Doctors, nurses, and other health professionals who have completed their education and are looking for chances abroad, especially in the Gulf countries, might be familiar with the terms ‘Prometric’ and ‘Prometric exam’.

Prometric is a leading, U.S based global testing service provider that offers modern technology-enabled assessments and testing services.

Their services are offered and utilized through establishments like academic institutes, government organizations, and globally recognized licensing certification institutes.

What is a Prometric exam?

A Prometric exam is mainly conducted to validate medical professionals who are eligible to practice their profession. For example, to qualify to work in various Arabian countries like Dubai, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, nurses from various parts of the world need to pass the prometric exam for nurses. It is conducted in the form of a computer-based test with multiple-choice questions.

What is the difference between the MOH, DHA, HAAD, and Prometric exams?

The Ministry of Health (MOH), UAE issues licenses to the healthcare professionals who pass their exams and are aspiring to work in clinics or hospitals located in various emirates except for AbuDhabi Dubai, for example, Sharjah, Fujairah, Ras-Al Khaimah, and more.   

Dubai Health Authority (DHA) conducts examinations for the medical professionals who wish to work in Dubai. Those who qualify the DHA examination will be eligible to work anywhere in the entire UAE.

HAAD is the abbreviation used for the Health Authority of Abu Dhabi. HAAD provides licenses for medical professionals who wish to work in Al-Ain and Abu Dhabi.

Prometric is the agency that carries and facilitates these examinations for various countries. The Prometric alliance is mostly associated with medical licensing examinations in Saudi, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain.  

In which all countries, the Prometric exams are valid?

Prometric exams are arranged for healthcare professionals who wish to work in the Middle East, that include the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, and Bahrain. Prometric for nurses is most popular in Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.

Eligibility criteria for Prometric exam

Prometric takes all necessary precautions to ensure that only eligible and authorized candidates are attending the exams. Medical professionals like doctors, nurses, physicians, dentists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, lab technicians, radiographers, etc. become eligible to apply by fulfilling the criteria. 

The criteria can depend upon the country and the authority that organizes the exam. Important documents for applicants may include their passport, experience certificate, mark lists/transcripts, basic qualification certificate, corresponding council registration, and a passport size photo.

Not all exams conducted by Prometric require eligibility; however, for those that do, Prometric reviews credentials, establishes timeframes for eligibility and prevents ineligible people from scheduling a test.  

Preparation tips

Passing the Prometric examination requires adequate and effective preparations. Here are some preparation tips that may help you qualify after the exam.

• Don’t take this exam very lightly, study as many concepts as possible.
• Check if you fulfill all the eligibility criteria for the examination.
• Sharpen your test-taking techniques with practice exercises. By practicing, you will be able to find your shortcomings and improve your speed at completing the test.
• Prometric offers paid test drives of model questions, on their official website. Even though that may not provide the exact question, the test drive will allow you to experience a computer-based exam experience and a sample of question types.
• If you feel overburdened, do not hesitate to get the help of an external agent like a private coach or a coaching center, so that you will get the guidance of professional experts and get your hands on as many practice exercises as possible.
• Get thorough with all the fundamental concepts of your profession. Familiarize repetitively with those concepts. Take enough time to review them while you are preparing for the test.
• While practicing the MCQ model questions, mark the answers you are unsure of so that you can complete them later when you get time.
• Always take care to manage your time wisely. The duration of the exam can be two hours or more depending upon the title. So while taking mock tests, you may set a timer and practice so that you can know how you are managing time and then make improvements on the same.

How to apply for the Prometric exam?

To apply for the Prometric examination of various countries, you’ll have to fulfill the eligibility criteria and follow various procedures. The procedures can differ based on the title and the country. However, in general, you may have to follow the below procedures:

• Review all eligibility guidelines on the concerned website and fulfill the eligibility criteria.
• Register for the exam by making fee payments and scheduling your test. (Some examinations might require you to wait to get the eligibility ID and the primary source verification process. offered by the verification team, in order to schedule the test.)
• Finding your test center may be linked with scheduling the exam. After that part is done, you can go to the test center and attend the exam as per schedule.

Syllabus for the exam

Separate Prometric syllabi are available for different roles like doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, MLT, etc. You may be able to check or download the syllabus from various authentic sources. The questions can address real-life issues that a medical practitioner is likely to deal with at some point in their professional life.

Prometric Exam requirements

All the candidates are validated in accordance with Prometric’s PQR (Professional Qualifications Requirements), which can include documents of educational qualification, training, and work experience. On the day of examination, candidates shall provide all the essential documents like government-issued IDs, as demanded by the centers.

Prometric Exam preparation books

Prometric examination materials including the syllabus, preparation books, sample questions, and guides may be available from reputed book stalls, related websites, and coaching centers. Reference books shall be provided for all the available categories of roles such as doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacies, etc.

Number of exam chances in a year

An eligible applicant may be able to attend Prometric exams up to three times in a single calendar year.

Exam centers

Prometrics has its testing centers in more than 180 countries. Not all exams may be conducted at all centers. By selecting the type of exam from the homepage of Prometric’s official website, the website will guide you through the process of finding a center near your location (if available).

Exam Day Tips

• Get a good night’s sleep on the day before the examination.
• Don’t be late, pack all the essential belongings and arrive early at the exam center.
• Food, drinks, electronic items like mobile phones, watches, and other personal items might be prohibited in the exam hall. Be sure you have made arrangements to keep them all.
• Get familiar with the mode of exam and type of software, prior to the exam.
• Take all the questions seriously. And also, don’t forget to listen carefully to the instructions given by the invigilators.

Prometric exam result

The results are published within a few working days, probably twenty to thirty days after the examination. You can use your login account (created while registering) on their official website to view your results.

Validity of Prometric exam

The validity of the qualifying exam can depend upon the role and the authority that conducts the exam.