Prometric Exam for Family Medicine Doctors: Specialist & Consultant Family Physician Licence for DHA, MOHAP, DOH, SCFHS & QCHP — Blueprint, 60% and 70% Pass Marks, MRCGP and DNB Recognition, GP vs Family Medicine and Salaries (2026)
Family medicine and general practice are different licences with different papers and different pay. This guide covers the Specialist Family Medicine exam (150 questions, 60% to pass) and the Consultant paper (100 questions, 70%), the official blueprint areas, the screening and chronic-disease questions that repeat, how MRCGP, DNB, MD and FCPS are recognised, and salaries.
Gulf health systems are moving care out of hospitals and into primary care centres, and insurers increasingly require a family physician as the first point of contact. That has made trained family physicians scarce and well paid compared with GPs — but only if the qualification supports the title.
GP or family physician?
| General Practitioner | Specialist Family Medicine | |
|---|---|---|
| Qualification | MBBS plus internship and experience | Postgraduate family medicine training |
| Exam | GEN5331 | FAM5871 |
| Pay scale | GP | Specialist |
Years of general practice do not convert into the family medicine title. If you hold an MBBS only, read the GP guide instead.
Two papers
| Exam (code) | Questions | Time | Pass mark | Correct answers needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specialist Family Medicine (FAM5871) | 150 | 3 h | 60% | 90 |
| Consultant Family Medicine (FAM5742) | 100 | 3 h | 70% | 70 |
References include Essentials of Family Medicine, Swanson's Family Medicine Review, Case Files: Family Medicine, Step-Up to Medicine and two question-and-answer review books. A list built from review and case books tells you the paper is case-based throughout.
Recognised qualifications
MD or DNB family medicine, FCPS family medicine, MRCGP with a certificate of completion of training, Arab Board, the Saudi Board, and American or Canadian family medicine boards. MRCGP (International) and short diplomas in family medicine are assessed differently from the UK MRCGP and may sit at a lower tier; check the recognition guide and run the eligibility check.
The blueprint areas
- Family medicine — screening schedules, periodic health examination, vaccination of adults, behaviour change, care of the elderly, evidence-based medicine and basic statistics
- Internal medicine — hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidaemia, asthma and COPD, thyroid disease, anaemia
- Paediatrics — well-child visits, milestones, vaccination, common infections
- Obstetrics and gynaecology — antenatal care, contraception, menstrual disorders, menopause
- General surgery — the acute abdomen, breast lumps, hernias, anorectal complaints: recognise and refer
- Psychiatry — depression and anxiety screening and first-line treatment, suicide risk, substance use
- Emergency medicine (adult and paediatric) — chest pain triage, anaphylaxis, acute asthma, the febrile child
- Dermatology — eczema, psoriasis, acne, fungal infection, skin cancer recognition
- Orthopaedic and musculoskeletal — back pain red flags, knee and shoulder examination, osteoporosis, gout
- Ophthalmology — the red eye, sudden visual loss, diabetic retinopathy screening
- Otolaryngology — otitis media, sinusitis, vertigo, hearing loss
- Radiology — choosing the right investigation
What repeats
- Screening. Who, at what age, how often — for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer, osteoporosis, aneurysm, diabetes and lipids.
- First-line drug choice in hypertension and diabetes by comorbidity.
- Treat, investigate or refer? The core family-medicine question.
- Vaccination for children, adults, pregnancy and Hajj travellers.
- Test statistics — sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, number needed to treat.
- Ramadan advice for patients with diabetes.
- Depression screening tools and antidepressant selection.
Process
- Portal registration and title selection.
- DataFlow verification of the primary degree, the family medicine qualification, registration and experience (guide, fees).
- Eligibility, booking (lead times), exam — Prometric for most authorities, Pearson VUE for DOH.
- Offer and activation.
Salaries
Specialist family physicians in the UAE typically earn AED 28,000–45,000 a month and Consultants AED 45,000–75,000, against roughly AED 15,000–28,000 for GPs. Saudi packages run SAR 25,000–42,000 for Specialists with housing; Qatar's primary care corporation is a large employer on comparable terms. Compare in the salary calculator and register in the talent pool.
Six-week plan
- Week 1: family medicine principles, screening, vaccination and statistics.
- Week 2: chronic disease — hypertension, diabetes, lipids, asthma, thyroid.
- Week 3: paediatrics and women's health.
- Week 4: psychiatry, dermatology, musculoskeletal.
- Week 5: emergencies, surgery, eye and ENT, radiology.
- Week 6: two timed mocks from the Specialist or Consultant question bank.
Frequently asked questions
What is the pass mark for the Prometric family medicine exam?
60% for the Specialist paper, which has 150 questions in three hours, and 70% for the Consultant paper, which has 100 questions in three hours.
Is family medicine the same as general practice for licensing?
No. General Practitioner is the licence for MBBS doctors and uses the General Practice paper. Family Medicine is a specialist title that needs postgraduate family medicine training and has its own paper and pay scale.
Is MRCGP International accepted as a specialist qualification?
It is assessed differently from the UK MRCGP with completed training and may be placed at a lower tier. Check eligibility before applying.
Can a GP with ten years of experience apply as a family medicine specialist?
No. Experience does not replace the postgraduate qualification; the title follows the degree.
Practice banks for this exam
Chapter-wise MCQs with written reasoning on every question, and timed mocks at the real pass mark.