Specialist Cardiology Prometric & Licensing Exam 2026: Complete Syllabus, Passing Marks and Study Guide (DHA, MOHAP, DOH, SCFHS, Oman, Qatar DHP, NHRA, Kuwait MOH)

If you are a Cardiology-trained physician planning to practise as a Specialist Cardiologist in the Middle East, your licensing pathway will depend on the country, the recognition tier of your main-specialty and cardiology qualifications, and the health authority you are applying to. Several regulators use a dedicated Cardiology examination, but the question count, duration, passing standard and exemption rules are not identical.

This guide covers the major Middle East health authorities and explains the eligibility requirements, exam format, syllabus, reference books and licensing pathways relevant to Specialist Cardiology candidates.

1. What is the Specialist Cardiology Exam?

The Specialist Cardiology licensing or classification examination assesses whether a physician with recognised cardiovascular training has the specialist knowledge, clinical judgement, ECG and imaging interpretation skills, pharmacologic knowledge, emergency decision-making ability and patient-safety awareness required for adult cardiology practice. The tested scope commonly includes coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular disease, arrhythmias, adult congenital heart disease, pericardial disease, cardiomyopathies, vascular disease, systemic conditions affecting the heart and cardiovascular pharmacology.

Question type: Where a computer-based Cardiology examination is required, questions are predominantly single-best-answer multiple-choice questions built around clinical scenarios, ECGs, imaging findings, hemodynamic data and treatment decisions. The exact blueprint varies by authority.

Language: English. Prometric licensing examinations covered by this guide are conducted in English.

Delivery: Mainly computer-based testing through Prometric, Pearson VUE or an authority-approved platform. Some applicants may be exempt from the specialty examination based on the recognition category of their qualifications, while fellowship or board-training examinations are separate from licensing assessments.

Result: Reporting varies by authority. DHA, MOHAP and DOH use the UAE Cardiology specification; SCFHS publishes Registrar and Senior Registrar thresholds; Qatar DHP publishes a percentage pass standard; and Bahrain uses its general medical-practitioner licensure examination when an exam is assigned.

Attempts: Authority-specific. The UAE Unified PQR grants three examination attempts across the UAE Authorities, with limited additional-attempt provisions. Qatar currently allows five consecutive attempts for listed qualifying examinations. Bahrain permits four initial licensure-exam attempts within three years.

2. Middle East Health Authorities and Regulatory Pathways for Specialist Cardiology

Each regulator has its own specialist or subspecialty classification route, and a Cardiology licence issued by one authority is not automatically valid in another jurisdiction. The table below summarises the principal pathway across the authorities covered by this guide.

3. Specialist Cardiology Passing Marks and Exam Format

Specialist Cardiology examination specifications differ across Middle East regulators. Across DHA, MOHAP and DOH, the same UAE Specialist Cardiology specification applies: 150 MCQs in 3 hours with a 65% pass mark. SCFHS and Qatar publish separate Cardiology examination standards, while Oman publishes the current Cardiology content blueprint without a fixed public question count, duration or pass score in that document.

*Qatar note: the current DHP qualifying-examination webpage lists Cardiology as 150 MCQs in 3 hours with a 65% pass mark, while the published Cardiology blueprint lists the same 150-MCQ examination as 3.5 hours. Candidates should follow the duration shown on their current eligibility and booking confirmation. The current DHP page allows five consecutive attempts for listed specialist qualifying examinations.

4. Eligibility Criteria for Specialist Cardiology Candidates

The exact requirements differ by regulator because Cardiology is commonly treated as a clinical subspecialty following Internal Medicine or an equivalent base specialty. A primary medical degree alone is not sufficient; applicants need recognised specialty and cardiology training that match the requested title and must satisfy the experience, registration and assessment rules of the target authority.

Primary medical qualification: A recognised MBBS, MBChB, MBBCh, MD or equivalent primary medical degree from an accredited institution, with internship where required by the regulator.

Cardiology qualification: The UAE PQR permits a recognised clinical subspecialty certificate or a recognised main-specialty certificate followed by one to two years of recognised clinical training/fellowship in the subspecialty. Cardiology applicants should therefore ensure that both their base specialty and cardiology training map to the regulator's recognised qualification pathway.

