To practice internal medicine in Dubai, you’ll need to verify your US training meets DHA requirements, gather credentials for DataFlow Primary Source Verification, create a Sheryan portal account, pass the eligibility assessment, secure an employer sponsor, activate your license, and complete medical screening for your residence visa. The process typically takes 30, 45 days for DataFlow clearance alone, so starting your job search early is essential. Each step below breaks down exactly what you’ll need to submit.
Check If Your US Training Qualifies for Dubai Licensing
Before you begin the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) licensing process, you’ll need to verify that your US medical training meets their baseline eligibility criteria.
Your US credentials open doors in Dubai, but verification comes first, confirm your training aligns with DHA requirements before anything else.
Your MD must come from a school listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools. You’ll also need a completed PGY-1 internship, your categorical internal medicine year typically satisfies this requirement. DHA requires minimum post-internship clinical experience, usually two years for physicians.
The US holds Tier 1 credentials advantages, meaning your ACGME-accredited training and ABIM certification carry significant weight during evaluation. This classification streamlines specialist recognition but doesn’t waive all requirements. You must also provide a valid medical license from your home country as part of the eligibility documentation. Beyond personal career advancement, obtaining this license also safeguards public health by ensuring all practitioners meet internationally benchmarked standards.
Use DHA’s Sheryan portal to conduct an experience equivalence review against category-specific criteria. Cross-reference your post-residency years with Specialist or Consultant thresholds before submitting your application.
Collect the Documents You’ll Need for Dataflow Verification
Before you submit your DataFlow application, you’ll need to gather a specific set of credential documents that the Primary Source Verification team will authenticate directly with issuing institutions. Your required documents include your primary medical degree, board certifications, current state medical license, good standing certificates issued within the past six months, and employer experience letters covering at least five years of practice. DataFlow verification confirms that your credentials are not falsified and that you meet the qualifications required by Dubai Health Authority. Each DataFlow Report is protected by an encrypted QR code to guarantee its validity and prevent tampering. Processing typically takes four to six weeks once DataFlow receives your complete file, though missing or inconsistent documents can extend this timeline considerably.
Required Credential Documents
The DHA’s Dataflow Primary Source Verification process requires you to compile a detailed document portfolio before submission. You’ll need to guarantee every credential undergoes proper document legalization through notarization, home-country attestation, and UAE Embassy verification. Any non-English materials require certified document translation into Arabic or English.
Your essential credential documents include:
- Primary medical degree certificate from your recognized allopathic medical school
- Complete medical school transcripts covering all years of study
- Internship completion certificate documenting at least one year of training
- Residency completion certificate in Internal Medicine
- ABIM board certification documentation for consultant-level registration
- Good Standing Certificate confirming your valid professional license from home country
Submit high-resolution color scans with details matching your Dataflow application exactly. Mismatches between uploaded documents and application data trigger rejections, delaying your verification timeline considerably. The DataFlow PSV process typically takes 30-45 days to complete, so factor this timeframe into your overall planning schedule.
Verification Processing Timeline
Once you’ve gathered your credential documents, you’ll need to factor in the DataFlow Primary Source Verification timeline when planning your DHA licensure. Standard PSV processing takes 15, 25 working days from complete submission, though the overall DHA DataFlow phase often extends to 30, 45 days with internal reviews. Remember that DHA won’t allow exam booking until your PSV clearance is complete, making this timeline critical to your overall licensing schedule.
Common reasons for delays include incomplete submissions, unresponsive institutions, and data inconsistencies like name variations or date mismatches. Universities and employers typically require 2, 3 weeks to respond to verification queries. To help expedite responses, proactively follow up with issuing authorities and provide your DataFlow case number so they can locate your verification request quickly.
Consider the timing of express service carefully, while fast-track options can accelerate DataFlow’s internal processing, they won’t speed up third-party institution responses, which remain the primary bottleneck. Start your DataFlow application 4, 6 months before your target licensure date to absorb potential extensions and avoid disrupting your relocation timeline.
Set Up Your DHA Sheryan Account and Submit Your Application
To access DHA’s professional registration and licensing services, you’ll first need to create a single sign-on (SSO) account through the Sheryan portal. Registration requires your username, email, password, and mobile number. After email verification via OTP code, you can begin profile completion. Upon registration, the system generates a unique ID that you’ll use throughout all future application steps.
