MOHAP Two Years Clinical Experience Requirement 2026
Last updated on 27-Oct-2026, by Dr. Muhammad Dr. Muhammad

 

MOHAP Two Years Clinical Experience Requirement 2026

MOHAP Two Years Experience Quick Summary

Under the Unified PQR that MOHAP applies, General Practitioners and General Dentists trained outside the UAE need at least 2 years of licensed, paid clinical experience after a 1-year internship, and neither the internship nor training periods count towards it. The rule is not universal: Tier 1 and Tier 2 specialists, registered nurses, and UAE nationals or UAE-university graduates applying within 2 years of internship do not need it, while registered midwives need 2 years and assistant midwives 1 year.

"Do I need two years?" is probably the question we answer most often about MOHAP (Ministry of Health and Prevention). The honest answer is: it depends on your title. MOHAP, DHA and DOH all license under the same Unified Healthcare Professional Qualification Requirements (PQR), and the 2-year rule in it applies to some titles and not others. This page sets out who needs the two years, what counts towards them and what does not. The full title-by-title rules for doctors are on MOHAP requirements for GP, specialist and consultant.

Who needs two years of clinical experience for MOHAP?

Title (non-UAE applicant) Experience needed Notes
General Practitioner 2 years after internship In accepted GP specialties (see below)
General Dentist 2 years after internship See MOHAP requirements for dentists
Specialist, Tier 1 or Tier 2 qualification None after the qualification Tier is set by the PQR for your degree
Specialist, Tier 3 qualification 3 years after the main specialty (2 after a sub-specialty) 1 year for UAE nationals
Consultant Tier 1: 2 years. Tier 2: 5 years Tier 3 cannot become consultant
Registered Nurse, Assistant Nurse No minimum listed Other nursing rules still apply
Registered Midwife 2 years after qualification In a maternity hospital or related setting
Assistant Midwife 1 year after qualification In a maternity hospital or related setting
Pharmacists, allied health, TCAM As set in your PQR chapter Check your own title before paying

Source: Unified Healthcare Professional Qualification Requirements (PQR) 2022, Tables 5, 10, 14 and 16. Earlier versions of this page said almost every category needs 2 years; that is not correct.

So for most readers of this page, the GPs and general dentists, the answer is yes. MOHAP's own evaluation page puts it plainly: graduates of non-UAE universities must submit a certificate of clinical experience of no less than two years after completing their internship, supported by a valid professional licence and a Good Standing Certificate dated within the past six months.

Which specialties count as GP experience?

You do not need to have worked in a general practice clinic. The PQR accepts experience in internal medicine, family medicine, emergency medicine, general surgery, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, cardiology and critical care. Any mix works: one year in medicine and one in emergency counts the same as two years in one department.

Can internship be counted as clinical experience?

No. The PQR requires every physician and dentist to complete a 1-year internship, and that is a separate requirement from the 2 years. Internship is supervised postgraduate training, not independent practice. If you cannot show an internship at all, the PQR asks for an additional 2 years of experience instead.

Will this count if I had work experience during internship?

The rule of thumb still holds. If it was officially your internship, it does not count, even if you worked long hours on your own. If it was licensed, paid work after the internship ended, it counts. The 2 years start from the day after your internship finished, and in practice from the date your full licence was issued.

What counts as clinical experience for MOHAP?

Situation Counts towards the 2 years?
Paid, licensed post in an accepted specialty, government or private Yes
Work before your licence or registration was issued No. MOHAP counts experience from the licence issue date
Voluntary job, observership or clinical attachment No. The PQR excludes these from its definition of experience
Teaching or other non-clinical work No. The PQR says non-clinical and teaching experience is not considered
Training programme or residency certificate MOHAP says training does not replace this requirement, and training certificates from outside the UAE are not accepted as clinical experience
Short breaks between jobs They do not add to the total; a gap of more than 2 years blocks the application

A worked example. Your internship ended on 31 March 2024 and your licensed medical officer job started on 1 June 2024. You reach 2 years on 31 May 2026, not on 31 March 2026. Plan your MOHAP application from that date, and make sure your experience certificate and licence both cover the whole period, because DataFlow verifies each one.

If you have been away from practice, the gap rules matter as much as the 2 years. They are on our MOHAP clinical gap policy page.

Who is exempt from the two-year requirement?

