Checked 25 September 2026. From the DHA CBT guideline updated September 2026. DHA "reserves the right to activate or de-activate a specialty assessment, change the assessment content, the exam format or the pass score without an update" to that document.
The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) licenses pharmacists in Dubai, and for an Indian-trained pharmacist the route runs through one computer-based test at a Prometric centre. DHA publishes the whole specification in its CBT guideline, updated September 2026: three pharmacy exams, one syllabus shared by two of them, and pass marks that differ by title. This guide is built from that document and DHA's assessment manual, and flags where popular exam sites disagree with them.
DHA CBT guideline (Sep 2026).
The three DHA pharmacy exams
| DHA exam | Code | Questions | Duration | Fee | Pass score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacist | PHO5481 | 150 | 3 hours | USD 240 | 60% |
| Clinical Pharmacy | PHO5482 | 150 | 3 hours | USD 240 | 70% |
| Pharmacy Technician | PHT5451 | 150 | 3 hours | USD 240 | 55% |
All three are listed under DHA's Allied Health category; there is no separate pharmacy category and no computer-based test for Specialized Pharmacist in the September 2026 guideline. DHA says specialties not listed are assessed through an oral assessment; it does not say explicitly which route a Specialized Pharmacist takes.
DHA CBT guideline (Sep 2026). All three have 150 questions in 3 hours.
What "3 hours" and "60%" actually mean
DHA states that "the Exam Duration is including the registration, process introduction and exam content", so the three hours are not all answering time; DHA does not publish the split. At 180 minutes for 150 questions you have at most 72 seconds a question, and in practice a little less.
The pass score is not a simple count either. DHA's assessment manual says it "calculates these results based on the number of correct answers and the weighting of each domain". The result posted to your Sheryan account is only "Pass" or "Fail" — DHA does not share the score. Prometric sends a separate Learning Outcome letter that identifies general strengths and weaknesses but, in DHA's words, "does not indicate the exam result".
Where other pages get this wrong
60% in the DHA pharmacist exam is not a rule of "90 correct out of 150".
Commonly published instead: "Pass mark 60% = minimum 90 correct answers out of 150" and "the exam is 165 minutes".
DHA weights domains when it calculates the result, so 90 of 150 is at best an approximation. And the guideline gives the duration as "3 Hrs.", including registration and the introduction — not 2 hours 45 minutes.
The Pharmacist syllabus: 14 topics
| # | Topic (as DHA prints it) |
|---|---|
| 1 | Toxicology |
| 2 | Medicinal Chemistry |
| 3 | Sterile and Nonsterile Compounding |
| 4 | Pharmaceutics/Biopharmaceutics |
| 5 | Pharmacognosy and Dietary Supplements |
| 6 | Pharmacy Calculation and Compounding |
| 7 | Clinical pharmacogenomics |
| 8 | Infection Control |
| 9 | Pharmacokinetics |
| 10 | Pharmaceutical Care and Disease State Management |
| 11 | Medication Safety |
| 12 | Over the Counter Medication |
| 13 | Pharmacy Law and Ethics |
| 14 | Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutic Decision Making |
The Pharmacist (PHO5481) coverage list as DHA prints it (the Clinical Pharmacy page lists the same 14 in a different order). DHA publishes no percentage or question count for any topic.
Clinical Pharmacy (PHO5482) has exactly the same 14 topics and the same references. The only published difference between the two exams is the pass score: 60% against 70%. A Clinical Pharmacist candidate is not sitting a different syllabus; they are held to a higher bar on the same one.
