QCHP Pediatrics Exam 2026: Eligibility, Format & Fee
Medical exams / QCHP Qatar / QCHP Pediatrics exam guide
QCHP Pediatrics Exam Quick Summary
The QCHP Pediatrics exam is Qatar's specialty qualifying test, set by the Department of Healthcare Professions (DHP) and delivered by Prometric: 150 MCQs with a 65% cut score and a fee of USD 244 in 2026. Only specialists whose postgraduate degree falls in DHP's Category 3 must sit it; Category 1 and 2 holders are exempt. Every applicant needs primary source verification by DataFlow or QuadraBay.
Paediatricians who want to work in Qatar are licensed by the Department of Healthcare Professions (DHP), still widely called QCHP. Depending on your postgraduate degree you may need to pass DHP's Pediatrics qualifying exam, which is also the exam for most paediatric subspecialists. This guide covers who sits it, who is exempt, what it covers and how to prepare.
On this page
Who sits the QCHP Pediatrics exam
DHP licenses specialists according to their postgraduate qualification, using its approved qualifications list for physicians. The Pediatrics exam covers these scopes of practice: Pediatrics and 15 pediatric subspecialties, including neonatal medicine, pediatric cardiology, pediatric emergency medicine, pediatric intensive care, pediatric neurology and pediatric nephrology.
| DHP category | What it means for the exam |
|---|---|
| Category 1 and Category 2 | Qualifications DHP accepts without its exam. You still need the post-qualification experience your category requires, plus verification. |
| Category 3 | You need three years of postgraduate training and three years of experience after the degree, and you must pass the specialty exam. The experience must come from government or semi-government hospitals, or hospitals that run postgraduate training programmes. |
If your degree is not on DHP's list, or you do not yet have the experience your category needs, DHP may evaluate you for a lower title such as Assistant Specialty or General Practitioner. Search for your exact degree title and awarding body in DHP's approved qualifications list before you apply.
You also need a valid licence for the years you worked and a certificate of good standing, both checked at the source by your verification provider, and no long break from practice.
Who is exempt from the QCHP Pediatrics exam
- Holders of Category 1 and Category 2 qualifications on DHP's approved list.
- Qatari nationals, children of Qatari mothers, and graduates of public or private universities and higher education institutions in Qatar (Circular DHP/2025/24, 30 December 2025).
Exemption covers only the exam: you still need verification, the required experience and a DHP evaluation. Our guide to DHP Qatar exam exemption criteria covers the other professions.
How to apply, step by step
Read DHP's Guidelines for Physicians and confirm your qualification and experience meet the rules for the Pediatrics specialist title.
Applications go through DHP's Registration and Licensing System at dhpportal.moph.gov.qa, usually together with a Qatar employer or prospective employer.
DataFlow or QuadraBay, the two providers DHP approves, verify your degree, experience, licence and good standing directly with the issuing bodies.
Once DHP approves you to sit the exam, book it on Prometric's Qatar DHP page under exam code SCHQ2, at an international Prometric centre or the Doha centre on C Ring Road.
When you pass and your evaluation is approved, your employing facility completes the licensing step with DHP.
Documents to prepare
Your verification provider and DHP's evaluation team work from the same set of papers. Have clear scans of these ready:
- Primary medical degree, internship certificate and transcripts
- Postgraduate degree or board certificate, with training certificates
- Experience certificates for the required years, with dates and job titles
- Licences covering those years
- Certificate of good standing from your licensing authority
- Passport, a recent photograph and a CV on DHP's template
Most delays come from experience letters without exact dates, or licences that do not cover the whole period, so check these first.
What the QCHP Pediatrics exam covers
DHP publishes a blueprint and reference list for each specialty exam on its qualifying exam page. Questions are single best answer clinical scenarios at specialist level, so expect management decisions, interpretation of investigations and complications rather than simple recall. The main areas to cover are:
The weights above are our guide to how much time each area deserves, based on how specialty boards usually build these papers. Check DHP's own blueprint before you plan. Pass marks and timing for every profession are in our article on the DHP Qatar exam passing score and duration.