Your Sheryan profile must include:
- Personal information and contact details
- Profession selection (physician), category, and specialty
- Recent passport-size photo meeting DHA specifications
- Qualification details and clinical experience
- Good Standing Certificate(s) issued within six months
Document submission occurs before application filing. Upload your passport copy, photograph, and any required logbooks in accepted digital formats. Complete the Self Assessment Tool, satisfy service prerequisites, then submit your “Get Registered” application with online fee payment. Be aware that draft applications inactive for over six months will be automatically cleared from your account. DHA will approve, reject, or return your file for additional information.
Understand What the DHA Eligibility Assessment Evaluates
When you submit your DHA eligibility application, assessors scrutinize three core areas: whether your qualifications meet UAE equivalency standards, whether your ABMS board certification aligns with your requested practice category, and whether your clinical experience satisfies the minimum thresholds for your title tier. You’ll need to demonstrate that your training pathway, from medical school through residency and any fellowship, maps correctly to DHA’s Physician PQR framework. All submitted credentials must undergo Dataflow verification to authenticate your educational, professional, and licensing documents before the assessment can proceed. Upon successful completion of this process, you’ll receive your eligibility letter through the Sheryan online portal. Understanding these evaluation criteria upfront helps you anticipate documentation requirements and avoid delays caused by mismatched credentials or insufficient experience verification.
Qualification Equivalence Review
How does the Dubai Health Authority determine whether your foreign medical qualifications meet local standards? DHA evaluates your credentials against their Unified Healthcare Professional Requirements (PQR) to verify your specialist qualifications align with their licensure requirements for internal medicine practitioners.
During this review, DHA examines:
- Educational credentials from your US medical school and residency program
- Board certification status and specialty training documentation
- Experience duration matched against PQR minimums for your targeted title
- Practice continuity to identify any gaps in clinical activity
- Good Standing Certificates dated within six months
Your qualifications must demonstrate equivalence to DHA standards for your requested credentialing title, whether Specialist or Consultant. This equivalence determination directly impacts whether you’ll receive approval, face title modifications, or encounter trainee restrictions. Upon successful completion of this process, your registration remains valid for one year, after which your healthcare facility must activate it to obtain your license. The entire DHA licensing process averages 6 to 12 weeks, contingent on the speed of the PSV phase and the exam scheduling.
ABMS Certification Verification
Your American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) certification serves as a cornerstone credential in DHA’s eligibility assessment for US-trained internal medicine physicians. DHA evaluators verify your certification through primary source verification, accessing ABMS’s centralized database containing records for over 997,000 physicians. This verification confirms your completion of ACGME-accredited training and successful board examination.
DHA credentialing standards require evaluation of specific certification elements: your current certification status, initial certification date, issuing Member Board, and participation in continuing certification programs. Assessors also review your certification history, including any lapses or re-certifications. A pre-assessment audit can help identify gaps between your current documentation and DHA standard requirements before formal submission.
Meeting dha eligibility requirements depends heavily on active ABMS certification, which typically qualifies you for Specialist classification rather than General Practitioner designation. Your certification distinguishes you from physicians holding only state licensure without recognized specialty board credentials.
Clinical Experience Evaluation
Beyond board certification, DHA’s eligibility assessment scrutinizes your clinical experience with equal rigor, evaluating not just how long you’ve practiced but where, in what capacity, and how recently.
Your experience must meet specific criteria:
- Duration: Full-time, paid, post-licensure practice at facilities meeting accreditation standards, internships don’t count
- Scope: Documented inpatient responsibilities, outpatient management, and independent decision-making in internal medicine
- Continuity: Practice gaps beyond DHA thresholds trigger additional requirements or conditional approval
- Currency: Recent clinical activity matters; extended breaks may require remediation
- Verification: Experience letters must specify exact dates, position titles, and specialty on official letterhead
DHA cross-references everything through DataFlow’s Primary Source Verification. Vague job descriptions or administrative-heavy roles raise flags. Guarantee your documentation clearly demonstrates specialty-appropriate clinical exposure and patient complexity.
Start Your Dubai Healthcare Job Search Early
Because Dubai’s private healthcare sector typically requires 3, 6 months from initial contact to start date, factoring in interviews, offer negotiations, credentialing, and visa processing, you’ll want to begin your job search well before your intended relocation window. DataFlow verification and DHA examinations add another 6, 12 weeks before license eligibility, extending your timeline further.
