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Professional Qualification Requirements (PQR) is a comprehensive regulatory and licensing framework jointly approved by the Ministry of Health and Prevention, Department of Health -Abu Dhabi, Dubai Health Authority, and Sharjah Health Authority. The PQR establishes the minimum academic qualifications, clinical training standards, professional experience criteria, and competency benchmarks required for healthcare professionals to practice in Dubai legally.
It verifies the educational qualifications of physicians, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, and allied health professionals to ensure they meet international standards before practicing in any of the 7 emirates of the UAE, including Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah.
The PQR provides a systematic approach for professional evaluation by mentioning recognized medical degrees and awarding institutions, required clinical experience by profession, accepted specialty certifications, licensing exam requirements, eligibility criteria by country and qualification, and a tier-based classification of countries and training systems.
What is PQR, and why is it important?
Professional Qualification Requirements (PQR) in the UAE are official rules set by the Unified Healthcare PQR Committee, which is represented by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) health regulatory authorities, including MOHAP, DHA, and DOH, for medical professionals seeking a medical license in the UAE. They define the required degrees, experience, and licensing criteria for healthcare professionals to comply with UAE federal laws and international standards.
PQR ensures only qualified individuals can practice to protect patient safety, standardizes licensing across the country, and helps applicants check eligibility before applying. Without meeting PQR, a healthcare professional cannot legally work in the UAE.
General Professional Qualification Requirements (PQR) for Healthcare Professionals License
To obtain a healthcare license in the UAE, professionals must meet specific qualification, training, and experience requirements set by the authorities. These standards ensure that applicants have the required education, clinical skills, and professional status before they are allowed to practice. Below are the general requirements applied to almost all healthcare professionals with minor differences.
Educational Qualifications
Provisional certificates are accepted if properly accredited, hybrid certificates are not accepted except in special cases, and the minimum entry-level qualification is a high school certificate. Also, applicants accepted into the Authorities’ approved residency programs will be entitled to the status of “Resident.”
Internship / Training
All physicians and dentists must complete one year of internship after graduation. If there is no proof of internship completion, they must have an additional two years of relevant work experience.
For physicians trained outside the UAE, the internship may be accepted if completed after the final degree exam. Two years of clinical experience after an internship are required to apply for the GP title.
When it comes to UAE nationals who are nurses, midwives, and Allied Healthcare workers, and children of Emirati women, they do not need post-graduation training. However, Non-UAE and GCC graduates must complete six months of training unless experience is not required.
Professional Experience
The applicant’s experience must be relevant to the applied title. Physicians in surgical specialties must provide logbooks with sufficient cases covering key procedures. It must have hands-on clinical work gained during licensed, paid employment. Non-clinical or teaching experience is not accepted.
Good Standing Certificate
A Good Standing Certificate (GSC), issued within the last six months by the relevant authority or last employer, is required to confirm the applicant’s status of good conduct.
Primary Source Verification
All required licensing documents must be verified from primary sources, including educational qualifications, experience certificates, professional licenses, and any other documents required by the authorities.
Professional Medical Examination
Healthcare Professionals must pass the Authority’s examination within three attempts unless exempt due to completing certain international examinations. After three failed attempts, one final attempt may be allowed with another authority.
Gap in Serving/ Discontinuity of Practice
Healthcare Professionals with a gap in clinical practice of over three years must complete the required CME/CPD credits and relevant clinical training from approved facilities before licensing, including surgical logbooks for surgical specialties.
Renewal of Licenses
Surgical physicians and dentists must submit logbooks every two years for license renewal. If not provided, gaps are assessed from the last surgery, and restrictions or training may be required. If the license has expired or been canceled, it should not be older than six months when applied again.
Licensure Regulations among the Authorities
All other health authorities in the UAE will apply the same decision if one health authority suspends or revokes a physician’s license.
Professional Qualification Requirements for Physicians in the UAE
Physicians who want to serve in Dubai have to fulfill the requirements provided in the PQR to practice safely and receive the appropriate professional title. These include completing a recognized medical degree, obtaining a valid license, finishing required training, and gaining relevant clinical experience. Titles such as Intern, General Practitioner, Specialist, and Consultant are assigned based on these defined criteria.
Educational Qualifications
Physicians must complete their education at a recognized and approved allopathic medical school or college of medicine. If they studied in the UAE, the institution must also hold approval from the Ministry of Education. The table provided an overview of the qualifications required.
| Category | Qualifications |
|---|---|
| Intern | MBBS, MBChB, or equivalent from an accredited institution |
| Resident | MBBS, MBChB, or equivalent + internship + residency requirements |
| General Practitioner | MBBS, MBChB, or equivalent |
| Specialist | MBBS, MBChB, or equivalent + recognized specialty qualification |
| Consultant | MBBS, MBChB, or equivalent + recognized specialty qualification |
Licensing and Registration
Physicians must hold a valid license or registration in their home country or in the country where they were last employed. In addition, physicians with Tier 2 qualifications who were licensed in the UAE before 2010 may qualify for a consultant title, provided they maintain an active license and remain in good standing.
