Understanding the DHA Exam Passing Score for All Specs
Understanding the DHA Exam Passing Score for All Specs
For any healthcare professional aspiring to work in Dubai, one question looms larger than any other: “What is the passing score for the DHA exam?” This single query is the source of significant anxiety, driving countless hours of study and preparation. The desire for a concrete number—a clear target to aim for—is universal. However, the reality of how the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) Prometric exams are scored is more nuanced than a simple percentage.
The DHA exam is the gatekeeper to a professional license, a high-stakes assessment that validates your competence against the rigorous standards of Dubai’s healthcare system. The passing score is not a fixed line in the sand but a carefully determined benchmark designed to ensure patient safety and quality of care. This means the standard is high, and understanding how it’s applied across different specializations is crucial for developing a winning study strategy. A clear understanding of the scoring is a key part of your overall DHA exam preparation.
This definitive guide will demystify the DHA exam passing score. We will explore the official scoring policy, provide the generally accepted passing ranges for a wide variety of specializations—from General Practitioners to Nurses, Pharmacists, and Allied Health professionals—and explain the factors that influence these scores. Our goal is to replace your anxiety with a clear, strategic understanding, empowering you to prepare effectively and confidently meet the passing standard.
Key Takeaways on DHA Passing Scores
- It’s Officially Pass/Fail: The DHA provides a simple “Pass” or “Fail” result, not a numerical score.
- No Single “Magic Number”: There is no officially published passing percentage. The required score is determined by psychometric analysis for each exam form.
- The Unofficial Benchmark: Most specializations have an estimated passing range of 55% to 65%. However, this varies by profession and exam difficulty.
- Aim for a Buffer Zone: The most effective strategy is to consistently score 70-75% or higher in high-quality practice tests to ensure you are well above the passing threshold.
- All Questions are Equal: There is no negative marking, so it is crucial to answer every question.
The Official Scoring Method: Beyond a Simple Percentage
The most important thing to understand is that the DHA, like many major licensing bodies, uses a sophisticated scoring system. Your result is not just the raw percentage of questions you answered correctly. The process involves:
- Scaled Scoring: The DHA uses multiple versions (or “forms”) of each exam to maintain security. Since some forms may be slightly easier or harder than others, a statistical process called equating is used. This adjusts for minor differences in difficulty, ensuring that every candidate is held to the same standard of competence regardless of which exam form they take.
- Psychometric Analysis: Each question is analyzed for its difficulty and relevance. The overall passing standard is set by a panel of subject matter experts who determine the level of knowledge a minimally competent practitioner must demonstrate to practice safely in Dubai. This is known as criterion-referenced scoring.
The goal of the DHA isn’t to fail a certain percentage of candidates; it’s to ensure everyone who passes has met a predetermined standard of professional competence.
DHA Passing Scores by Specialization: A Detailed Guide for 2025
While the official score is just Pass/Fail, years of candidate experiences and expert analysis have provided reliable estimates for the passing threshold across different professions. Below is a detailed breakdown.
1. Doctors (General Practitioners and Specialists)
Estimated Passing Score
The exams for physicians are clinically intensive, focusing heavily on diagnosis, management, and patient safety. The DHA GP exam is broad, covering everything from internal medicine to pediatrics, while specialist exams are deep and narrow.
- General Practitioner (GP): The passing score is estimated to be around 65%. The exam tests a wide range of common clinical scenarios and emergency management.
- Specialists (e.g., Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, OB/GYN): The threshold is typically around 60-65%. These exams require in-depth knowledge of the latest clinical guidelines and evidence-based practices within the specialty.
2. Dentists (General Dentists and Specialists)
Estimated Passing Score
Dental exams emphasize diagnostics, treatment planning, and dental ethics. Questions often involve interpreting radiographs and choosing the most appropriate course of action for complex patient cases.
- General Dentist: The passing score is generally pegged at 65%. Candidates must demonstrate proficiency in all areas of general dentistry, from restorative procedures to periodontics.
- Specialists (e.g., Orthodontics, Endodontics): The score is estimated to be in the 60-65% range. These exams require advanced knowledge and clinical judgment specific to the specialization. Success often depends on mastering the topics in resources like our Endodontics MCQ bank.
3. Nurses (Registered Nurse, Assistant Nurse, Midwife)
Estimated Passing Score
Nursing exams are heavily focused on patient safety, prioritization, delegation, and the nursing process (ADPIE). The passing score for nurses is often considered slightly lower than for physicians, reflecting the different scope of practice, but the exam is equally challenging in its focus on critical thinking.