UAE experience requirement: For non-UAE nationals applying for a clinical subspecialty, the UAE PQR requires the experience requirement in the main specialty to be fulfilled before the subspecialty title is granted. Post-fellowship experience requirements then depend on the tier of the main specialty and the country/tier of the cardiology training certificate; they are not one universal number for every candidate.

Saudi classification: SCFHS lists Cardiology as a dedicated classification examination. The final professional title depends on the recognised base specialty, cardiology qualification/training and SCFHS classification decision.

Qatar subspecialty categories: Qatar DHP assesses the cardiology fellowship/subspecialty certificate together with the category of the main specialty. Its physician guidelines give Cardiology as an example: a Category 3 Internal Medicine qualification followed by a Category 1 or 2 Cardiology fellowship requires the experience linked to the main specialty but no qualifying exam for the fellowship, whereas a Category 3 Cardiology fellowship requires the qualifying exam.

Professional licence and Good Standing: A valid professional registration/licence and a recent Certificate of Good Standing are commonly required. The documents should cover the professional title and period of practice being claimed.

Primary Source Verification: The primary medical degree, Internal Medicine/base specialty, Cardiology qualification or fellowship, professional licence and claimed experience may require primary-source verification such as DataFlow or another regulator-approved provider.

Training documentation: Regulators may request residency certificates, cardiology fellowship or subspecialty certificates, curricula, rotations, procedure logs, board certificates and experience letters showing that the applicant's training matches the requested Cardiology title.

Advanced cardiology privileges: A Specialist Cardiology licence does not automatically grant every procedural privilege. Interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, structural heart procedures, device implantation, advanced echocardiography and heart-failure/transplant practice may require separately recognised training, regulator approval and facility privileging.

Examination exemption is not uniform. UAE authorities apply PQR-based exemption rules, Qatar links the exam requirement to the category of the main specialty and cardiology fellowship, and other regulators apply their own recognition and classification policies. Candidates should not book an exam until the target authority confirms the title and assessment required for their exact qualifications.

5. Specialist Cardiology Syllabus and Core Study Areas Across Middle East Health Authorities

The 13 study areas below combine the 12 domains published in the UAE Specialist Cardiology examination guideline with the separate Patient Safety domain explicitly weighted by SCFHS and Qatar. The blueprints are highly aligned: SCFHS assigns 20% to Coronary Artery Disease, 15% to Cardiac Failure, 10% each to Valvular Disease, Arrhythmia and Cardiac Pharmacology, and 5% each to several remaining domains; Qatar uses essentially the same distribution. Oman gives 17% each to Coronary Artery Disease, Cardiac Failure, Valve Disease and Arrhythmias. This framework therefore provides a strong Middle East-wide preparation structure.

Topic 1: Coronary Artery Disease

Acute coronary syndromes and chronic coronary syndromes; plaque biology and risk stratification; ECG and biomarker interpretation; STEMI and NSTE-ACS management; antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapy; reperfusion and revascularisation strategy; secondary prevention; complications of myocardial infarction; and evidence-based management of stable ischemic heart disease.

Topic 2: Heart Failure and Cardiogenic Shock

HFrEF, HFmrEF and HFpEF; acute decompensated heart failure; cardiogenic shock; congestion and hemodynamic assessment; natriuretic peptides; echocardiographic evaluation; guideline-directed medical therapy; device indications; advanced heart-failure referral; mechanical circulatory support principles; and comorbidity management.

Topic 3: Valvular Heart Disease

Aortic, mitral, tricuspid and pulmonary valve disease; clinical examination; echocardiographic severity assessment; timing of intervention; surgical versus transcatheter treatment; prosthetic valves; anticoagulation; pregnancy considerations; and recognition of urgent complications.

Topic 4: Arrhythmias and Clinical Electrophysiology

Atrial fibrillation and flutter, supraventricular tachycardia, ventricular arrhythmias, bradyarrhythmias and conduction disease; 12-lead ECG interpretation; ambulatory monitoring; sudden-cardiac-death risk; anticoagulation in AF; antiarrhythmic drugs; cardioversion; catheter-ablation principles; pacemaker and ICD indications; and inherited arrhythmia syndromes.

