Seven regulators, seven rulebooks. Lined up, the published numbers are closer than the paperwork suggests: 60% is the pass mark wherever one is published for a GP paper, and 150 questions in 3 hours appears at both DHA and Qatar DHP. The real differences are attempt limits (from 3 in the UAE to a currently uncapped OMSB), who delivers the test, and how much each regulator publishes. DOH publishes the least. Qatar DHP and SCFHS publish the most. Checked 21 October 2026.
Start with where you will work
The comparison only matters once you know your regulator, and that is decided by your employer's location, not by your preference. Use this map first.
- Dubai: Dubai Health Authority. Guide: DHA exam.
- Abu Dhabi: Department of Health. Guide: DOH exam.
- Northern emirates: the Ministry of Health and Prevention. Guide: MOHAP exam. Some emirates also have their own health authority (the UAE attempt rules we reviewed mention SHA, Sharjah's), so confirm with your employer which regulator licenses the facility.
- Qatar: Department of Healthcare Professions. Guide: Qatar DHP.
- Oman: Oman Medical Specialty Board. Guide: OMSB.
- Bahrain: National Health Regulatory Authority. Guide: NHRA.
- Saudi Arabia: Saudi Commission for Health Specialties. Guide: SMLE.
The seven rulebooks in one table
Blank cells are not blank by accident. Where a regulator does not publish a figure on the pages we checked, the cell says so, and we do not substitute a figure from a prep provider.
| Regulator | Provider | Format published | Pass mark | Attempts | Exam fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DHA | Prometric | GEN5331: 150 MCQs, 3 h including registration and introduction | 60%, Pass/Fail only | Maximum 3; a third failure can bar reapplication for 2 years | USD 280 per attempt, plus a credentialing fee in Sheryan (AED 200 as reported; confirm in Sheryan) |
| DOH | Pearson VUE via TAMM | Computer-based; count and time not published; orals for some titles | Not published, Pass/Fail only | Prep sources quote 3 across the UAE; confirm in the DOH manual | Paid in TAMM before the Pearson VUE link appears; amount not published; non-refundable |
| MOHAP | Prometric | Officer decides if an exam is needed; auto-scored | 60% minimum | Maximum 3, no fourth | AED 500 evaluation application |
| Qatar DHP | Prometric | 150 MCQs, 3 h (blueprint document says 3.5 h) | 60% for GPs; 65% for specialty physician scopes | Up to 5 consecutive, no minimum gap | Not published |
| OMSB | Pearson VUE per OMSB and Pearson VUE pages; an OMSB FAQ names Prometric | Not confirmed on the pages we checked | Not confirmed | No maximum at present; retakes follow OMSB policy | Not confirmed; each new booking is paid again |
| NHRA | Prometric | 3 h seat, 2.5 h exam; count not published | 60% | 4 within 3 years, then 6 months of retraining, then 2 more | Not published |
| SCFHS | Prometric | SMLE: 200 MCQs, 2 blocks of 100, 120 min each, 30 min break, 4 options | 560 on 200-800 | Up to 4 a year, one per window | Not published; shown at payment in the portal |
What the numbers say when you line them up
The pass mark is not where the difficulty sits
Wherever a GP pass mark is published, it is 60% or, for the SMLE, a scaled 560. Specialty physician exams in Qatar rise to 65%, which tells you the regulator treats the GP paper as the entry level. A 60% target is demanding on a broad paper but it is not the barrier. Time and breadth are.
Pace is almost identical
150 items in 180 minutes is 72 seconds an item. The SMLE's 100 items per 120-minute block is also 72 seconds. NHRA gives 150 minutes of exam time, but because it does not publish a question count we cannot compute a pace and we do not guess. If you train to 72 seconds, you are ready for every paper whose format is published.
Attempt rules are where regulators really differ
This is the part that should shape your risk. The UAE allows three. Qatar allows five in a row with no required gap. Bahrain gives four within three years, then forces retraining. The SMLE allows four a year, which is generous per year but means a pass is expected within a defined window system. OMSB currently states no maximum, which is a policy statement that can change. The cost of an early fail is therefore different in each country, and it is a reason to book later rather than earlier everywhere.
Only two regulators tell you what is on the paper
SCFHS publishes weights and mastery levels. Qatar DHP publishes item counts by clinical area and a reference list. DHA, DOH, MOHAP, OMSB and NHRA publish no weights on the pages we checked. If you are sitting one of those, you are preparing against the shared clinical core, not against a blueprint, and you should say so honestly to yourself when a prep provider claims otherwise.
Attempts side by side
| Regulator | Rule as published | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| DHA | Maximum of 3 attempts; a third failure can bar reapplication for 2 years; DHA may reduce the number for some candidates | DHA Professional Assessment manual, as summarised on our UAE hub |
| DOH | Reported as 3 across the UAE, with a 3-month wait after a fail and 12 months after a third | Prep-provider summary; confirm in DOH documents |
| MOHAP | Maximum 3 MOHAP attempts, no fourth; you may apply through DHA or DOH instead | MOHAP service page |
| Qatar DHP | Five consecutive attempts, whatever the gap | DHP exam page |
| OMSB | No maximum currently; retakes follow OMSB policy | Pearson VUE OMSB page |
| NHRA | Four within three years of the first; at least 6 months of retraining after the fourth; then two more within two years | NHRA Decision No. 29 of 2020 and Prometric NHRA page |
| SCFHS | Up to four a year; one per window; two more attempts after a pass to improve the score | SMLE Applicant Guide |
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What carries over between regulators
Exam passes are not portable in general, but some arrangements exist, and they can save an exam.