The 14 topics in plain terms
| DHA topic | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| Pharmaceutical Care and Disease State Management | Treating common chronic and acute conditions: choice of drug, dose, monitoring, counselling |
| Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutic Decision Making | Mechanisms, adverse effects, interactions, and choosing between agents for a patient |
| Pharmacokinetics | Absorption to elimination; half-life, clearance, loading and maintenance doses |
| Pharmaceutics/Biopharmaceutics | Dosage forms, stability, bioavailability and bioequivalence |
| Pharmacy Calculation and Compounding | Dilutions, concentrations, doses by weight or surface area, infusion rates |
| Sterile and Nonsterile Compounding | Aseptic preparation, extemporaneous products, beyond-use dating |
| Medicinal Chemistry | Structure–activity relationships and how structure explains action and metabolism |
| Pharmacognosy and Dietary Supplements | Plant-derived drugs, herbal products and their interactions |
| Clinical pharmacogenomics | How genetic variation changes response to drugs |
| Toxicology | Poisoning, overdose and antidotes |
| Infection Control | Infection prevention and the rational use of antimicrobials |
| Medication Safety | Medication errors, high-alert medicines, error-prevention systems |
| Over the Counter Medication | Self-care, when to recommend a product and when to refer |
| Pharmacy Law and Ethics | Dispensing rules, controlled medicines, professional conduct |
The topic names are DHA's; the descriptions are ours, to show what each covers in a standard pharmacy curriculum. DHA does not publish sub-topics.
Planning around what DHA does not publish
Three things are missing from DHA's specification: topic weights, a sample paper, and your score. Each changes how you should prepare. With no weights, no topic is safe to skip — a candidate strong in pharmaceutics and weak in therapeutics has no way to know how much that costs. With no sample paper, your practice questions have to come from the two review books DHA lists and from question banks, and none of them is DHA's own. With no score, a fail tells you little, so measure yourself before the exam: sit timed full-length mocks and aim clearly above the pass mark, not at it.
The Pharmacy Technician syllabus
| Topic | Also in the Pharmacist list? |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy Calculation | Yes (as Pharmacy Calculation and Compounding) |
| Pregnancy and Lactation | No — technician only |
| Sterile and Nonsterile Compounding | Yes |
| Infection Control | Yes |
| Medication Safety | Yes |
| Pharmacokinetics | Yes |
| Pharmaceutical Care and Disease State Management | Yes |
| Over the Counter Medication | Yes |
| Pharmacy Law and Ethics | Yes |
The technician exam drops toxicology, medicinal chemistry, pharmacognosy, pharmacogenomics and clinical pharmacology, and adds pregnancy and lactation. Its references are different too: Remington, Goodman & Gilman's, the Lexicomp Drug Information Handbook and Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiologic Approach, each "latest edition".
Which of the three you sit is decided by the title your qualification and experience meet, not by choice: a two-year diploma leads to Pharmacy Technician, a pharmacy degree to Pharmacist, and the Clinical Pharmacist routes need a six-year PharmD, a clinical residency or a clinical postgraduate qualification plus hospital experience. Our eligibility guide sets these out; the free Sheryan self-assessment gives the official answer for your documents.
The official references (Pharmacist and Clinical Pharmacy)
| Book | Mainly useful for |
|---|---|
| The APhA Complete Review for Pharmacy (Gourley, Eoff) | Whole-syllabus review |
| Fundamental Immunology (Paul) — printed in the same item as the APhA review | Immunology background |
| Lippincott's Illustrated Reviews: Biochemistry | Biochemistry |
| Comprehensive Pharmacy Review (Shargel et al.) | Whole-syllabus review |
| Goodman & Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics | Pharmacology, therapeutics |
| Applied Biopharmaceutics & Pharmacokinetics (Shargel) | Biopharmaceutics, pharmacokinetics |
| Pharmaceutical Calculations (Ansel, Stoklosa) | Calculations |
| Pharmaceutics: The Science of Dosage Form Design (Aulton) | Pharmaceutics, compounding |
| Principles of Toxicology (Stine, Brown) | Toxicology |
| Essentials of Pharmacoeconomics (Rascati) | Pharmacoeconomics |
As printed in the DHA guideline (DHA lists nine numbered items; the first combines the APhA review with Fundamental Immunology, which we list separately). The "mainly useful for" column is our note. No editions are given, so the current edition of each is the sensible choice.
Where other pages get this wrong
The DHA exam is not held "four times a year".