Topic 5: Adult Congenital Heart Disease

Common repaired and unrepaired congenital lesions in adults, shunts, cyanotic disease, Eisenmenger physiology, congenital valve lesions, aortopathy, pregnancy risk, arrhythmias, heart failure and recognition of patients requiring congenital-cardiology referral.

Topic 6: Systemic Disease and the Heart

Cardiovascular effects of hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, endocrine and rheumatologic disease, amyloidosis and other infiltrative disorders, cancer therapy, pregnancy, obesity and sleep-disordered breathing; pulmonary hypertension; cardio-oncology considerations; and cardiovascular risk reduction in systemic disease.

Topic 7: Pericardial Disease

Acute and recurrent pericarditis, pericardial effusion, cardiac tamponade and constrictive pericarditis; ECG and imaging findings; etiologic evaluation; anti-inflammatory therapy; drainage indications; hemodynamic recognition and referral for advanced intervention.

Topic 8: Infective Endocarditis

Native and prosthetic valve endocarditis, cardiac-device infection, microbiologic diagnosis, Duke/updated diagnostic principles, echocardiography, antimicrobial strategy, embolic and heart-failure complications, surgical indications, prophylaxis and multidisciplinary management.

Topic 9: Peripheral Vascular and Aortic Disease

Peripheral arterial disease, acute limb ischemia, aortic aneurysm and dissection, carotid disease and vascular risk management; ABI and imaging interpretation; antithrombotic and lipid-lowering therapy; indications for urgent vascular or surgical referral; and cardiovascular prevention in atherosclerotic vascular disease.

Topic 10: Cardiomyopathies and Myocardial Disease

Dilated, hypertrophic, restrictive and arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathies; myocarditis; inherited and infiltrative disease; imaging and genetic evaluation; sudden-death risk; family screening; heart-failure management; anticoagulation where indicated; and referral for advanced therapies.

Topic 11: Cardiac Pharmacology

Antiplatelet and anticoagulant agents, lipid-lowering therapy, beta-blockers, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system drugs, ARNIs, SGLT2 inhibitors, diuretics, vasodilators, antiarrhythmics, antianginals, inotropes and other core cardiovascular drugs; indications, contraindications, interactions, renal/hepatic considerations and adverse effects.

Topic 12: Patient Safety

Medication reconciliation and high-alert cardiovascular drugs, anticoagulation safety, contrast and renal-risk assessment, procedural safety, infection prevention, radiation awareness, recognition of deterioration, safe handover, emergency readiness, device-related safety, adverse-event reporting and prevention of avoidable harm.

Topic 13: Professionalism and Ethics

Informed consent for invasive and non-invasive cardiac procedures, capacity and shared decision-making, confidentiality, documentation, disclosure of complications, end-of-life and advanced-heart-failure decisions, conflict of interest, evidence-based referral, professional boundaries and ethical practice within authorised scope.

Cross-Authority Focus: Coronary Disease, Heart Failure, Valvular Disease and Arrhythmias Dominate the Blueprints

Across SCFHS, Qatar and Oman, the largest share of Cardiology questions comes from coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular disease and arrhythmias. SCFHS gives these four domains a combined 55%, while Oman gives them 68%. The UAE guideline lists the same core domains and separately includes infective endocarditis, systemic disease, peripheral vascular disease, cardiomyopathies and cardiac pharmacology. Final revision should therefore prioritise these four major clinical areas without neglecting safety, ethics and lower-frequency but high-consequence conditions.

6. Recommended Reference Books

The UAE Specialist Cardiology guideline lists six references, and the current Oman Cardiology content sheet overlaps with Braunwald, Hurst, Mayo Clinic Cardiology and ACCSAP. Because some editions named in regulator documents are now old, candidates should preserve the official titles but study from the latest available editions and current ACC/AHA/ESC guidance:

Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. The UAE guideline lists the 10th edition; the 13th edition was published in July 2026 and should be preferred for current cardiovascular practice.