UAE nationals and children of Emirati women
Exempt from GP and General Dentist experience if they obtain the title within 2 years of completing internship. Nurses and midwives in this group are exempt from experience and clinical training.
Graduates of UAE universities
Non-UAE nationals who graduated from a UAE university are exempt from the GP or General Dentist experience within 2 years of finishing internship.
Tier 1 and Tier 2 specialists
A recognised specialty qualification in these tiers needs no further experience for the Specialist title. See MOHAP specialist examination.
Registered nurses
The PQR lists no minimum experience for the Registered Nurse and Assistant Nurse titles. Documents are on MOHAP requirements for nurses.

Is the two years rule the same for DHA and DOH?

Yes, because all three authorities follow the same PQR. How DHA applies it in practice is on DHA GP clinical experience, and the Abu Dhabi rules are on DOH licence for doctors. If you have the 2 years, the next step for MOHAP is the MOH UAE GP exam guide.

MOHAP QBanks for doctors and dentists

Practise in the paper for your own title. The format is on our MOHAP exam pattern page, and every MOHAP QBank, for GP, specialist and dental titles, is listed on our MOH UAE exam page. DataFlow takes weeks, so if you are close to your two years, start timed MCQs now.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is two years of clinical experience required for MOHAP?

For General Practitioners and General Dentists trained outside the UAE, yes: at least 2 years of licensed clinical experience after a 1-year internship. Specialists with Tier 1 or Tier 2 qualifications and registered nurses do not need it, and registered midwives need 2 years after qualification.

Does internship count towards the 2 years?

No. The internship is a separate 1-year requirement under the Unified PQR, and the 2 years of experience start after it ends. If you cannot show an internship, the PQR asks for an additional 2 years of experience.

Does experience in a private hospital count?

Yes, if it was paid clinical work in an accepted specialty and you held a valid licence for the whole period. MOHAP counts experience from the licence issue date, and DataFlow must be able to verify the employer.

Do FCPS or residency training years count as experience?

MOHAP states that training does not replace the experience requirement and that training certificates from outside the UAE are not accepted as clinical experience. A completed specialty qualification may instead qualify you for the Specialist title, depending on its PQR tier.

Is the 2-year rule the same for DHA and DOH?

Yes. MOHAP, DHA and DOH all apply the Unified Healthcare Professional Qualification Requirements, so the experience rules for each title are the same in all three authorities.

Your Comments

Readers have asked us these questions over time. Tap any question to open it and read our reply.

fariha (Islamabad, Pakistan): is two years of experience needed for DHA too, after FCPS Part 1?

"SALAM..I AM mbbs doctor. Is two years clinical experience required for dha as well.i have passed fcps part 1.please tell me in detail what suits me as i dnt have any expereince but want to work in uae or dubai."
fariha
Medical Qualification: MBBS
City, Country: islamabad.pakistan

Team Interface: Yes. DHA uses the same PQR, so a GP needs 2 years of licensed experience after internship. FCPS Part 1 is not a specialty qualification, so it does not change the rule. Paid, licensed medical officer work in an accepted specialty is the quickest way to build the 2 years; see DHA GP clinical experience.
Dr.Sinan (Birmingham, UK): is 3 years of experience compulsory for government hospitals?

"I found the information is so benificial but I have enquiry because I have 0ne year experience. Is the 3 years experience is compulsory for working in goverment hospital sector ? Best regards "
Dr.Sinan
Medical Qualification: Jordanian Medical Board in Diagnostic Radiology
City, Country: Birmingham uk

Team Interface: The 3 years is not about government or private sector. It applies to specialists whose qualification is Tier 3 in the PQR. If the PQR places your Jordanian Board in Tier 1 or 2, no experience is needed after it. The tier table is on MOHAP requirements for GP, specialist and consultant.
aswin (Calicut, India): MOHAP-registered nurse working in Jeddah, can I work in Sharjah?

"I am a MOHAP regd. nurse and am working at a pvt. hospital in Jeddah, KSA since 2 years. Is it possible for me to work in Sharjah with Saudi MOH?"
aswin
Medical Qualification: GNM
City, Country: Calicut, India

Team Interface: A Saudi licence does not transfer to the UAE, so you need a UAE evaluation. Your licensed Saudi work counts as experience. Since July 2025 the Sharjah Health Authority licenses staff for local government and private facilities in Sharjah, so ask your Sharjah employer which authority applies. Nurse documents are on MOHAP requirements for nurses.
MUSTHAFA.K (Kerala, India): applying for MOHAP or DOH from Bangalore with an MSc Microbiology

"I am a M.Sc graduate in Microbiology,I want to write MOHAP,or DOH exam conducting by U A E,How Can I apply at Bangalore,When and where Can apply?"
MUSTHAFA.K
Medical Qualification: M.Sc Microbiology
City, Country: kerala,India

