Dubai: It is prohibited for doctors to practise medicine in the UAE whether in a company, a private or government health establishment without obtaining a licence from the authorities.
The doctor must also sit an exam which meets with all the requirements of the Ministry of Health or the Dubai Department of Health and Medical Services (Dohms).
In order for expatriates to be able to practice their professions as general practitioner, specialist doctor, pathologist or dentist, they need to first obtain a licence which meets their specific requirements.
Those who wish to practice medicine only in Dubai or in one of the hospitals or clinics of the Dubai government, they need to obtain a licence from Dohms.
All physicians operating under the jurisdiction of Abu Dhabi's General Authority for Health Services (GAHS) will need to complete 50 hours of CME (Continued Medical Education) per year.
Out of these there will be 25 hours of formal learning through approved educational institutions and accredited by GAHS or another recognised body.
Dohms makes it a must for doctors to complete 50 hours per year of CME, 20 of which should be in the field of their specialty.
The Ministry of Health doctors are granted 15 days annual paid leave to attend conferences, as well as a daily allowance of Dh800.
Healthcare professionals who will practice in the UAE will now have to score a minimum number of CME hours each year. The CME hours are compulsory for their licence renewal.
The Ministry of Health has set specific requirements for the general practitioner exam for doctors who have an MBBS or any equivalent degree certificate.
The other requirements are to have one year of internship in a teaching hospital or two years experience in a non-teaching hospital.
Clinical experience
They must have two years of clinical experience after internship.
While the minimum requirements to qualify for specialist doctors examination is a Masters Degree or an equivalent qualification.
The Ministry sets that specialists who do not qualify for the specialist doctor's examination are allowed to sit for the General Practice examination.
If the specialised doctor works in a private health establishment they will need three years of experience after postgraduate qualification.
To work as pathologist, one needs to submit the Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery degree with post graduate Msc, PhD, or its equivalent which could be American and Canadian boards, British Royal College memberships and others, in the following Specialties: Clinical Pathology, Chemical Pathology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Virology, General Pathology (CP, AP) Hematology and Blood Bank, Immunology, Histopathology and Molecular Pathology. It is a must to have two to three years of experience after the Postgraduate degree for those who will work in private sector.
Those who want to work as dentists require to sit the Ministry's exam and must have a Bachelor Dentist degree or an equivalent degree certificate. Also needed ia one-year internship in a teaching hospital or two-years experience in a non-teaching Hospital.
Additionally, two years of clinical experience after Internship are also required.