- DOH exempts holders of a valid DHA or MOHAP licence for the same title, according to the DOH Licensing Procedural Manual (Circular 151/2024) as reviewed for our UAE hub.
- MOHAP to DHA or DOH. After three failed MOHAP attempts, MOHAP's service page says you may apply through DHA or DOH.
- DataFlow report transfer. The DataFlow pages for SCFHS, OMSB and NHRA say a report can be transferred and a new report issued within 5 days if no additional documents are needed. This moves verification, not an exam result. See the DataFlow guide.
- Qatar and Bahrain list their own exemptions (DHP circular DHP 19 2025 E; Supreme Council of Health approval in Bahrain). Neither is a general reciprocity rule.
Where the public sources disagree
Some conflicts are real, and we flag them instead of picking a winner.
- OMSB provider. Pearson VUE's OMSB page and OMSB materials point to Pearson VUE; an OMSB FAQ tells candidates to contact the OMSB Prometric manager. Ask OMSB which applies to your booking.
- Qatar duration. The DHP exam page and Prometric say 3 hours. The DHP General Practitioner blueprint document says 3.5 hours. Read the time on your booking confirmation.
- DHA credentialing fee. The USD 280 exam fee is stated in the guideline copy. The AED 200 credentialing fee appears in DHA-derived sources, so read the amount on the Sheryan payment screen.
- DHA's 3 hours. The guideline says the 3 hours include registration and the introduction, so working time is shorter than 180 minutes by an unstated amount.
Which exam is easiest?
None of the sources supports ranking them by difficulty, because no regulator publishes pass rates and the papers are not comparable item by item. Anyone who tells you the Qatar paper is easier than the Dubai paper is giving an opinion. What you can compare is the cost of failing, and on that measure a DHA or MOHAP candidate has the least room and a Qatar candidate the most.
If you hold offers in two countries
Use the table as a risk sheet, not a ranking. Ask four questions of each offer. Does an exemption apply to me? How many attempts do I have, and what does a failed one cost in fees and in waiting? Which documents does the regulator require before I can book? Does the employer reimburse the fees, and on what condition? A regulator with a generous attempt rule but a long verification queue can still cost you more months than one with a strict rule and a quick booking. Write the answers down per offer, then compare the earliest realistic start date, not the exam alone.
If you have already failed once somewhere, read the attempt rule for that regulator before anything else. Some limits count across regulators (the UAE sources describe totals across DHA, DOH and MOHAP), so a fail in one emirate can reduce your room in another.
What this means for your preparation
Prepare to the shared core. Then add the regulator-specific layer in the last two weeks: the booking rules, the time you will really have, and, for the SMLE, the two-block format and the mastery-level topics. The study plan shows where to put that layer. The scoring guide explains what a pass mark means in practice, and booking and fees holds the dated money figures.
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Frequently asked questions
Is there a Gulf licensing exam that works in every country?
No. Each of the seven regulators sets and recognises its own exam. The sources we reviewed describe only narrow arrangements, such as DOH exempting holders of a valid DHA or MOHAP licence for the same title. Always check the receiving regulator's current rules.
Which regulator publishes the most about its GP exam?
SCFHS and Qatar DHP. SCFHS publishes the SMLE blueprint with weights and mastery levels, and an applicant guide. DHP publishes item counts by area and a reference list. DOH publishes the least.
Do all seven regulators use a 60% pass mark?
No. 60% is published for DHA, Qatar DHP's GP exam, NHRA and MOHAP. The SMLE uses 560 on a 200-800 scale. DOH does not publish a pass mark, and OMSB's should be confirmed with OMSB.
Which country allows the most retakes?
Oman currently states no maximum number of attempts, subject to OMSB policy. Qatar allows five consecutive attempts, and the SMLE allows four a year. The UAE sources describe a maximum of three. Rules can change, so confirm before you book.
Can I sit the exam in my home country?
It depends on the provider's test-centre network. Prometric and Pearson VUE both run centres in many countries, and DOH says OnVUE home testing is offered for some of its exams. Check the booking page for your regulator, because availability is not the same for every title.
Do the regulators publish pass rates?
Not on the pages we checked. That is why we do not rank the exams by difficulty.
Does one question bank really cover all seven?
It covers the clinical core they share. It does not mirror any regulator's blueprint, because only SCFHS and Qatar DHP publish one. Regulator-specific rules, such as attempt limits and booking steps, are in the individual guides.
What should I do first?
Confirm your regulator, then check whether you are exempt. Start verification early, because it runs on its own timeline, and only then book the exam.