A 10-week study plan for the QCHP Pediatrics exam
Most candidates preparing alongside a full-time job need about ten weeks at two to three hours a day:
| Weeks | Focus | Daily target |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 | Neonatology and growth and development | 40 MCQs, then review every explanation |
| 3 to 4 | Infections, immunisation and emergencies | 40 to 50 MCQs |
| 5 to 6 | Cardiology, respiratory and renal | 40 MCQs and one topic summary |
| 7 to 8 | Neurology, endocrine, genetics, GI, haematology | 40 MCQs |
| 9 | Two full 150-question timed mocks | Review each mock the next day |
| 10 | Weak areas, then a final mock | Book once you score comfortably above 65% |
Recommended books for the QCHP Pediatrics exam
These are the standard texts most candidates use. Read one core book well and use the others for reference, alongside a question bank.
| Book | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics | The standard reference for depth |
| Nelson Essentials of Pediatrics | Concise core text for revision |
| Illustrated Textbook of Paediatrics (Lissauer) | Clear, exam-friendly overview |
| Harriet Lane Handbook | Doses, normal values and quick management |
Sample QCHP Pediatrics exam MCQs
These five questions come from the free trial of our QCHP Pediatrics QBank, across neonatal and general paediatrics. Tap a question to see the answer and explanation.
A 13-month-old boy (weight 10.5 kg) with steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome has been on prednisolone 2 mg/kg/day for 6 weeks and is now weaning. He is in remission. He is due his 12-month vaccines, including MMR and varicella. What is the most appropriate plan for his live vaccines?A. Give MMR and varicella todayB. Give MMR today with immunoglobulin coverC. Give half-dose MMR and varicella todayD. Defer MMR and varicella until at least 1 month after prednisolone is stopped
Answer: D. Defer MMR and varicella until at least 1 month after prednisolone is stopped
Explanation: Live vaccines can replicate and cause disease in immunosuppressed children. The AAP Red Book defines high-dose steroids as prednisolone ≥2 mg/kg/day (or ≥20 mg/day if over 10 kg) for ≥14 days. After such a course, live vaccines should be delayed until at least 4 weeks after stopping.
A 38-week newborn receives positive-pressure ventilation by face mask for apnoea. After 15 seconds, his heart rate is 70/min and is not rising, and there is no visible chest movement with each inflation. The bag and oxygen supply are working. What is the most appropriate first corrective action?A. Increase the oxygen concentration to 100%B. Readjust the mask seal and reposition the headC. Start chest compressions at a 3:1 ratioD. Give intravenous adrenaline
Answer: B. Readjust the mask seal and reposition the head
Explanation: If the heart rate is not rising and the chest is not moving, ventilation is not effective. NRP uses the mnemonic MR SOPA: Mask adjustment (better seal), Reposition the airway (neutral 'sniffing' position), then Suction mouth and nose, Open the mouth, Pressure increase (in steps up to about 40 cmH₂O in a term baby), and Alternative airway (endotracheal tube or laryngeal mask). Mask leak and airway obstruction are the commonest causes of failed ventilation, so the first two steps fix most cases.
A 3-kg term newborn has a heart rate of 40/min despite 60 seconds of coordinated chest compressions and ventilation with 100% oxygen through a correctly placed endotracheal tube. An umbilical venous catheter has just been inserted. The available adrenaline is 1 mg in 10 mL (0.1 mg/mL). Which is the correct dose?A. 0.6 mL of 1 mg/mL adrenaline intravenouslyB. 0.6 mL of 0.1 mg/mL adrenaline intramuscularlyC. 0.3 mL of 0.1 mg/mL adrenaline via the endotracheal tubeD. 0.6 mL of 0.1 mg/mL adrenaline intravenously
Answer: D. 0.6 mL of 0.1 mg/mL adrenaline intravenously
Explanation: Adrenaline is given if the heart rate stays <60/min after 60 seconds of compressions with effective ventilation in 100% oxygen. The preferred route is intravenous (umbilical venous catheter) or intraosseous. The IV/IO dose is 0.01 to 0.03 mg/kg (NRP suggests 0.02 mg/kg), which is 0.1 to 0.3 mL/kg of the 0.1 mg/mL (1:10,000) solution, followed by a 3 mL saline flush.
A 4-year-old boy with a history of anaphylaxis to cooked egg (hypotension needing two doses of adrenaline) attends in October for seasonal influenza vaccination. He has moderate persistent asthma. His mother has been told he must have the vaccine in hospital with a 2-hour observation. What is the most appropriate approach?A. Avoid influenza vaccines and give oseltamivir prophylaxis all seasonB. Give egg-free vaccine only after allergist skin testingC. Give inactivated influenza vaccine in the usual setting with routine precautionsD. Give two half-doses 30 minutes apart in hospital
Answer: C. Give inactivated influenza vaccine in the usual setting with routine precautions
Explanation: Most influenza vaccines are grown in eggs but contain only trace ovalbumin. Studies in thousands of egg-allergic children, including those with egg anaphylaxis, found no increase in serious reactions. Since the 2023 to 24 season, ACIP and AAP advise that people with egg allergy of any severity can receive any age-appropriate influenza vaccine with no additional precautions beyond those for all vaccines (staff and adrenaline available).
