DOH General Surgery Exam 2026: Eligibility & MCQs

DOH General Surgery Exam Quick Summary

The DOH (Department of Health) Abu Dhabi General Surgery specialty exam covers trauma and critical care, endocrine and breast surgery, vascular surgery, hepato-biliary and colorectal conditions, with 150 MCQs and 3 hours to complete, and a passing score of 65-70%. It's delivered via Pearson VUE test centers, not Prometric.

DOH / HAAD Abu Dhabi General Surgery Specialty Exam

The Department of Health (DOH) Abu Dhabi -- previously known as the Health Authority of Abu Dhabi (HAAD) -- administers this specialty exam to evaluate a candidate's surgical knowledge and clinical decision-making across comprehensive general surgery, including procedures on the gastrointestinal tract, skin and soft tissue, breast, and abdominal organs, along with emergency and trauma care. To practice as a General Surgeon in Abu Dhabi, candidates must pass the Pearson VUE written exam.

Booking note: DOH exams run on Pearson VUE, not Prometric -- see our full DOH exam registration guide for the step-by-step TAMM account, DataFlow, and Pearson VUE scheduling process.

Eligibility criteria for the DOH General Surgery exam

To apply for the DOH General Surgery specialist exam, candidates are generally expected to meet the following (see our DOH exam for doctors guide for the broader specialist framework this builds on):

Primary medical degree: A recognized MBBS or equivalent medical degree from an accredited institution.
Specialization in General Surgery: A recognized postgraduate qualification -- MS/MD General Surgery or equivalent -- from an accredited institution.
Post-specialization clinical experience: Roughly 2-3 years of post-qualification clinical experience is the general DOH physician-specialist baseline -- confirm the precise number on your own eligibility notice. Specialists whose qualification falls under DOH's PQR Tier 1 or Tier 2 may not need to show this experience separately.
Valid license & Good Standing Certificate: A valid home-country health license, plus a Good Standing Certificate.
DataFlow Primary Source Verification: All educational, professional, and licensing documents must be verified through DataFlow, with a positive PSV report before scheduling. Our DOH credentialing process guide walks through this step in detail.

DOH General Surgery exam exemption criteria

Possible exam exemption -- confirm before relying on it
DOH evaluates exemption from the written exam on a case-by-case basis for holders of certain high-level board certifications, including American Board Certification (which would include the American Board of Surgery), UK CCT or FRCS with UK training (FRCS is explicitly named on DOH's own exemption list and is a core general-surgery qualification), Canadian Royal College Certification, and Australian/Australasian Board (e.g. FRACS). This is a genuinely relevant route for general surgeons specifically, but exemption is still never automatic -- it must be confirmed directly with DOH before you rely on it.

See our DOH specialist exam exemption criteria guide for the full list of qualifying certifications.

DOH General Surgery exam syllabus

The exam covers the following core subject areas:

  • Surgical Trauma & Critical Care
  • Endocrine and Breast Surgery
  • Shock and Fluid-Electrolyte Management
  • Vascular Surgery
  • Perioperative Care
  • Hepato-biliary Surgery
  • Colorectal & Hernia Surgery
  • Soft Tissue Conditions
  • Patient Safety & Ethics

Most questions are clinical scenario-based MCQs. Exact topic weighting can differ from DHA, MOH, and other Gulf authorities' versions of the same specialty exam.

DOH General Surgery study material & questions
Official past papers aren't released publicly, but our Qbank compiles recall-based questions from actual test takers, reviewed by expert doctors.

DOH General Surgery exam format

150
MCQs
3 hours
Time allowed
65-70%
Passing score

DOH specialist exams are delivered as computer-based tests via Pearson VUE test centers, not Prometric. The exact question count, duration, and passing score can differ from DHA, QCHP, SDLE, and NHRA versions of the same specialty exam.

Preparation tips for the DOH General Surgery exam

Practice clinical-vignette reasoning, not just recall
Questions are framed as real-world surgical scenarios testing diagnosis and management decisions -- work through case-based questions rather than memorizing isolated facts.
Don't neglect trauma & critical care
Surgical trauma, shock, and fluid-electrolyte management come up repeatedly and require fast, algorithm-driven decision-making -- practice these scenarios under time pressure.
Cover breast & endocrine surgery
This is its own named topic area, distinct from general trauma or hepato-biliary content -- don't let it fall through the cracks in your revision plan.
Pace yourself
With 150 questions in 3 hours, you have about 1.2 minutes per question -- build that pace into your practice sessions early.

