UAE to allow medical faculty to work at hospitals and ease licensing for health graduates

Dubai: The UAE on Wednesday announced new measures allowing academic staff at medical colleges to practise in the healthcare sector while easing licensing requirements for some health graduates.

The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP), in coordination with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR) and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MoHRE), has announced that faculty members at medical universities and colleges—including physicians and other health professionals—will now be enabled to practise within healthcare facilities.

The move also removes the requirement for certain nursing and allied health graduates to complete six months of post-graduation experience before obtaining a professional license, as part of efforts to improve the efficiency of the licensing system and better align it with labour market needs.

Modernising the system

The decisions are designed to modernise regulatory processes by striking a balance between enabling academic medical talent to contribute directly to the healthcare sector and accelerating the entry of nursing and allied health graduates into the workforce.

Officials say the changes will help maximise the value of human capital while maintaining high standards of care. They also aim to strengthen the link between education and clinical practice, reinforce governance and compliance, and uphold unified licensing standards.

The decisions follow a series of coordination meetings between relevant authorities, alongside legal reviews of key legislation — including the laws governing the practice of human medicine and the Cabinet Resolution No. 20 of 2017 on unified medical licensing standards. The review found no legal barrier to faculty members practising clinically, provided they meet qualification and clinical experience requirements and that their academic responsibilities do not conflict with professional practice.

Licensing faculty members

The Higher Committee overseeing the unification of health licensing procedures confirmed that faculty members can be granted professional licences once they meet the required qualifications, experience, and prior licensing conditions. Teaching hours will also count toward Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements, in line with approved medical education policies.

Nursing and allied health

The exemption from the six-month experience requirement applies to registered nurses, assistant nurses, medical laboratory technicians and technologists, respiratory care technicians, and healthcare assistants.

The decision applies to graduates from within the UAE and abroad, with authorities set to review additional allied health specialisations on a case-by-case basis without compromising care quality or patient safety.

Balancing flexibility, governance

Dr Amin Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary for the Health Regulation Sector at MoHAP, said the decisions reflect an institutional approach that balances regulatory flexibility with strong governance standards. He noted that enabling academic faculty to practise will enrich the healthcare environment with advanced expertise and contribute to improving overall system efficiency, while maintaining unified licensing requirements that safeguard quality and patient safety.

"The changes support the sustainability, resilience, and efficiency of the healthcare sector in line with the UAE's 'We the UAE 2031' vision," he said, adding that updating licensing and exemption mechanisms is part of a broader effort to modernise the national licensing system and strengthen compliance with existing regulations.

Education meets practice

Ibrahim Fikri, Assistant Undersecretary for the Higher Education and Scientific Research Regulation and Governance Sector at MoHESR, said: "These decisions are a testament to the high level of integration between the higher education and healthcare sectors, helping to better align academic outcomes with the evolving needs of the labour market and strengthen the readiness of national talent. Enabling faculty members to practise professionally will enrich both the academic and applied learning environments, support knowledge transfer and allow expertise to deliver tangible, real-world impact."

He added: "Facilitating the faster entry of faculty members from medical universities and colleges, as well as graduates of nursing and allied health disciplines, into the workforce supports the long-term sustainability of the healthcare sector while maintaining the highest standards of quality and governance."

Regulatory coordination

Rashid Alsaadi, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Labour Market Services at MoHRE, said: "Updating the health licensing policy demonstrates the high level of coordination and flexibility between government entities, and their shared commitment to continuously improving the labour market's regulatory environment."

He noted that the UAE's advanced digital infrastructure enables seamless integration between entities, while the legislative and administrative frameworks allow faster updates in support of service excellence. He also highlighted the strategic importance of the healthcare sector, reaffirming that it will remain directly linked to quality of life, population health, and the efficient and timely delivery of healthcare services.