DOH GP exam for general practitioners

Facts last verified 5 October 2026.

The Department of Health Abu Dhabi (DOH) GP paper has 120 questions in 2.5 hours. Check that DOH has approved you for General Practitioner before booking.

Is this the right paper for you?

This paper is for General Practitioner, the GP title. Specialist and consultant titles follow separate routes.

  • The standard overseas route needs MBBS, MBChB or an equal degree with at least 5 years of study (PQR).
  • You also need a 1-year internship and 2 years of clinical experience after it. UAE nationals and qualifying UAE graduates have exceptions.
  • A GP licence does not cover specialist practice. DOH can count experience in named specialties towards a separate GP application.
  • Both PLAB parts, or another listed equivalent exam, may remove the exam requirement. Ask DOH to confirm your route.

Ask DOH about the pass mark

Format at a glance

120 questions. Time: 2 h 30 min. Pass mark: Not published.

Delivered by Pearson VUE.

What the paper covers

We did not find published section weights for the DOH paper for doctors. ProMCQ's mock papers use the published Qatar DHP blueprint for doctors as practice targets. These are not DOH's own weights. Each mock includes national-topic content, so its final question shares can differ slightly from these targets.

  • Medicine (31.3%): Diagnose common heart, lung, gut, renal and endocrine disease, infection and neurological problems. Choose the first treatment and know when to refer.
  • Obstetrics and Gynaecology (24%): Care for pregnancy and bleeding. Revise contraception, menstrual problems and urgent gynaecological care.
  • Paediatrics (24.7%): Assess fever, growth and development. Revise vaccines, infections and urgent care in children.
  • Surgery (20%): Assess the acute abdomen, trauma, lumps and urological problems. Know when to refer after surgery.

Sample questions

Eight original practice questions from the DOH doctors bank. They are written to the paper's style, not taken from the live exam. Pick an answer to see the key and explanation.

  1. A 6-week-old exclusively breastfed infant who did not receive IM vitamin K at birth develops acute neurologic symptoms. Which diagnosis and bleeding site best fit this presentation?

    1. Classic vitamin K deficiency bleeding with gastrointestinal bleeding
    2. Early-onset vitamin K deficiency bleeding with a cephalohaematoma
    3. Late vitamin K deficiency bleeding with intracranial haemorrhage
    4. Late vitamin K deficiency bleeding with umbilical-stump bleeding
    Answer

    C. At 6 weeks, an exclusively breastfed infant who missed IM vitamin K prophylaxis has the defining risk and timing pattern for late vitamin K deficiency bleeding. Its characteristic severe presentation is intracranial haemorrhage.

  2. A 24-year-old woman with established HPV infection asks about vaccination. She has never received HPV vaccine and believes that receiving it now would resolve her existing abnormal cervical findings. What benefit should she expect from HPV vaccination?

    1. Clear established HPV infection
    2. Prevent new HPV infection
    3. Reverse existing cervical dysplasia
    4. Replace subsequent cervical screening
    Answer

    B. HPV vaccination prevents new infection; it does not treat established infection or cervical dysplasia. Vaccinated patients must continue routine cervical screening.

  3. A 40-year-old man has a freely movable dermal nodule on his back with a visible central punctum. It has previously discharged cheesy material. It is not currently inflamed, and he requests definitive treatment. Which treatment is most appropriate?

    1. Intralesional triamcinolone injection
    2. Image-guided core needle biopsy
    3. Complete excision with intact wall
    4. Observation and reassurance
    Answer

    C. A freely movable dermal nodule with a central punctum and cheesy keratin contents is an epidermoid (epidermal inclusion) cyst. Diagnosis is usually clinical. Definitive treatment is complete surgical excision of the cyst with its wall intact.

  4. A patient receives the wrong dose of insulin because of a medication error and develops hypoglycaemia. How should this outcome be classified?

    1. A non-preventable adverse drug event
    2. A preventable adverse drug event
    3. A therapeutic failure occurring without patient harm
    4. An adverse drug reaction
    Answer

    B. The patient suffered medication-related harm after receiving a wrong dose. Medication error causing harm is classified as a preventable adverse drug event.

  5. A patient with HFrEF is being screened for ivabradine after reaching the maximally tolerated beta-blocker dose. Which finding specifically rules out ivabradine?