An 8-year-old girl has had recurrent night cough and wheeze with colds and exercise for 1 year. Her examination today is normal. Spirometry: FEV1 1.42 L (78% predicted), FEV1/FVC 0.81. She is given salbutamol 400 micrograms via a spacer and spirometry is repeated 15 minutes later. Which result most strongly supports a diagnosis of asthma?A. FEV1/FVC ratio unchanged at 0.81B. FeNO of 15 ppbC. FEV1 rises to 1.65 L after salbutamolD. Normal chest radiograph
Answer: C. FEV1 rises to 1.65 L after salbutamol
Explanation: Asthma is diagnosed by typical variable symptoms plus objective evidence of variable expiratory airflow limitation. In children, an FEV1/FVC below about 0.90 suggests obstruction, as here. A rise in FEV1 of more than 12% of predicted (or baseline) after a bronchodilator is positive reversibility.
Want to try more QCHP Pediatrics questions?
Start with 30 free questions from the same QBank, each with a full explanation, then unlock the full bank when you are ready.
Exam fee and rescheduling
Under Circular DHP/2024/10, the Prometric fee for every Qatar qualifying exam is USD 244 per attempt from 1 January 2026 (it was USD 238 in 2024 and 2025). Verification and DHP evaluation fees are paid separately. Changing or cancelling a booking costs:
| When you change or cancel | Charge |
|---|---|
| 30 days or more before the exam | USD 25 |
| 5 to 29 days before the exam | USD 40 |
| Less than 5 days before, not attending, or arriving over 30 minutes late | Full exam fee |
On exam day
- Bring the identity document you used to book; the name must match your Prometric appointment.
- Phones, watches and notes go in a locker. Prometric gives you everything you need at the desk.
- DHP and Prometric list 3 hours for the 150 questions, while DHP's blueprint document says 3.5 hours, so check the time on your booking confirmation and plan on about 70 seconds per question.
- Flag hard questions and come back to them; every question counts towards the 98 correct answers you need.
Results and attempts
Prometric gives you your result at the centre when you finish. DHP applies the 65% cut score exactly as published, without rounding.
DHP's qualifying exam page currently states that applicants may attempt the exam an unlimited number of times. Older DHP guidelines allowed specialists three attempts, so check the page on the day you book in case the rule changes again.
Getting your licence
Passing the exam makes you eligible, but you can practise only after DHP approves your evaluation and a licensed healthcare facility in Qatar employs you and completes your licence. Keep your verification report and good standing certificate current while you look for a job.
Qatar and other Gulf Pediatrics exams
| Authority | Where you can work | Exam |
|---|---|---|
| DHP (QCHP) | Qatar | 150 MCQs, 65% cut score, Prometric code SCHQ2 |
| DHA | Dubai | Own Pediatrics exam |
| SCFHS | Saudi Arabia | Own Pediatrics exam |
Each authority licenses separately, and a pass in one does not replace Qatar's exam. The clinical content overlaps, so your preparation carries over. See our guides to the DHA Pediatrics exam and the SLE Pediatrics exam.
Frequently asked questions
What is the pass mark for the QCHP Pediatrics exam?
65%, which is 98 of 150 questions. DHP does not round scores, so 97 correct answers is a fail.
Do all Pediatrics specialists need to sit the QCHP exam?
No. Holders of Category 1 and 2 qualifications on DHP's approved list are exempt. Category 3 holders must pass it.
Do paediatric subspecialists sit a separate exam?
No. DHP uses the Pediatrics exam for most paediatric subspecialty scopes, including neonatology, paediatric cardiology and paediatric intensive care.
Is the QCHP Pediatrics exam the same as the GP exam?
No. It is a separate specialty exam of 150 MCQs with a 65% cut score, while the GP exam has a 60% cut score and covers general practice.
How much does the QCHP Pediatrics exam cost?
USD 244 per attempt from 1 January 2026, paid to Prometric. Verification and DHP evaluation fees are extra.
How many attempts are allowed?
DHP's qualifying exam page currently says the exam can be attempted an unlimited number of times. Older guidelines allowed specialists three attempts, so check before you book.
Further reading
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