Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) has unveiled online examinations for physicians and dentists from more than 30 countries representing Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, the Mena region and the Indian subcontinent.

The exam is part of a phased plan to strengthen DHCC’s regulatory standards in line with the agreement signed by UAE health authorities for the unification of medical licensing, and in line with Dubai Smart Government initiative, said a statement.

The country list now has India, Egypt and Pakistan, it said.

The online exams will help increase the pool of healthcare professionals and operators, boosting the emirate’s economy and promoting specialisation, it said.

DHCC, a health and wellness destination that brings together a wealth of services in healthcare, medical education and research, has partnered with renowned testing provider Prometric to ensure that the online licensing exam follows stringent check-in procedures that require biometric (fingerprint) capture.

The provider operates a network of secure test centres in more than 160 countries.

The regulation and licensure of DHCC-based healthcare professionals and healthcare operators will be handled by the Center for Healthcare Planning and Quality (CPQ), an independent regulator overseen by Dubai Healthcare City Authority (DHCA), the governing body and regulator of Dubai Healthcare City.

The online DHCA exam is a non-eligibility exam administered by Prometric; once a candidate passes the exam, he or she can apply for licensure through CPQ provided all other eligibility requirements are met for that specific professional category.

The eligibility requirements include education, training, licensure and work experience.

The licensing framework takes into account the growing demand for certain specialties. The new country list is based on parameters of healthcare systems, specialization, evidence-based practice and standards of medical education.

Marwan Abedin, CEO, DHCC, said: “Our stringent regulatory framework is the basis of our success for more than a decade. The global healthcare landscape is evolving rapidly and, as we aim to meet the growing demand for quality healthcare in the region, we constantly look for new talent in a number of medical fields. The online examinations and the updated list of countries reflect this growth.”

Michael Brannick, president and CEO of Prometric, said: “Upholding the UAE’s rigorous standards for medical licensing is a key objective for us as we look to ensure that only qualified healthcare providers receive credentials to deliver patient care.

“Our dedicated team of psychometricians, test centre administrators, candidate care professionals, content security managers and other support staff and leadership will ensure that DHCC physicians pass a world-class computer-based examination programme.” - TradeArabia News Service