Internship
Physicians must complete a one-year internship, which equals 12 months of supervised training.
Specialty and Subspecialty Qualifications
- A recognized specialty qualification requires at least three years of full-time study, such as residency, master’s, or PhD.
- A subspecialty degree of at least two years is accepted if the main specialty is at least three years.
- The PQR Committee may review unlisted qualifications if they meet the required criteria.
- A valid sub-specialty must follow a recognized main specialty and usually involves 1–2 years of structured clinical training from an approved program.
- Combined Anesthesia and Critical Care degrees are accepted for Anesthesia only.
- Osteopathy graduates with recognized specialization may apply as specialists or consultants.
Experience
- Experience in specialties such as cardiology, emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, and others can support eligibility for the General Practitioner title.
- Intern: MBBS, MBChB, or an equivalent qualification from an accredited institution is required; no experience is required.
- General Practitioner: MBBS, MBChB, or an equivalent qualification from an accredited institution, and successful completion of an internship are required; two (2) years of clinical experience are required.
- Specialist (Tier 1 and Tier 2): MBBS, MBChB, or an equivalent qualification from an accredited institution, and completion of a specialty qualification as per the “Recognized Specialty Certificate” table are required; no experience is required after obtaining the main or sub-specialty qualification.
- Specialist (Tier 3 – Non-UAE Nationals): MBBS, MBChB, or an equivalent qualification from an accredited institution, and completion of a specialty qualification as per the “Recognized Specialty Certificate” table are required; three (3) years of experience after the main specialty or two (2) years after the sub-specialty are required.
- Specialist (Tier 3 – UAE Nationals and Children of Emirati Women): MBBS, MBChB, or an equivalent qualification from an accredited institution, and completion of a specialty qualification as per the “Recognized Specialty Certificate” table are required; one (1) year of experience after the main specialty or no experience after the sub-specialty is required.
- Consultant (Tier 1): MBBS, MBChB, or an equivalent qualification from an accredited institution, and completion of a specialty qualification as per the “Recognized Specialty Certificate” table are required; two (2) years of experience after the main specialty and one (1) year after the sub-specialty are required.
- Consultant (Tier 2): MBBS, MBChB, or an equivalent qualification from an accredited institution, and completion of a specialty qualification as per the “Recognized Specialty Certificate” table are required; five (5) years of experience after the main specialty and four (4) years after the sub-specialty are required.
- Consultant (Tier 3): Physicians cannot attain the consultant title unless they were enrolled in a recognized Tier 3 program before June 2017 and meet the required conditions.
Clinical Sub-specialty Experience
The table below outlines the requirements for clinical sub-specialty experience based on the physician’s main specialty, license tier, and designation as either a specialist or consultant. It shows how experience varies across Tier’s qualifications, with separate conditions for UAE nationals and non-UAE nationals.
| Main Specialty | License | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Specialist | Tier 1 ( No experience) Tier 2 ( 2 years for non-UAE nationals) (0 for UAE nationals)Tier 3 ( 3 years for non-UAE nationals) (2 years for UAE nationals) |
| Tier 1 | Consultant | Tier 1 ( 2 years )Tier 2 ( 5 years for non-UAE nationals )(3 for UAE nationals) Tier 3 ( Not allowed ) |
| Tier 2 | Specialist | Tier 1 ( No experience )Tier 2 ( 2 years non-UAE nationals) (0 for UAE nationals)Tier 3 ( 3 years non-UAE nationals) (2 for UAE nationals) |
| Tier 2 | Consultant | Tier 1 ( 2 years )Tier 2 ( 5 years non-UAE nationals) (3 for UAE nationals)Tier 3 ( Not allowed ) |
| Tier 3 | Specialist | Tier 1 ( No experience ) Tier 2 ( 2 years ) (0 for UAE nationals)Tier 3 ( 3 years non-UAE nationals) (2 for UAE nationals) |
| Tier 3 | Consultant | Not allowed for all tiers |
License Renewal
Physicians must complete a minimum of 40 CME/CPD hours each year. Those in surgical specialties must also submit surgical logbooks every two years to renew their license.