Team Interface: You apply online from anywhere: MOHAP through UAE PASS, DOH through TAMM. MOHAP exams are at Prometric centres and DOH exams at Pearson VUE centres, and both have centres outside the UAE; the locator shows what is near you. Laboratory staff apply under allied health, with experience set in that PQR chapter. Steps are on the MOHAP registration guide and booking the DOH exam via TAMM.
fathima (Kochi, India): exam dates and whether experience is needed for MLT

"I want to attend next term mohap exam so i want to know the exam date and the formalities of attending the exam ie,need any previous experience etc..pls kindly give a replay."
fathima
Medical Qualification: Bsc mlt
City, Country: kochi

Team Interface: There are no exam terms; once MOHAP clears you, you book any open Prometric slot. Laboratory technologists apply under allied health, and the experience required is in that PQR chapter, so check your title before paying. See the MOH exam schedule and MOHAP registration guide.
blessy baby (Dammam, Saudi Arabia): Saudi Council exam schedule

"I would like to know about Saudi Council exam schedule coz i donot have proper idea about this.Kindly advise me how to prepare and attend the exam in the year."
blessy baby
Medical Qualification: Bsc nurse with seven years experience
City, Country: Dammam,KSA

Team Interface: The Saudi Council (SCFHS) runs its own process, separate from MOHAP UAE, and the exam date follows your SCFHS application. Our SMLE guide explains how the Saudi system works, although it is written for doctors.
sadia azher (Abu Dhabi, UAE): documents, study material, eligibility, schedule and fees for the GP exam

"I want to give MOHAP exam,For GP. i wanted to know the exam document requirements, study material, eligibility criteria, schedule ,fees and requirements."
sadia azher
Medical Qualification: MBBS
City, Country: Abudhabi,UAE

Team Interface: The links in your comment cover documents, practice and eligibility. For costs see the MOHAP fee page, and for booking the MOH exam schedule. As a GP you need 2 years of licensed experience after internship.
farooq (Lahore, Pakistan): how a physical therapist applies for MOHAP

"please can you guide me how a physical therapist can apply for mohap exam"
farooq
Medical Qualification: BsPT
City, Country: lahore,Pakistan

Team Interface: Physiotherapists apply under allied health through MOHAP's Health Professional Evaluation with UAE PASS; MOHAP lists an evaluation fee of AED 300. Check the experience for your title in the allied health chapter of the PQR, then follow the MOHAP registration guide.
GNANASUNDARI.S (Chennai, India): exam schedule, registration time, Arabic and law questions

"I have 1 yrs of expereince and I am planning to appear in MOHAP exam.I dont have any idea about this exam. Pls guide me how to prepare for this exam.I would like to take information about MOHAP exam. 1. What is the schedule of next exam. 2. How much time is required to register for the MOHAP exam before the exam. moreover like to know the arabic and jurisprudence(law) model questions.kindly reply"
GNANASUNDARI.S
Medical Qualification: B.PHARM
City, Country: CHENNAI, INDIA

Team Interface: There is no fixed schedule; you book Prometric after MOHAP clears you. MOHAP lists 5 working days for its review, and DataFlow usually takes longer. The current evaluation describes one Prometric exam in your category, and we have not seen separate Arabic or law papers in it. Check the pharmacist experience rule in the PQR before applying.
Muhammad Waqar Ali Khan (Karachi, Pakistan): pharmacist exam dates and sitting on a visit visa

"I want to know the dates of MOHAP exam for pharmacist. I also want to know that on a visit visa would you permit me to appear in exam."
Muhammad Waqar Ali Khan
Medical Qualification: M.Pharmacy
City, Country: Karachi, Pakistan

Team Interface: There are no fixed dates; you book an open Prometric slot once cleared. The exam is also offered at Prometric centres outside the UAE, including Pakistan, so you do not have to travel. Pharmacist documents are on MOHAP requirements for pharmacists.
Muhammad Umer (Lahore, Pakistan): previous MOHAP question papers

"I am gonna appear in MOHAP exam UAE kindly send me previous question papers if possible"
Muhammad Umer
Medical Qualification: B.Pharm (pb) R.Ph
City, Country: Lahore,Pakistan

Team Interface: MOHAP and Prometric do not release past papers, and Prometric warns that no one sells official exam content. The MOHAP exam pattern page explains the format and syllabus areas, and MOHAP books and study material lists useful references.

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