DHA Specialist Licensing - General Surgery
DHA Surgery Exam Dubai - Pattern, Syllabus, Questions and Preparation
This page is for surgeons planning to appear in the DHA exam in Dubai. It explains the DHA surgery exam pattern, expected question style, syllabus areas, passing score, and practical preparation strategy for international medical graduates (IMGs), especially from Pakistan, India, Egypt, and the UAE.
DHA surgery exam format at a glance
Exam mode
Computer-based Prometric test
Question type
Single-best-answer MCQs
Common question count
Around 150 questions
Time duration
Around 3 hours
Passing score
Usually around 60-65%
Result style
Pass/Fail licensing assessment
Target candidate
Surgeons applying for DHA licensing in Dubai
Difficulty style
Clinical scenario and decision-focused
Figures may vary by DHA updates and title mapping. Always verify final exam details on your official DHA profile before booking.
DHA surgery exam syllabus and high-yield topics
The DHA surgery exam syllabus is usually tested through case-based questions. Focus on clinical judgment, emergency prioritization, and safe management decisions.
Acute abdomen: appendicitis, bowel obstruction, perforation, peritonitis, GI bleeding pathways
Hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery: cholecystitis, cholangitis, pancreatitis complications
Colorectal surgery: obstruction, malignancy flags, post-operative complications
Trauma and emergency surgery principles: airway-breathing-circulation priorities and damage control logic
Breast and endocrine surgery: breast lump pathways, thyroid and parathyroid surgical decisions
Vascular surgery emergencies: acute limb ischemia, aneurysm risk, urgent referral thresholds
Peri-operative care: fluid management, DVT prophylaxis, infection control, post-op fever workup
Professional standards: ethics, patient safety, communication, documentation
DHA surgery exam preparation strategy for IMGs
Build a 6 to 10 week plan with daily MCQ blocks. Use timed sessions to improve speed and reduce decision fatigue in the real test.
Prioritize emergency surgery and peri-operative medicine first. These themes often produce high-yield DHA surgery exam questions.
For IMGs from Pakistan, India, Egypt, and UAE, focus on guideline-based answers and avoid local protocol assumptions from your previous system.
Review wrong answers carefully. Most score improvement comes from understanding why one option is safer and more appropriate than the others.
Practice exam-style questions here: Practice DHA Surgery MCQs
FAQ: DHA exam for surgeons in Dubai
What is the DHA surgery exam pattern for specialist general surgery in Dubai?
The DHA surgery exam is usually a computer-based Prometric MCQ assessment. Commonly reported structure for specialist general surgery is 150 single-best-answer questions in 3 hours, but candidates should always confirm current details on DHA Sheryan for their exact title.
How many questions are in the DHA exam for surgeons in Dubai?
Most preparation sources and exam guidance references indicate around 150 questions for specialist general surgery assessments. Always verify your booking details because exam structures can change by category and year.
What is the passing score for the DHA surgery exam?
A commonly referenced passing benchmark for specialist surgery tracks is around 60-65%. DHA can update requirements, so use the official portal as the final source before your exam date.
What topics are included in the DHA surgery exam syllabus?
High-yield areas include acute abdomen, trauma principles, hepatobiliary and colorectal surgery, breast and endocrine surgery, vascular emergencies, peri-operative care, and ethics/patient safety. Questions are usually case-based and test clinical decision-making.
How should IMGs from Pakistan, India, Egypt, and UAE prepare for DHA surgery exam questions?
Focus on guideline-based management, solve timed MCQs daily, revise emergency algorithms, and practise case-based decision making. IMGs should align revision with DHA-style single-best-answer logic and UAE clinical practice expectations.
What is the DHA surgery exam pass rate?
An official public pass-rate dashboard by specialty is not consistently published. Preparation quality, question practice volume, and exam-day time control are usually the strongest predictors of success.