    1. Resting heart rate ≥70 bpm
    2. Concurrent spironolactone therapy
    3. An eGFR of 45 mL/min/1.73 m²
    4. Atrial fibrillation on the ECG
    Answer

    D. Ivabradine requires an organised sinus rhythm because it acts at the sinus node. Atrial fibrillation or flutter therefore rules it out even if the EF and heart-rate thresholds are met.

  6. How does IV sodium bicarbonate reverse tricyclic-induced QRS widening?

    1. Antibody-like binding of free drug
    2. Alkalinises serum and supplies extracellular sodium
    3. Raises intracellular cAMP beyond beta receptors
    4. Increases myocardial carbohydrate utilisation
    Answer

    B. Tricyclic cardiotoxicity results from fast cardiac Na+-channel blockade, and acidosis increases the toxicity. Sodium bicarbonate works in two ways. It alkalinises serum, targeting a pH of 7.45–7.55, and it provides extracellular sodium that opposes the channel blockade. The QRS narrows as a result.

  7. A 48-year-old man who injects heroin was diagnosed with nonspecific low back pain 2 weeks ago. He returns with worsening back pain, a temperature of 38.6 °C and pain radiating down the left leg. He has no saddle sensory loss and no bladder, bowel or sexual dysfunction, and leg power is normal. What is the most appropriate management now?

    1. Continue activity and an NSAID
    2. Reassess for progressive deficit
    3. Emergency decompression referral
    4. Urgent imaging and investigation
    Answer

    D. Infection risk or fever is a red flag for serious spinal pathology. Once present, the uncomplicated low back pain pathway no longer applies and urgent imaging and investigation are required. The unilateral leg pain, with no saddle or sphincter involvement, does not point to cauda equina syndrome.

  8. An immunocompromised patient has cough, weight loss, and an atypical chest radiograph. The IGRA is negative. What is the most appropriate interpretation and next diagnostic step?

    1. Active tuberculosis is excluded because the IGRA is negative
    2. This is latent tuberculosis; begin latent treatment without further assessment
    3. Active tuberculosis remains possible; obtain sputum Xpert MTB/RIF and culture
    4. The negative IGRA is explained by prior BCG vaccination
    Answer

    C. In immunocompromised patients, TST or IGRA may be falsely negative and radiology may be atypical. Symptoms and radiographic concern should therefore prompt evaluation for active tuberculosis with rapid Xpert testing and culture rather than reassurance from the negative IGRA.

Full papers in the real format

10 timed mock papers of 150 questions each, built to the weights above. No question repeats across papers.

How to prepare

  • Our suggested approach: choose the diagnosis and next action before reading the options.
  • DOH gives 75 seconds per question. ProMCQ mocks have 150 questions in 150 minutes, so their pace is faster.
  • Obstetrics and paediatrics make up nearly half of ProMCQ’s mock weights. Include them if you mainly treat adults.
  • Revise UAE law, the health system, insurance, screening and national programmes. ProMCQ’s GP notes also cover disease burden and demography.

Licensing steps

  1. Check eligibility: DOH licence requirements.
  2. Book the exam: DOH fees and booking.
  3. Get your result: DOH results and next steps.

Frequently asked questions

What is the DOH GP pass mark?

DOH sets the pass mark internally. Its catalogue gives no percentage. TAMM shows pass or fail with no score.

Does PLAB exempt a GP from the DOH exam?

Both PLAB parts are a listed route. Ask DOH to confirm it under DOH licence requirements. Verification and licensing still apply.

Which books should you use for the DOH GP exam?

We did not find an official full reading list. Send study-material questions to exam@doh.gov.ae.

Do breaks stop the DOH exam clock?

No. Breaks use your exam time (Pearson VUE check-in). Include any break in your plan.

Sources

Facts last verified 2026-10-05.

  1. Licensing Service Catalogue and Licensing Procedural Manual (Circular 151/2024), Department of Health Abu Dhabi
  2. Unified Healthcare Professional Qualification Requirements, April 2025, MOHAP, DOH, DHA and SHA
  3. Unified Healthcare Professional Qualification Requirements, April 2025, MOHAP, DOH, DHA and SHA
  4. Arrival and taking the exam (DOH programme), Pearson VUE