DHA Paediatrics Exam MCQs 2026

DHA Paediatrics Prometric Exam Overview

The Dubai Health Authority conducts this licensing examination for pediatricians intending to practice across outpatient clinics, pediatric emergency rooms, and pediatric inpatient wards in Dubai. The test assesses clinical diagnosis, evidence-based pediatric pharmacotherapy, neonatal resuscitation, developmental surveillance, and the immediate stabilization of acutely ill infants and children. Candidates must obtain document evaluation and primary source credential verification through DataFlow before scheduling their testing slot via Prometric.

Exam Parameter	Details
Exam Title	Dubai Prometric Paediatrics Exam
Authority	Dubai Health Authority (DHA)
Delivery Mode	Prometric Computer-Based Test (CBT)
Exam Code	PED5391
Question Format	Multiple-Choice (Single Best Answer)
Number of MCQs	150 questions
Exam Duration	3 hours (180 minutes)
Passing Score	65% to 70%
Negative Marking	None
Language	English
Score Result	Pass / Fail outcome posted directly to the Sheryan portal
Score Validity	5 years

Detailed Syllabus & Domain Breakdown

The blueprint evaluates clinical problem-solving in general pediatrics, neonatal care, and acute emergencies. Rather than isolated textbook facts, questions present clinical vignettes that assess diagnostic discrimination, fluid and electrolyte management, age-specific antibiotic selection, and timely specialty referrals.

Specialty Module	Core Topics	Key Focus Areas & Clinical Scenarios
Neonatology & Newborn Care	Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) algorithms, APGAR scoring, physiological vs. pathological jaundice, respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), meconium aspiration, neonatal sepsis, and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).	Immediate resuscitation of the depressed neonate, phototherapy and exchange transfusion thresholds, empiric antibiotic regimens for early-onset sepsis, and managing transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN).
Growth, Development & Behavioral Pediatrics	Milestones (gross motor, fine motor, speech, social), growth charts (WHO vs. CDC), failure to thrive, autism spectrum disorder screening (M-CHAT), ADHD, and developmental delay investigations.	Interpreting falling percentiles on growth curves, distinguishing constitutional growth delay from familial short stature, evaluating speech delay, and diagnosing childhood behavioral disorders.
Pediatric Infectious Diseases & Immunization	Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), catch-up vaccination, childhood exanthems (measles, rubella, roseola, erythema infectiosum), Kawasaki disease, occult bacteremia, and tuberculosis in children.	Differentiating viral exanthems from scarlet fever, criteria and IVIG timing for Kawasaki disease, workup of fever without a source in young infants, and managing varicella exposures.
Pediatric Pulmonology & Airway Emergencies	Acute bronchiolitis, viral croup, acute epiglottitis, foreign body aspiration, asthma exacerbations, cystic fibrosis presentation, and community-acquired pneumonia.	Assessing respiratory distress severity scores, aerosolized epinephrine and dexamethasone in moderate-to-severe croup, asthma rescue therapy step-up, and localized wheezing investigation.
Cardiology & Congenital Heart Defects	Acyanotic defects (VSD, ASD, PDA, coarctation of the aorta), cyanotic defects (Tetralogy of Fallot, TGA), innocent vs. pathological murmurs, acute rheumatic fever, and infective endocarditis.	Managing hypercyanotic "Tet" spells with knee-chest positioning and oxygen, identifying PDA dependency in ductal lesions with prostaglandin E1, and applying Jones criteria for rheumatic fever.
Gastroenterology, Fluids & Nutrition	Acute viral gastroenteritis, oral rehydration therapy (ORT), parenteral dehydration deficit calculations, hypertrophic pyloric stenosis, intussusception, Hirschsprung disease, and celiac disease.	Calculating fluid deficit maintenance and replacement in severe dehydration, managing target sign on ultrasound for intussusception reduction, and electrolyte corrections in pyloric stenosis.
Neurology & Neuromuscular Disorders	Simple vs. complex febrile seizures, status epilepticus, bacterial and viral meningitis, cerebral palsy, infantile spasms (West syndrome), and common childhood headaches.	Stepwise pharmacotherapy for pediatric status epilepticus, interpreting lumbar puncture results in suspected meningitis, counseling parents after febrile seizures, and recognizing hypsarrhythmia on EEG.
Pediatric Nephrology & Urology	Urinary tract infections, vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), nephrotic syndrome (minimal change disease), acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (APSGN), and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).	Steroid regimens and relapse monitoring in nephrotic syndrome, initial workup of gross hematuria and hypertension, managing acute oliguria, and diagnostic imaging after pediatric UTIs.
Hematology, Oncology & Endocrinology	Iron deficiency anemia, thalassemia minor vs. major, immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) presentation, type 1 diabetes, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), and congenital hypothyroidism.	Protocols for IV fluid and insulin titration in pediatric DKA, management thresholds for childhood ITP without severe mucosal bleeding, and newborn screening follow-up for congenital hypothyroidism.
Emergency Medicine, Poisoning & Ethics	Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) algorithms, septic shock fluid resuscitation, common ingestions (paracetamol, foreign bodies, caustic substances), child maltreatment indicators, and consent laws.	Managing septic shock unresponsive to fluid boluses with early vasoactive agents, antidote administration (N-acetylcysteine), identifying suspicious non-accidental trauma, and medical confidentiality.

DHA Paediatrics Exam MCQs