Our graduates often ask about working in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. In the United Arab Emirates all health authorities apply the same qualification requirements, and they assess a basic medical degree from Poland, Ukraine and Georgia under the same rules. Differences appear only with a specialist title.
Who decides
The licence as a doctor is issued by the health authority responsible for the place of work: the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) in Dubai, the Department of Health (DOH) in Abu Dhabi, the Sharjah Health Authority (SHA) in Sharjah or the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP). Each of them applies, in its own jurisdiction, the common PQR requirements (Unified Healthcare Professional Qualification Requirements), currently in the 3rd version of 2022.
A degree from Poland, Ukraine or Georgia step by step
- Recognised university The degree must come from a formal, recognised medical school. Qualifications obtained by correspondence or distance learning do not count.
- Internship After your studies you complete a 12-month internship. Without evidence of an internship you need 2 more years of experience, and if the internship was part of your studies, a separate internship after graduation is not required.
- Experience For a licence as a General Practitioner you need the internship and 2 years of clinical experience.
- Licensing exam You pass the exam of the authority you apply to. The exams are in English, and some international exams may exempt you from them. Practice questions for the DHA licensing exam are available on Medmigrant, our learning platform.
- Licence Once you meet the requirements, you receive the authority’s licence and can start working in its area.
In-person studies
The PQR does not accept qualifications obtained by correspondence or distance learning. If you are thinking of working in the Emirates, plan in-person studies from the first year. We will help you with the plan.
A degree from Poland and a degree from Ukraine or Georgia
The PQR does not distinguish between basic medical degrees from the EU and from outside the EU. In both cases what counts is a recognised university, in-person studies and the internship. The difference concerns the specialist title.
Specialist title
For a specialist licence you need a qualification from the PQR table of recognised specialty certificates. The table is divided by country and into three tiers. Tiers 1 and 2 need no further experience. For tier 3, doctors who are not UAE nationals need 3 years of experience after the specialty qualification.
- Poland: the table lists the Dyplom uzyskania tytułu specjalisty.
- Ukraine: the table lists only the degrees Kandidat Nauk, Doctor of Medicine (MD) and Master of Surgery (MS). The specialist certificate after internatura or residency is not in the table.
- Qualifications not in the table can be reviewed by the PQR Committee.
Frequently asked questions
Can I work in Dubai with a degree from Ukraine?
Yes. The PQR assesses a basic degree from Ukraine under the same rules as an EU degree: you need a recognised university, an internship and a passed licensing exam.
In which language are the exams?
The licensing exams of the health authorities are in English.
How can Edumetric help?
We help you choose a university and plan in-person studies, your internship and your exam preparation with work in the Emirates in mind. Book a free consultation.
Read also: Studying medicine in Ukraine: is it a good idea?, Studying medicine in Georgia: admission, costs and recognition in the UK and Studying medicine in Poland in English: admission, tuition and what comes next. We write about work in English-speaking countries in Working as a doctor in the UK with a degree from Ukraine, Georgia or Poland and Working as a doctor in the USA with a degree from Ukraine, Georgia or Poland. You will find all universities in the university directory.
Have questions about studying abroad?
An Edumetric adviser will answer your questions and put together a list of universities with their costs. The consultation is free.