Early candidate outreach positions you advantageously in a market where internal medicine falls under shortage specialty classifications. Dubai’s healthcare workforce is expanding from 39,548 to 58,788 professionals, creating sustained demand across DHCC medical towers and private hospital groups like Aster and NMC.
Starting early enables competitive salary negotiation within the AED 35,000, 70,000 monthly range for specialists. You’ll synchronize your licensing timeline with employer needs, particularly for postings requiring “DHA licensed” and “immediate start” candidates.
Have Your Employer Activate Your DHA License
Once you’ve secured your DHA registration and cleared DataFlow verification, you can’t simply start practicing, your employer must convert that registration into an active license through the DHA’s Sheryan portal.
Your facility’s PRO or HR team handles the activation process, which includes:
- Linking your DHA Unique ID to the facility’s license
- Uploading your employment contract, offer letter, and malpractice insurance
- Submitting position details including specialty and work location
- Paying activation fees (typically AED 1,000, 4,000)
- Monitoring application status through the Sheryan dashboard
Employer compliance requirements mandate that your sponsorship ties directly to that specific facility. If you change jobs, you’ll navigate the license transfer process, requiring deactivation and reactivation by your new employer. Expect license issuance within approximately 2 working days post-approval.
Complete Medical Screening and Get Your Dubai Residence Visa
After your DHA license activation, you’ll need to complete a mandatory medical fitness examination before Dubai authorities will stamp your residence visa. Visit a DHA-approved medical fitness centre with your passport copy and entry permit. The screening includes a blood test for HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B/C, plus a chest X-ray to detect active pulmonary tuberculosis.
As a healthcare worker, you may need to provide proof of hepatitis B vaccination. Results transmit electronically to GDRFA for visa processing.
Detection of HIV or active TB triggers medical unfitness status, resulting in visa denial under federal regulations. Your medical certificate has limited validity, so you’ll repeat this screening during each visa renewal cycle. Complete testing promptly after entering Dubai, you cannot proceed to Emirates ID biometrics or visa stamping without clearance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Practice in Abu Dhabi With My Dubai DHA Medical License?
You can’t practice in Abu Dhabi with your Dubai DHA license alone. License portability between emirates requires DOH conversion or enrollment in the Unified Healthcare License system, it’s not automatic. To access job opportunities in Abu Dhabi, you’ll need your employer to initiate the DOH recognition process, which typically includes DataFlow verification and facility linkage. Your existing DHA credentials may expedite this conversion, but you must complete DOH registration before practicing legally.
How Many CPD Credits Do I Need Annually to Renew My License?
You’ll need 20, 40 CPD hours annually to complete your medical license renewal process, with internal medicine specialists typically requiring 40 hours at the higher end. Your continuing professional development requirements must include activities directly relevant to your clinical scope from DHA-accredited providers. You should complete all hours within your active license period, as the Sheryan system blocks renewal until you’ve uploaded valid certificates meeting the minimum threshold.
What Happens to My License if I Change Employers Within Dubai?
Your license remains with DHA when you change employers within Dubai, offering solid license portability. You won’t need to reapply or retake exams, your new employer simply relinks your existing license to their facility through the Sheryan system. This job flexibility means your credentials stay intact, though you can’t practice during the gap between deactivation and reactivation. Maintain your license remains valid and active throughout the transfer process to avoid delays.
Are Us-Trained Physicians Exempt From DHA Written Examinations?
Yes, you’re generally exempt from the DHA written examination as a US-trained physician. When you’ve completed USMLE Steps 1, 3 and hold an active US license, you’ll meet the license eligibility requirements for DHA’s Tier 1 exemption pathway. You’ll still undergo primary source verification through DataFlow and credentialing review. Once DHA approves your credentials, you can proceed with the visa application process through your sponsoring employer to begin practicing in Dubai.
How Long Does the Complete Licensing Process Typically Take From Start to Finish?
You can expect the complete DHA licensing process to take approximately 6, 12 weeks once you’ve submitted all documentation. Your application timeline depends heavily on Primary Source Verification, which typically requires 30, 45 days as US institutions respond to credential checks. Meeting all licensing requirements, including exam scheduling, eligibility review, and employer activation, adds another 2, 4 weeks. Budget 3, 6 months total when factoring in job placement and visa processing.