Hurst's The Heart. The UAE guideline lists the 14th edition. Use the latest available edition for contemporary cardiology, imaging, prevention and therapeutics.

Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine by Eric J. Topol, 3rd edition. Retained because it appears in the UAE regulator reading list; supplement older content with current guidelines and newer cardiology references.

Mayo Clinic Cardiology: Concise Textbook. The UAE guideline lists the 4th edition; the 5th edition was published in 2024 and is the better current review source.

ACCSAP - Adult Clinical Cardiology Self-Assessment Program, American College of Cardiology. The regulator document cites ACCSAP VII, while the current ACCSAP platform is continuously updated with guideline-based adult cardiology content and board-style questions.

Essentials of Patient Safety, SCFHS, latest edition. Reference for patient-safety principles relevant to cardiovascular practice.

Beyond textbook study, exam-day preparation benefits from high-quality MCQ practice. The Specialist Cardiology MCQ bank on prometricguide.com is designed around the 13-topic cross-authority framework above and includes 2500 plus questions with detailed explanations covering coronary disease, heart failure, valvular disease, arrhythmias, systemic cardiovascular disease, pharmacology, patient safety and professional practice.

7. Two Ways We Can Help You Get Licensed

Prometric Guide supports Specialist Cardiology exam preparation across the Middle East, while our sister company Alzantra International supports the UAE licensing process.

For Exam Preparation: Prometric Guide (All Middle East Authorities)

Whether you are targeting DHA, MOHAP, DOH Abu Dhabi, SCFHS Saudi Arabia, OMSB Oman, Qatar DHP, NHRA Bahrain or Kuwait MOH, our Specialist Cardiology MCQ bank provides one broad preparation base covering the core specialist knowledge shared across these licensing destinations:

2500 plus Specialist Cardiology MCQs mapped to the 13-topic cross-authority framework.

Detailed explanations with references to Braunwald, Hurst, Mayo Clinic Cardiology, ACCSAP and current cardiovascular guidelines.

Free introductory mock tests and topic-wise practice sets.

High-yield coverage of coronary artery disease, heart failure, valve disease, arrhythmias, congenital heart disease, systemic cardiovascular disease, pericardial disease, endocarditis, vascular disease, cardiomyopathies, pharmacology, patient safety and ethics.

Access on any device, unlimited attempts.

Explore the full Specialist Cardiology exam preparation package on prometricguide.com.

For UAE Licensing Paperwork: Alzantra International (DHA, MOHAP, DOH)

For UAE licensing, Alzantra International supports Cardiology candidates targeting Dubai, the Northern Emirates and Abu Dhabi with documentation and licensing coordination.

DataFlow / primary-source verification of the medical degree, main specialty, cardiology fellowship/subspecialty qualification, professional licence and experience.

DHA Sheryan Specialist Cardiology application and assessment coordination for Dubai.

MOHAP specialist evaluation and licensing application for the Northern Emirates.

DOH Abu Dhabi Specialist Cardiology application through TAMM.

Medical degree, base-specialty training, cardiology fellowship/subspecialty qualification, experience and supporting-document preparation guidance.

Eligibility submission, tracking and follow-up.

CBT or additional assessment coordination where required.

Specialist licence activation and UAE facility-credentialing support.

Contact Alzantra International at www.alzantra.ae or [email protected] for UAE licensing support. For SCFHS/Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar DHP, NHRA Bahrain and Kuwait MOH, use the relevant regulator's official pathway.

8. Frequently Asked Questions

What is the passing score for Specialist Cardiology?

For DHA, MOHAP and DOH, Specialist Cardiology is 150 MCQs in 3 hours with a 65% pass mark. SCFHS publishes 65% for Registrar and 70% for Senior Registrar. Qatar DHP publishes 65% for Cardiology. Bahrain publishes 60% for its licensure examination when an examination is assigned. Oman and Kuwait should be followed according to the current assessment notice issued to the candidate.

What qualifications are needed for the Specialist Cardiology title?