Recognized Specialties Certificate of Tier 1 countries
| Country | Recognized Tier 1 Specialty Certificates for Physicians |
|---|---|
| USA | American Board Certificates issued by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) |
| UK | Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training (CCST) issued by STACertificate of Completion of Training (CCT) issued by GMC (or) PMETB |
| Germany | Specialist Certificate (with Oberarzt title) and GP Specialist Training Cert. (with Oberarzt title) Note: UAE Nationals are not required to hold the Oberarzt title. |
| Australia | Exam-based Fellowship only of the Royal College/Colleges recognizedby the Australian Medical Council (No Endorsement/Election) |
| Austria | Specialist Diploma (Facharztdiplom) + Specialist Registration. (UAE Nationals exempt from registration) |
| Luxembourg | Certificat de médecin spécialiste émis par le ministre de la Santé publique Diplôme de formation spécifique en médecine générale |
| Netherland | Specialist/GP Registration (RGS, MSRC, SGRC, or HVRC*) |
| New Zealand | Exam-based fellowship of the Royal College/Colleges, not by endorsement or election |
| Belgium | Specialty degrees may be issued by the Federal Public Service (SPF), Public Health, or the French Community of Belgium (CFB). |
| Denmark | Certificates issued by the Danish Health Authority (Sundhedsstyrelsen) include proof of specialist title and certification for general medical practice. |
| Finland | Recognized qualifications include a specialist certificate in medicine from a Finnish university, certification of specific training in general medical practice, and the French Certificate of Specialized Studies in Medicine (CES) with a full license from the National Council of the Order of Physicians. UAE nationals are not required to have specialist registration. |
| France | Recognized French qualifications include the Certificate of Specialized Studies in Medicine (CES), the Diploma of Specialized Studies (DES), the Diploma of Complementary Specialized Studies (DESC), and the qualification in general medicine. All require a full license from the National Council of the Order of Physicians. UAE nationals are not required to have specialist registration. |
| Ice Land | Recognized qualifications include Sérfræðileyfi (Certificate of a medicine specialist issued by the Directorate of Health) and Almennt heimilislækningaleyfi (Evrópulækningaleyfi) (Certificate of specific training for general practice). |
| Ireland | Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training (CCST) issued by any of the Irish colleges |
Professional Qualification Requirements for Dentists in the UAE
Educational Qualifications
Applicants must hold a degree accredited by the relevant authority in their country, such as BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery), DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine), DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery), or an equivalent qualification from a nationally accredited dental school or college. For UAE graduates, the program and university must also be accredited by the Ministry of Education (MOE/NQC). A general overview is provided in the table below.
| Category | Qualifications |
| Intern | BDS, DMD, DDS, or equivalent recognized by MOE/NQC |
| Resident | BDS, DMD, DDS, or equivalent + internship + residency requirements |
| General Dentist | BDS, DMD, DDS, or equivalent |
| Specialist | BDS, DMD, DDS, or equivalent + recognized specialty qualification |
| Consultant | BDS, DMD, DDS, or equivalent + recognized specialty qualification |
Internship
All dentists must complete a one-year (12-month) internship after graduation.
Licensing and Registration
Applicants must hold a valid license or registration in their home country or country of last employment. The table below outlines the types of programs, their minimum duration, and their acceptance status.
| Program Type | Minimum Duration | Requirement Status |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical Residency Program | 3 years | Accepted |
| Clinical Master’s Degree | 2 years | Accepted |
| Clinical PhD | 3 years | Accepted |
| Other Qualifications | — | Subject to PQR committee review if criteria are met |
Experience
Specialists with Tier 1 or 2 qualifications do not need experience if qualified within the last three years. Those without the required experience may be accepted as General Dentists, except in certain specialties. Tier 2 specialists licensed in the UAE before 2010 may qualify as consultants if in good standing.
UAE nationals and children of Emirati women do not need clinical experience to be licensed as General Dentists within three years of completing their internship, while Tier 3 specialists require at least one year of experience. Non-UAE nationals who graduate from UAE universities are also exempt from experience within the same three-year period. A summary is provided in the table below.
| Category | Experience |
|---|---|
| Intern | No experience required |
| Resident | Internship required |
| General Dentist | Internship + 2 years clinical experience |
| Specialist (Tier 1) | No experience required |
| Specialist (Tier 2) | No experience required |
| Specialist (Tier 3) | UAE nationals, Graduates of UAE Dental Universities are exempted from the required experience for the title of Specialist; Non-UAE nationals: 3 years |
| Consultant (Tier 1) | 2 years of experience |
| Consultant (Tier 2) | 5 years of experience |
| Consultant (Tier 3) | Not allowed |
Recognized Dental Specialty Certificates
| Countuy | Recognized Tier 1 Dental Specialty Certificates |
|---|---|
| USA | American Board Approved by the National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Bodies |
| UK | CCST with inclusion in the General Dental Council Specialist Registry (UAE nationals may qualify with the training completion certificate alone). |
| Canada | Proof of clearing the NDSE or holding the FRCDC fellowship is required |
| Australia | Exam-based Fellowship only of the Royal College/Colleges recognizedby the Australian Medical Council (No Endorsement/Election) |
| New Zealand | Fellowship of the Royal Australasian Collegeof Dental Surgeons |
| Ireland | Certificate of Completion Specialist Training by the Irish Dental Council (CCST) And Inclusion on the Irish Dental Council Specialist Register |
| South Africa | Fellowship from the College of Dentistry of South Africa or an MChD (Master of Dentistry), along with HPCSA registration. |