- Registered Nurse (RN): The estimated passing score is 60%. Mastery of pharmacology calculations, infection control, and prioritization of care is essential.
- Assistant Nurse (AN): The threshold is around 55-60%, with a focus on fundamental nursing skills, patient safety, and assisting the RN.
- Midwife: The score is estimated at 60%, with a deep focus on antenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum care.
4. Pharmacists
Estimated Passing Score
The DHA exam for pharmacists tests clinical knowledge, pharmaceutical calculations, and, crucially, UAE pharmacy law. A significant portion of the exam is dedicated to local regulations regarding dispensing and controlled substances.
- Clinical Pharmacist: The passing score is estimated to be 60%. Candidates must be flawless in their calculations and have a strong understanding of therapeutics and drug interactions. For in-depth preparation, review our DHA Pharmacist exam MCQs.
5. Allied Health Professionals (Physiotherapy, Radiography, Lab Tech)
Estimated Passing Score
This category is diverse, but the exams share a common theme: a focus on technical proficiency, patient safety, and discipline-specific clinical reasoning.
- Physiotherapist: The score is around 60%. The exam tests musculoskeletal, neurological, and cardiopulmonary physiotherapy, with a strong emphasis on special tests and rehabilitation protocols.
- Radiographer: The estimated passing score is 60%. Key topics include patient positioning, radiation protection (ALARA), and image production physics.
- Medical Laboratory Technician: The threshold is estimated at 55-60%, covering all major lab sections like hematology, microbiology, and clinical chemistry.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Passing Score
Your official score report from Prometric will not show a numerical score or a percentage. It will simply state “Pass” or “Fail.” This is a strict policy to maintain the integrity of the criterion-referenced scoring system.
These percentages are unofficial benchmarks derived from years of collective experience from successful candidates, training centers, and preparation experts. They serve as a practical and reliable target for your study plan. While not official, aiming for a score comfortably above this range is a proven strategy for success.
The golden rule is to aim for a consistent score of 70-75% or higher in high-quality, timed practice exams. This creates a “buffer zone” or a margin of safety. It accounts for exam-day anxiety, encountering unfamiliar questions, and any minor variations in exam difficulty. If you can consistently score in this range, you can walk into the exam with a high degree of confidence.
Currently, a candidate is allowed three attempts to pass the professional licensing exam. After a third failure, you may be required to undertake further clinical training or education before you are eligible to reapply. The exact requirements are outlined in your results notification and on the DHA portal.
Once you pass the exam, you will receive an eligibility letter, which is generally valid for one year. Within this year, you must secure a job offer from a DHA-licensed facility and complete the Primary Source Verification (PSV) process to activate your DHA license. For the most current policies, always refer to the DHA’s official licensing page.
Most, but not all. Like many standardized tests, the DHA exam may include a small number of unscored, “pre-test” questions. These are new questions being trialed for future exams to assess their statistical performance. You will not know which questions are unscored, so you must treat every question as if it counts toward your final result.
Yes, the passing standard can be periodically reviewed and adjusted by the DHA based on changes in practice standards, healthcare needs in Dubai, and analysis of candidate performance data. This process, known as standard setting, ensures the exam remains relevant and continues to reflect the required level of competence for safe practice. However, such changes are not frequent.
No, there is absolutely no penalty for incorrect answers. Your score is based solely on the number of questions you answer correctly. This means you should never leave a question blank. If you’re unsure, eliminate the options you know are wrong and make your most educated guess.
This does not mean their exams are “easier.” It reflects the different scope of practice and the specific competencies being tested. The standard is set independently for each profession to determine what a minimally competent practitioner in *that specific field* needs to know. Each exam is challenging relative to its own professional standards.
The most effective study materials are those that closely simulate the real exam’s format and content. High-quality question banks (QBanks) are essential. For a comprehensive collection tailored to every specialization, you can start by exploring the resources available at PrometricMCQ.com.
Conclusion: A Strategy for Certainty
While the exact DHA exam passing score remains an elusive number, the path to achieving it is clear. The key is not to fixate on a specific percentage but to focus on comprehensive mastery of your field. By understanding the exam’s structure, focusing on high-yield topics, and consistently practicing with high-quality MCQs, you can build a significant buffer between your performance and the passing threshold. Aim for excellence in your preparation, and the “Pass” result will follow.
Stop Guessing and Start Mastering
Our comprehensive MCQ packages are tailored to each specialization, providing you with thousands of exam-style questions, detailed rationales, and the confidence you need to score well above the passing mark.