Sample Practice MCQs

Test your knowledge with these original clinical scenario-style questions. Tap a question to reveal the answer.

> Question 1: Colorectal & Hernia
A 70-year-old presents with progressive abdominal distension, absolute constipation, and vomiting over 3 days. Abdominal X-ray shows dilated large bowel loops with a "coffee bean" sign. What is the most likely diagnosis and immediate management priority?

Answer: Sigmoid volvulus -- immediate priority is fluid resuscitation and decompression, typically via sigmoidoscopy or rectal tube placement, before considering surgery.

Explanation: The "coffee bean" sign on plain X-ray is classic for sigmoid volvulus, a common cause of large bowel obstruction in elderly patients. Endoscopic decompression is first-line in the absence of signs of strangulation or perforation; surgery is reserved for failed decompression, recurrent volvulus, or evidence of bowel ischemia.
> Question 2: Breast Surgery
A 45-year-old woman presents with a firm, painless, irregular breast lump found on self-examination. What is the most appropriate next step in evaluation?

Answer: Triple assessment -- clinical examination, imaging (mammography and/or ultrasound), and tissue sampling (core needle biopsy) -- rather than reassurance or a single test alone.

Explanation: Any new, discrete, irregular, or firm breast lump warrants triple assessment to reliably rule out malignancy, since clinical examination and imaging alone can miss or misclassify a cancer that biopsy would confirm. Proceeding straight to excision without this workup, or reassuring based on a normal-looking scan alone, both risk missing or mismanaging a malignancy.
> Question 3: Perioperative Care
A patient develops a fever of 38.9°C on the fifth postoperative day following an open abdominal surgery, with a tender, erythematous, and slightly discharging wound. What is the most likely cause of this postoperative fever?

Answer: Surgical site infection (wound infection) -- consistent with the classic "Wind, Water, Wound, Walking, Wonder drugs" timeline of postoperative fever causes, where wound infection typically presents around day 5-7.

Explanation: Postoperative fever causes follow a rough time-based pattern: atelectasis ("Wind") in the first 1-2 days, urinary tract infection ("Water") around days 3-5, wound infection ("Wound") around days 5-7, venous thromboembolism ("Walking") from day 5 onward, and drug reactions ("Wonder drugs") at any point. A tender, discharging wound at day 5 fits the wound-infection pattern specifically, distinguishing it from the other causes on this timeline.

Frequently Asked Questions

> What does the DOH General Surgery exam cover?

It covers surgical trauma and critical care, endocrine and breast surgery, shock and fluid-electrolyte management, vascular surgery, perioperative care, hepato-biliary surgery, colorectal and hernia surgery, soft tissue conditions, and patient safety and ethics.

> Is the DOH General Surgery exam held at Prometric or Pearson VUE?

Pearson VUE. This is different from DHA, MOH, and SLE, which use Prometric -- confirm your test center before scheduling.

> What is the passing score for the DOH General Surgery exam?

Generally between 65% and 70%. Don't assume figures from another Gulf authority apply to DOH.

> Can general surgeons be exempted from the DOH exam?

Possibly, under DOH's general case-by-case exemption route for certain board certifications -- American Board Certification, UK CCT or FRCS with UK training, Canadian Royal College Certification, and Australian/Australasian Board (e.g. FRACS). FRCS is explicitly named on DOH's own exemption list, making this a genuinely relevant route for general surgeons -- but confirm your own status directly with DOH before relying on it.

> Are official DOH General Surgery past papers available?

No -- DOH does not release official past papers publicly. Recall-based question banks compiled from actual test takers' feedback are the closest available preparation resource.

Ready to prepare with real recall-based MCQs?

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TESTIMONIALS
Dr. Divya Shetty
Dr. Divya Shetty

The DHA GP Qbank explanations were detailed, though for a few cardiology questions I also checked a textbook to go deeper....

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