FAQ

FAQ

Are you a healthcare professional?

• 1. Do you qualify to be licensed in Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC)?

  The eligibility criteria for all healthcare professional licensing categories (listed below) within DHCC are filtered based on the type of qualifications obtained and the countries they were obtained from.

  • Medical/dental (General / Specialist)
  • Nursing
  • Allied health
  • CAM (Complementary Alernative Medicine)
  • Trainee
  • Faculty

  For general license requirements, please click here

  Please Click here for Professional Licensing E-Services.

  Please Click here for more information about Professional Licensing Services

  *All material is subject to change without notifications. It is the licensee/applicant’s responsibility to review the latest updates and changes

• 2. Do I need to sit for an exam?

  DHCA exam is not applicable to all licensing categories. Kindly review the DHCA licensing guidelines above to know if an exam is required or not.

  For further information regarding cut scores, exam contents, and references click here

  DHCA Exam Guidelines:

  • Applicants can only register for the exam after the application review process has been completed. The applicant will then be given an Eligibility ID to register for the exam. To begin the application review process, kindly follow the link to register a profile and submit an application E-Services.
  • Passing the DHCA Exam does not automatically guarantee a license to practice in DHCC. The license issuance process will be subject to the verification of the candidate's credentials and submission of all necessary documents
  • DHCA Exam Eligibility ID is valid only for 3 months from the date of issue.
  • A candidate can have maximum 3 attempts per DHCA exam.
  • The result is available immediately once the exam is completed.

  FEES:

  Payment needs to be completed online during the registration process on the Prometric website. Please note:

  • Exam fees are non-refundable.
  • Medical & Dental specialties: $220-$280.
  • Nursing & Allied Health professionals: $180 - $220.

  for further information regarding cut scores, exam contents, and references click here

• 3 . How can you obtain your professional license?

  All Healthcare Professiona ls (HCPs) at Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) must obtain a license from Dubai Healthcare City Authority – Regulatory (DHCA - Regulations), an independent regulatory arm responsible for licensing healthcare providers and professionals, and setting and maintaining international best practice in healthcare delivery and patient care within the free zone.

  The DHCA - Regulations licensing department conducts Primary Source Verification, an in-house process through which HCPs’ credentials are verified for authenticity and accuracy from the issuer. The department is responsible for ensuring that licensing of HCPs is carried out in accordance with regulations.

  Application process for all categories (medical/dental, nurse, allied health, trainee, and CAM):

  • Check eligibility guidelines for your professional category
  • Log on to E-Services , register your profile and apply through the portal.
  • You will be informed of your eligibility during your initial application review

  For more information about the portal guide click document

• 4. How do I request a professional Letter?

  Letter Issuance

  PROFESSIONAL Can apply for the following letters:

  • Good Standing/ Current Standing Certificate (CGS)
    • States the standing status of the healthcare professional during the licensed period in DHCC
    • For Good Standing policy click here
  • Primary Source Verification (PSV)
    • Includes all the credentials and references that were verified.
    • Please complete the form and submit it with the payment receipt to the email pld@dhcc.ae
  • License Status Confirmation (LSC)
    • Includes the Primary Source Verification and Good Standing
    • Please complete the form and submit it with the payment receipt to the email pld@dhcc.ae

  Process

  

  REQUIREMENTS & FEES

  	Good Standing	Primary Source Verification	License Status Confirmation
  Fee*	Urgent: 1000 AED Regular: 500 AED	500 AED	1000 AED
  Timeline	Urgent: 2 working days Regular: 10 Working days	10 Working days	10 Working days

  * Second Copies, change in details, and change license status will require second payment

  ** All letters do not require Healthcare Operators Approval

• 5. How do I renew my professional license?

  Renewal of License

  For renewal policy, requirements, and recognized Continuing Professional Development credits, click here

  Renewal Requirements

  • Continuation of practice in DHCC
  • Valid UAE medical malpractice insurance (MMI)
  • Valid Life Saver course (BLS/ACLS/ATLS/PALS etc.)
  • The CPD activities and the CPD points earned during the two years licensure period

  Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Requirements

  • CPD activities will be accepted only if they fall within the immediate preceding two years from DHCA license expiry date
  • The majority of the CPD points acquired must relate to the licensee's primary area of practice
  • CPD points earned in BLS course will not be counted under CPD points required for license renewal
  • Composition of CPD points can be through; attending seminars, online course, publications, authorships…etc. (refer to renewal guidelines for more details)
  • Exemption from CPD Requirements:
  • Completion of a higher education program
  • Passing a re-certification examination in their licensed specialty in the last two years
  • Licensed Trainees appointed at a DHCA– approved training program.
  • Faculty members appointed at a DHCA – approved training program in a purely academic capacity

  Professional Category	Minimum CPD points required
  Medical ( General, Specialist, Consultant)	80
  Dental (General, Specialist, Consultant)	50
  Registered Nurse / Registered Midwife	30
  Nursing Assistant	20
  Allied Health	30
  Allied Health Technicians/ Assistants	20
  Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)	30
  CAM Therapists	20

  Application Process

  
• 6. How can I move from one facility to another? Or work in an additional facility?

