Each healthcare specialty has a different syllabus in this exam. As a General Practitioner, you will take the DHA exam, so you need to know the syllabus properly. The DHA GP exam syllabus covers 12 clinical domains, from chronic disease to patient safety. The exam has 150 single-best-answer MCQs, runs 165 to 180 minutes and needs a 60% pass mark. Not every domain carries equal weight. Chronic disease alone makes up 20% of the paper. Ethics and patient safety make up just 3%. This guide breaks down every topic and shows you where to focus your study hours first. DHA GP Exam Pattern at a Glance Before you study the topics, know the format. The DHA GP Prometric exam (exam code GEN5331) tests clinical judgment through scenario-based questions, not simple recall. Parameter Detail Exam code GEN5331 Total questions 150 MCQs Duration 165-180 minutes Passing score 60% Question format Single-best-answer, clinical scenario-based Negative marking None Delivery Computer-based test (Prometric) Language English There is no penalty for wrong answers. Attempt every question, even the ones you are unsure about. Get GP Study Plan Full DHA GP Exam Syllabus: Domain-by-Domain Breakdown The DHA GP exam content outline spans 12 domains. Each one tests real clinical decisions you would make in a Dubai outpatient clinic or emergency room. Here is what falls under each subject. Chronic Diseases 1 This is the single biggest domain on the exam. It tests long-term management of common conditions seen in every general practice. Diabetes and hypertension management Ischaemic heart disease and heart failure COPD and asthma Chronic kidney disease (CKD) Thyroid disorders Chronic musculoskeletal and rheumatological conditions Acute and Common Medical Problems 2 These questions test how you handle patients walking in with sudden or everyday complaints. Infections and pneumonia Urinary tract infections (UTIs) Gastrointestinal complaints Anaemia Stroke and headache presentations Emergency Problems 3 This domain checks whether you can recognize and act fast when a patient's life is at risk. Basic life support (BLS) and resuscitation Anaphylaxis Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) Sepsis Trauma assessment using the ABCDE approach Toxicology and heat-related illness Common Pediatric Problems 4 Pediatric cases test both diagnosis and safe, age-appropriate management. Bronchiolitis and croup Febrile seizures Dehydration Neonatal jaundice Kawasaki disease Women's Health 5 This domain covers pregnancy-related emergencies as well as routine gynecological care. Ectopic pregnancy and pre-eclampsia Gestational diabetes Contraception counseling Menopause management Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) Common Surgical Problems 6 You are not expected to operate, but you must recognize when a patient needs urgent surgical referral. Appendicitis and cholecystitis Bowel obstruction Testicular torsion Hernias Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) Common Psychiatric Problems 7 Mental health questions focus on recognition and first-line management in a primary care setting. Depression and panic disorder Delirium Schizophrenia Alcohol withdrawal Suicide risk assessment Common Eye and ENT Problems 8 These questions test quick differentiation between benign and sight- or hearing-threatening conditions. Acute red eye Angle-closure glaucoma Otitis media Epistaxis (nosebleeds) Vertigo Common Derma Problems 9 Skin conditions are common in outpatient practice and the exam expects you to spot red flags. Acne and psoriasis Scabies Cellulitis Recognition of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) Family Medicine Concepts 10 This domain tests the philosophy behind general practice, not just individual diseases. Biopsychosocial model of care Continuity of patient-centered care Immunisation safety Smoking cessation counselling Screening and Periodic Health Examination 11 Prevention-focused questions ask when and how to screen patients. Colorectal and cervical cancer screening Cardiovascular risk assessment Levels of prevention (primary, secondary, tertiary) Basic Epidemiology and EBM Concepts 12 This domain tests how you interpret data and research, not clinical memory. Sensitivity and specificity Number needed to treat (NNT) Hierarchy of evidence Outbreak measures like attack rate Professionalism, Ethics and Patient Safety (Add-on) 13 This is the smallest domain by weight, but it appears on every DHA physician paper. Patient autonomy and informed consent Confidentiality Safeguarding vulnerable patients Error disclosure and incident reporting UAE professional regulations Start DHA Preparation High-Yield vs Low-Yield Topics: Where to Focus First Not all domains deserve equal study time. The table below ranks each domain by its exam weightage, from highest to lowest. Domain Approx. Weight Yield Tier Chronic Diseases 20% High Acute & Common Medical Problems 14% High Emergency Problems 10% High Common Pediatric Problems 9% Medium-High Women's Health 8% Medium Common Surgical Problems 8% Medium Common Psychiatric Problems 6% Medium Eye and ENT Problems 5% Low-Medium Derma Problems 5% Low-Medium Family Medicine Concepts 4% Low Screening & Periodic Health Exam 4% Low Epidemiology & EBM 4% Low Professionalism, Ethics & Patient Safety 3% Low (but easy marks) Three domains make up 44% of the entire exam: Chronic Diseases, Acute and Common Medical Problems and Emergency Problems. Master these three and you have covered nearly half the paper. That is where your study time should go first. Do not skip the low-weight domains, though. Topics like ethics and epidemiology carry small weight, but they are conceptually simple. A few hours of focused review can lock in those marks with far less effort than a complex cardiology case. Think of them as fast, low-risk points once your high-yield domains are solid. Find Your Weaknesses How to Use This Syllabus to Study A syllabus is only useful if you act on it. Here is how to turn this weightage data into a real study plan Match your study hours to the weight. Give chronic disease the largest block of your calendar, since it carries the most marks. Practice with clinical vignettes, not flashcards. The exam uses scenario-based questions, so you need to practice applying knowledge to a patient case, not just recalling facts. Keep low-weight domains in the mix. Ethics and EBM take little time to master but still add up on exam day. Save high-yield domains for final review. In your last week before the exam, go back to chronic disease, acute problems and emergencies one more time, since they carry the most weight. Get Expert Guidance
