Prometric Exam for Gastroenterologists: Specialist Gastroenterology Licence for DHA, MOHAP, DOH, SCFHS & QCHP — Blueprint, 65% Pass Mark, Endoscopy Privileges, DM and FCPS Recognition and Salaries (2026)

Obesity and diabetes have made metabolic fatty liver disease the commonest chronic liver condition in the Gulf. Inflammatory bowel disease, once rare in the region, is now seen in every large clinic, and national colorectal screening programmes are creating endoscopy demand that current staffing cannot meet. For holders of a DM, DNB or DrNB in gastroenterology, FCPS gastroenterology, Arab Board or equivalent, this is how the licence works.

The exam

• Specialist Gastroenterology (GES5171): 150 single-best-answer questions, 3 hours, pass mark 65% — 98 correct answers
• References: Sleisenger and Fordtran, the Mayo Clinic Gastroenterology and Hepatology Board Review, Cotton and Williams' Practical Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, plus the ethics and patient-safety handbooks

The Mayo board review is the book to work from: it is question-oriented, covers the whole blueprint, and is the closest match to the paper's style. An endoscopy text on the list means technique, sedation, complications and quality indicators are examinable, not just diagnosis.

Gastroenterology is a subspecialty: check your title

Regulators license gastroenterology on a dedicated qualification built on internal medicine: DM or DNB/DrNB gastroenterology after MD medicine, FCPS gastroenterology, Arab Board, or UK or North American training with certification. MD medicine with endoscopy experience is licensed as Specialist Internal Medicine (INT5921), and — importantly — endoscopy privileges are then difficult to obtain. Surgeons who perform endoscopy do so on surgical privileges within their own licence. See the recognition guide, the exemptions guide for Tier 1 holders, and run the eligibility check before paying for verification.

The blueprint

• Oesophageal and gastric disease — reflux disease and its complications, Barrett's surveillance intervals, eosinophilic oesophagitis, achalasia and the motility disorders on manometry, H. pylori testing and eradication regimens in an era of resistance, peptic ulcer disease, gastric polyps and cancer, gastroparesis
• Gastrointestinal bleeding — risk scoring, timing of endoscopy, the Forrest classification and which lesions need therapy, variceal bleeding bundle (vasoactive drug, antibiotics, banding, rescue TIPS), obscure and small-bowel bleeding, lower GI bleeding, managing anticoagulants and antiplatelets around endoscopy
• Inflammatory bowel disease, small and large intestine — distinguishing ulcerative colitis from Crohn's, acute severe colitis criteria and rescue therapy, biologic and small-molecule selection and pre-treatment screening, therapeutic drug monitoring, cancer surveillance, coeliac disease, microscopic colitis, C. difficile, irritable bowel syndrome, intestinal tuberculosis vs Crohn's (a real diagnostic problem for patients from source countries)
• Gastrointestinal malignancies — colorectal screening and polyp surveillance intervals, hereditary syndromes (Lynch, FAP), neuroendocrine tumours, GI lymphoma
• Liver — interpreting liver tests by pattern, viral hepatitis B and C (serology, who to treat, reactivation with immunosuppression), metabolic fatty liver disease and fibrosis assessment, alcohol-related hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, PBC and PSC, Wilson's disease and haemochromatosis, drug-induced liver injury, acute liver failure and transplant criteria, cirrhosis complications (ascites, SBP, hepatorenal syndrome, encephalopathy), hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance and staging, liver disease in pregnancy
• Pancreaticobiliary disease — acute pancreatitis severity and management (fluids, feeding, when to intervene on collections), chronic and autoimmune pancreatitis, pancreatic cysts, gallstone disease, cholangitis, indications for ERCP vs MRCP vs EUS
• Nutrition and motility — malnutrition assessment, enteral vs parenteral feeding, refeeding syndrome, short bowel, constipation and pelvic floor disorders
• Patient safety, professionalism and ethics — sedation safety, consent for endoscopy, perforation and bleeding management, endoscope reprocessing

What repeats

• The acute bleed. Resuscitate, restrictive transfusion threshold, drugs before the scope in suspected varices, timing, and what to do when endoscopic therapy fails.
• Surveillance intervals. After polypectomy by polyp number, size and histology; Barrett's; IBD; cirrhosis for HCC and varices.
• Hepatitis B serology patterns and prophylaxis before chemotherapy or biologics.
• Ascitic fluid interpretation. Serum–ascites albumin gradient, neutrophil count, and the SBP treatment and prophylaxis rules.
• Acute severe ulcerative colitis. Day-three assessment and rescue with infliximab or ciclosporin vs colectomy.
• Antithrombotics and endoscopy. Low-risk vs high-risk procedures and which drug to hold for how long.
• Manometry and pH study patterns described in words.
• Endoscopy quality indicators. Adenoma detection rate, caecal intubation rate, withdrawal time, bowel preparation scoring.
• Post-ERCP pancreatitis — risk factors and prevention.

Endoscopy privileges

The licence covers clinical gastroenterology. Diagnostic and therapeutic upper and lower endoscopy are privileged on logged numbers; ERCP, EUS, advanced resection (EMR, ESD), enteroscopy and third-space endoscopy are privileged separately and nearly always require a documented advanced fellowship and recent volume with complication rates. Hospitals running a bleed rota will ask specifically for your therapeutic experience out of hours. Keep a signed logbook for the last three years.

The endoscopy unit's reprocessing staff are licensed too — see the CSSD technician guide, whose blueprint includes flexible endoscope processing.

Process

1. Portal registration and title selection.
2. DataFlow verification of the primary degree, the medicine qualification, the gastroenterology qualification, registration and experience (guide; fees).
3. Eligibility, booking (lead times), exam — Prometric for most authorities, Pearson VUE for DOH.
4. Offer, credentialing and privileging, activation.

Salaries

Specialist gastroenterologists in the UAE typically earn AED 40,000–65,000 a month and Consultants AED 65,000–115,000; advanced endoscopists (ERCP, EUS) and hepatologists attached to transplant programmes sit at the top, and private groups often add procedure-linked incentives. Saudi packages run SAR 35,000–60,000 for Specialists with housing; Qatar is comparable. Compare in the salary calculator and register in the talent pool.

Ten-week plan

1. Weeks 1–3: liver — the largest single block.
2. Week 4: GI bleeding and endoscopy practice.
3. Week 5: oesophagus and stomach.
4. Week 6: IBD and small bowel.
5. Week 7: colon, polyps, malignancy and screening.
6. Week 8: pancreas and biliary.
7. Week 9: nutrition, motility, ethics and patient safety.
8. Week 10: timed mocks from the Specialist Gastroenterology question bank.

How Specialist and Consultant titles differ is covered in the specialist overview.

Frequently asked questions

What is the pass mark for the Prometric gastroenterology exam?

65%. The Specialist Gastroenterology paper has 150 single-best-answer questions in three hours, so 98 correct answers are needed.

Can an MD medicine doctor who performs endoscopy be licensed as a gastroenterologist?

No. Gastroenterology is licensed on a dedicated qualification such as DM, DNB or FCPS gastroenterology. An MD in medicine leads to an internal medicine licence, and endoscopy privileges are then difficult to obtain.

Does the gastroenterology licence allow me to perform ERCP?

Not automatically. ERCP, EUS and advanced resection are privileged separately by each hospital on documented advanced training, recent case volume and complication rates.

Which book is best for the gastroenterology Prometric exam?

The Mayo Clinic Gastroenterology and Hepatology Board Review is on the official list and matches the question style most closely. Use Sleisenger and Fordtran to settle details and current guidelines for management.