A recognised primary medical degree plus an accepted main-specialty qualification and recognised Cardiology subspecialty/fellowship pathway are generally required. Cardiology is commonly treated as a subspecialty of Internal Medicine. The exact title, experience requirement and exam exemption depend on how the regulator categorises both the base specialty and cardiology training; a degree name alone does not guarantee the Specialist Cardiology title.

How many questions are in the Specialist Cardiology exam?

DHA, MOHAP and DOH use the same UAE Cardiology specification: 150 MCQs in 3 hours. SCFHS uses 200 MCQs in 4 hours. Qatar DHP lists 150 MCQs in 3 hours on its current page, while its published blueprint states 3.5 hours. Oman publishes a Cardiology content blueprint but does not state a fixed total question count or duration in that public content sheet. Kuwait should be followed according to the assessment assigned.

Which reference books should I use?

The UAE Cardiology guideline lists Braunwald's Heart Disease, Hurst's The Heart, Topol's Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic Cardiology: Concise Textbook, ACCSAP and SCFHS Essentials of Patient Safety. Use current editions and current ACC/AHA/ESC guidelines because several regulator-listed editions are older.

Can I complete the exam from my home country?

Often yes when the assigned assessment is delivered through an international test network such as Prometric or Pearson VUE. OMSB states that its Occupational Classification exams are available at Pearson VUE centres worldwide. Availability for every authority depends on the eligibility period, exam provider and test centres shown during scheduling.

How is the SCFHS Cardiology classification exam different?

SCFHS lists Cardiology as a dedicated classification exam with 200 MCQs over 4 hours. Coronary Artery Disease carries 20%, Cardiac Failure 15%, Valvular Disease, Arrhythmia and Cardiac Pharmacology 10% each, and Congenital Heart Disease, Pericardial Disease, Systemic Disease, Peripheral Vascular Disease, Cardiomyopathies, Patient Safety and Professionalism/Ethics 5% each. The passing score is 65% for Registrar and 70% for Senior Registrar.

How many attempts do I get?

Attempt rules vary by authority. UAE examinations follow the Unified PQR framework of three attempts across the UAE Authorities, with limited provisions for additional attempts. Qatar currently allows five consecutive attempts for listed qualifying examinations. Bahrain allows four initial licensure-exam attempts within three years before retraining rules apply.

Does every Middle East authority use the same Specialist Cardiology exam?

No. DHA, MOHAP and DOH use the same UAE specification; SCFHS uses a 200-question classification exam; Qatar uses its own 150-question Cardiology exam when required; Oman publishes a separate Cardiology content blueprint under its classification framework; Bahrain may assign the general medical-practitioner licensure exam; and Kuwait follows its own MOH assessment pathway.

Does a Specialist Cardiology licence automatically include interventional cardiology or electrophysiology privileges?

No. The general Cardiology specialist title does not automatically grant every advanced procedural privilege. Interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, device implantation, structural heart interventions, advanced imaging and heart-failure/transplant practice may require separately recognised training and facility or regulator privileges.

What is the best MCQ bank for Specialist Cardiology exam preparation?

The Specialist Cardiology MCQ bank on prometricguide.com includes 2500 plus questions aligned to the 13-topic cross-authority framework, with detailed explanations covering coronary disease, heart failure, valves, arrhythmias, congenital disease, systemic cardiovascular disease, vascular disease, cardiomyopathies, pharmacology, patient safety and professional practice.

9. Final Thoughts

Specialist Cardiology is a recognised physician specialty/subspecialty across the major Middle East health authorities, but the licensing pathway and exam are not uniform. The UAE authorities use a common 150-question specification, SCFHS uses a separate 200-question classification exam, Qatar applies its Cardiology qualifying exam according to qualification category, and Oman uses its own classification framework and Cardiology content blueprint.

Prepare around the complete specialist Cardiology scope: coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular disease, arrhythmias, congenital heart disease, systemic disease affecting the heart, pericardial disease, infective endocarditis, vascular disease, cardiomyopathies, cardiovascular pharmacology, patient safety and professionalism. Use current ACC/AHA/ESC guidance and current textbook editions because cardiovascular recommendations change frequently.

Prometric Guide supports Specialist Cardiology candidates preparing across the major Middle East health authorities.