  Add Employer

  APPLICABILITY

  • A professional with a Primary Operator can apply for a Secondary operator.
  • A Professional holding a Letter of Acceptance can apply to activate their license by adding an employer.

  POLICY

  • The healthcare professional's specialty must match with the approved services of the Healthcare Operator.
  • Full-time/Part-time options of practice is at the discretion of the primary employer and the HCP.

  For additional employer policy click here

  WHO ARE THE PROFESSIONAL THAT CAN ADD EMPLOYER

  Professional Title	Number of employer
  General Medicine Medical Specialist Medical Consultant	3
  General Dentist Dental Specialist Dental Consultant	3
  Professional CAM	3
  Mental Health Nurse	2
  Addiction Counselor	2
  Audiologist	2
  Career Counselor	2
  Counselor	2
  Couple and Family Counselor	2
  Genetic Counselor	2
  Medical Physicist	2
  Neurodiagnostic Technologist	2
  Nuclear Medicine Technologist	2
  Nutritionist	2
  Orthoptist	2
  Orthotist	2
  Plaster/ Cast Technician	2
  Podiatrist	2
  Prosthetist	2
  Psychologist	2
  Rehabilitation Counselor	2
  School Counselor	2
  Speech Therapist	2
  Sports Therapist	2
  Sleep Laboratory Technologist	2

  PROCESS

  

  FEES

  • Each additional employment is AED 2020

  TIMELINES

  • 10 Working day given that both the Primary and new employers have approved the request

  Change Primary Employer

  DEFINITION

  • This service enables the licensed professional to change from one facility to another
  • Change Primary Employer will assume the cancelation of contract between the previous employer and the professional who is responsible to attach the evidence such as end of service, NOC for the operator,..etc.
  • Change Primary employer is not linked to the Visa status. Professional should apply to change visa sponsor separately.

  PROCESS

  

  FEES

  • Change of Primary Employer fee is AED 2020

  TIMELINES

  • 10 Working day given that both the Primary employers have approved the request
• 7. How do I upgrade my license Grade?

  Upgrade professional License

  DEFINITION

  • This service enables a licensed professional to upgrade from their license from:
  • Assistant to Full
  • General to Specialist
  • Specialist to Consultant
  • Associate doctor of CAM to Doctor of CAM

  Requirements

  • To hold a valid DHCC license
  • All required evidence of sufficing the new Grade:
    • Qualifying Degrees and certificate
    • Experience certificates

  APPLICATION PROCESS

  
• 8. What are the professional licensing fees?

  Click here

• 9. What do I do if I have a gap in clinical practice?

  Gap in clinical practice is the Absence from clinical practice from three (3) to five (5) years at the time of DHCA application submission.

  Please refer to the Gap in practice policy to further details.

• 10. Do I need approval for my advertisement?

  Yes it is mandatory! The purpose for obtaining approval is to ensure accuracy and integrity concerning the advertisement of services provided by licensed operators in DHCC and in accordance to Ministry of Health (MOH) regulations. Please click here to download the Advertising Policy.

• 11. How can I apply for advertisement approval?

  A DHCC operator or Professionals can apply for approval by submitting an online application with the required documents below:

  • Clear copy of the advertisement
  • Website content to be submitted in pdf format only
  • Script and audio for audio advertisement should be submitted if applicable
  • Story board for video advertisement should be submitted if applicable
  • Evidence of any accreditation or data claimed in the advertisement
  • NOC from facilities mentioned in the advertisement
  • Patient consent should be submitted if testimonials to be included in the advertisement
  • Copy of previous approvals from DHCA - Regulations and MOHAP if submission is for ad renewal.
  • For advertisement in languages other than Arabic and English, legal translation in Arabic/English to be provided.

  Please click here to download the Advertising Policy.

• 12. How do I apply to conduct education programs or services in DHCC?

  Please click here. for the Education Permit Operators Guide.

• 13. How do I apply to conduct Professional Medical Education Programs – Approval of Practice Setting

  Please click here. for the DHCA - Regulations Approved Practice Setting Standards.

• 14. How do I apply for accreditation of Continuous Professional Development programs in DHCC

  Please click here for the DHCA - Regulations Continuous Professional Development Standards.

​​​​​​​Education & Research​

• 15. How can I apply to conduct research in DHCC?

  Please click here. for Quick Reference Guide for conducting Research in DHCC.

  Please click here. for the Research Permit Operators Guide.