class. Medical graduates to pursue medical career in UAE have to be evaluated through UAE’s healthcare regulatory authorities HAAD, DHA, DHCC and MOH. A work license is awarded on successfully passing the assessment examination to practice anywhere in Dubai.
Medical graduates or healthcare professionals who are passionate to practice in Dubai must undergo a screening process for Dubai called DHA examination. To understand the process of DHA, following terms should be understood which you will come across during the complete process of application.
Attestation of documents may not be required at this phase. Since the soft copies of documents are to be uploaded while filling the form, clear and colour scanned copies of all documents shall fulfil the purpose. Documents required at this step includes
All scanned and high resolution images of documents to be kept ready to be uploaded to avoid any hassles or delay in making the application.
Creating a Sheryan account is the very initial step of filing application with DHA. It is a personal login provided to every applicant allowing him/her to monitor every detail related to the license application. Creating a Sheryan account generates a unique DHA ID, also called professional ID for the applicant. Creating this ID requires the applicant to upload few documents for verification like the copy of passport, photograph, record of transcripts etc. This ID may be further required for the purpose of tracking application progress.
Once the applicant gets the DHA reference no. after completing Step no. 3, the applicant can schedule for the examination. The applicant must prepare for the examination based on the specialization they want to opt for.
The applicants are required to report at the test center on the date of examination. The DHA exam is conducted online at its attested test centers. Applicants must keep in mind the following without fail:
The DHA exam is CBT (computer based test) and is good 3 hours duration test. It comprises of 150 multiple choice questions. The passing marks for the test stand as 60. The test does not have any negative marking for the wrong answers or the unanswered ones. The result is shared within 2-5 days of the exam and the same can be checked on student’s Sheryan account which will mention if the student has qualified the examination.
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