Commonly published instead: "The DHA pharmacist exam is conducted four times a year" and "results in 5–7 business days".
DHA's assessment manual describes on-demand booking at Prometric with an Eligibility ID, and says the result is uploaded to Sheryan within 2 working days. No DHA document restricts the exam to fixed sittings.
How the exam is run
| Rule | What DHA says |
|---|---|
| Vendor | Prometric, through its worldwide network of test centres |
| Booking | Create a Sheryan account, copy your DHA Unique ID, generate an Eligibility ID, then schedule at Prometric |
| ID | A valid passport matching the details given in Sheryan |
| Rescheduling | On Prometric's website, five calendar days before the exam; Prometric charges a centre-specific fee for the change |
| Result | Pass or Fail, uploaded electronically to Sheryan within 2 working days (assessment manual); the Sheryan FAQ says Prometric results are shared instantly — expect it within two working days at most |
| Language | English (all UAE authority exams) |
From the DHA assessment manual (May 2025), the CBT guideline and the unified PQR (§1.5.3.1: "All examinations will be conducted in English"). Exam fees are non-refundable, including for rescheduling, cancellation and no-shows; a missed or cancelled exam is not counted as a failed attempt, but you lose the fee and rebook.
Practise it, don't just read it
The DHA exam weights domains it does not publish, so no topic is safe to skip. Topic quizzes show where you are weakest.
The ProSyllabus DHA pharmacist library has topic quizzes for Pharmacology and Mechanisms of Action, Pharmaceutics and Dosage Forms, Pharmacy Practice and Dispensing, Clinical Therapeutics, Pharmaceutical Calculations, Drug Interactions and Pharmacovigilance, Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy Basics and UAE Pharmacy Law and Ethics. Each question comes with an explanation.
How many questions are in the DHA pharmacist exam?
150 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours, a duration that includes registration and the introduction. The same applies to the Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Technician exams.
What is the DHA pharmacist passing score?
60% for Pharmacist (PHO5481), 70% for Clinical Pharmacy (PHO5482) and 55% for Pharmacy Technician (PHT5451). DHA calculates the result using domain weights and reports only Pass or Fail.
What is the DHA pharmacist exam fee?
USD 240 for each of the three pharmacy exams, paid to Prometric when you book.
What is the syllabus of the DHA pharmacist exam?
Fourteen topics, from toxicology and medicinal chemistry to pharmaceutical care, medication safety, OTC medication, pharmacy law and ethics, and clinical pharmacology. DHA publishes no weights.
Is the DHA clinical pharmacist exam different from the pharmacist exam?
Not in content: the Clinical Pharmacy exam has the same 14 topics and references. Its pass score is 70% instead of 60%.
Is the DHA pharmacist exam held on fixed dates?
No fixed sittings are set in DHA's documents. You generate an Eligibility ID in Sheryan and book any available slot at a Prometric centre.
In which language is the DHA pharmacist exam?
English. The unified PQR says all examinations by the UAE authorities are conducted in English.
Does DHA tell you your score?
No. The result in Sheryan is Pass or Fail. Prometric's Learning Outcome letter shows general strengths and weaknesses but not the result.
More in this series
- Which DHA title your pharmacy degree leads to
- DHA Clinical Pharmacist: routes, 70% pass mark, fallback
- DHA pharmacist licence: Sheryan, PSV, exam, registration
- DHA pharmacist attempts, career gaps and exemptions
- DHA pharmacist 8-week study plan
- DHA vs Saudi SPLE vs Qatar pharmacist exam
- DHA pharmacist notice board — official updates
Sources
- official — DHA computer-based test guideline (updated Sep 2026)
- official — DHA Manual for Professional Assessment v1.1 (May 2025)
- official — Unified Healthcare Professional Qualification Requirements (PQR), April 2025
- official — DHA Sheryan — FAQ
official = a document published by the conducting body. reported = a news or coaching site we could not check against an original. Where sources disagree this page says so rather than picking one.
