Dubai launches online licensing exam for physicians, dentists

DUBAI: Online licensing exams for physicians and dentists from more than 30 countries including those from the Indian subcontinent have been introduced by the Dubai Healthcare City ( DHCC).

A healthcare free economic zone, DHCC was mandated by the government to meet the demand for high-quality, patient-centered healthcare.

The move 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 sync with Dubai Smart Government initiative.

The country list now has India, Egypt and Pakistan, among other countries.

The online exams will help increase the pool of healthcare professionals and operators, boosting the emirate's economy and promoting specialisation.

DHCC, a health and wellness destination that brings together a wealth of services in healthcare, medical education and research, has tied up with testing provider Prometric.

It is to ensure that the online licensing exam follows stringent check-in procedures that require biometric (fingerprint) capture.

The provider operates a network of secure test centres in more than 160 countries.

Regulation and licensure of DHCC-based healthcare professionals and healthcare operators is handled by the Centre 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.