Prometric Exam for Paediatric Surgeons: Specialist Pediatric Surgery Licence for DHA, MOHAP, DOH, SCFHS & QCHP — the 11-Area Blueprint, 65% Pass Mark, Neonatal Surgery Privileges, MCh and FCPS Recognition and Salaries (2026)
High birth rates and expanding neonatal intensive care make paediatric surgery a specialty the Gulf cannot recruit enough of. This guide covers the Specialist Pediatric Surgery paper — 150 questions, three hours, 65% to pass — its eleven official blueprint areas, the neonatal emergencies and congenital anomalies that repeat, how MCh, DNB, FCPS and Arab Board are recognised, how neonatal and oncology privileges are granted, and salaries.
Gulf states have young populations, high birth rates and, in Saudi Arabia in particular, a relatively high rate of congenital anomalies linked to consanguinity. Neonatal intensive care has expanded faster than the specialty that operates on its patients. Paediatric surgeons are recruited for every large children's and maternity hospital in the region. For holders of an MCh, DNB or DrNB in paediatric surgery, FCPS paediatric surgery, FRCS (Paed Surg), Arab Board or equivalent, the licence follows one written paper.
The exam
- Specialist Pediatric Surgery (PED5492): 150 single-best-answer questions, 3 hours, pass mark 65% — 98 correct answers
- References: Grosfeld (Coran) Pediatric Surgery, Ashcraft's Pediatric Surgery, Puri's Pediatric Surgery and Mattei's Fundamentals of Pediatric Surgery
Paediatricians sit a different paper (PED5391, covered in the specialist overview); paediatric urologists and orthopaedic surgeons are licensed under their own specialties.
Check your title
Paediatric surgery is licensed on a dedicated qualification: MCh or DNB/DrNB paediatric surgery after MS surgery, FCPS paediatric surgery, Arab Board, FRCS (Paed Surg) with a CCT, North American boards. An MS in general surgery who operates on children is licensed as a general surgeon (GEN5341), and most Gulf children's hospitals will not privilege a general surgeon for neonatal work. See the recognition guide, the exemptions guide, and run the eligibility check.
The eleven blueprint areas
- Principles of surgery — fluid and electrolyte management by age and weight, neonatal physiology, nutrition, transfusion, analgesia and sedation, minimally invasive principles in children
- Neonatal surgery — oesophageal atresia and tracheo-oesophageal fistula, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, gastroschisis vs exomphalos, intestinal atresias, malrotation and volvulus, Hirschsprung's disease, anorectal malformations, necrotising enterocolitis, meconium ileus
- General paediatric surgery — pyloric stenosis, intussusception, appendicitis, inguinal hernia and hydrocele timing, undescended testis, umbilical problems, Meckel's diverticulum, constipation and rectal prolapse
- Specific areas of paediatric surgery — hepatobiliary (biliary atresia and the Kasai timing, choledochal cyst), splenic disease, short bowel syndrome, bariatric surgery in adolescents, vascular anomalies
- Head and neck — thyroglossal and branchial anomalies, lymphatic malformations, torticollis, thyroid disease in children, airway lesions
- Genitourinary — hypospadias, posterior urethral valves, vesicoureteric reflux, disorders of sex development principles, testicular torsion, varicocele
- Thoracic surgery — congenital lung malformations, empyema management, chest wall deformities, mediastinal masses, airway foreign body
- Trauma — paediatric ATLS differences, non-operative management of solid organ injury, non-accidental injury recognition, burns
- Oncology — Wilms' tumour, neuroblastoma, hepatoblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, germ cell tumours: staging, biopsy vs primary resection, and the role of surgery in each protocol
- Patient safety — weight-based dosing errors, retained items, consent involving parents and the child
- Professionalism and ethics — antenatal counselling, decisions in lethal anomalies, safeguarding
What repeats
- The bilious-vomiting neonate is malrotation until proven otherwise; the upper GI contrast study and the timing of surgery.
- Congenital diaphragmatic hernia — stabilise first, operate later; ventilation strategy.
- Oesophageal atresia types, the associated anomalies (VACTERL), and the management of the long gap.
- Hirschsprung's — diagnosis, enterocolitis as an emergency, pull-through options.
- Anorectal malformations — classification and the colostomy-vs-primary-repair decision.
- Pyloric stenosis — the electrolyte picture and correcting it before surgery.
- Intussusception — reduction indications and contraindications.
- Biliary atresia — the Kasai timing window.
- Tumour markers and staging — AFP, catecholamines, and which tumours are biopsied first.
- Solid organ injury grading and the non-operative pathway.
Privileges
General paediatric surgery privileges follow from a complete logbook; neonatal surgery, thoracoscopic and laparoscopic neonatal work, hepatobiliary surgery, oncology surgery and adolescent bariatric surgery are privileged separately on documented numbers and, often, fellowship evidence. Children's hospitals in Riyadh, Jeddah, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Doha ask specifically for neonatal case volume and minimally invasive experience. Keep a signed logbook with your role in each case for the last three years.
Process
- Portal registration and title selection.
- DataFlow verification of the primary degree, the surgery qualification, the paediatric surgery qualification, registration, experience and good standing (guide, fees).
- Eligibility, booking (lead times), exam — Prometric for most authorities, Pearson VUE for DOH.
- Offer, credentialing and privileging, activation. PALS and APLS or ATLS are commonly required.
Salaries
Specialist paediatric surgeons in the UAE typically earn AED 40,000–62,000 a month and Consultants AED 62,000–115,000. Saudi packages run SAR 35,000–58,000 for Specialists with housing, with the large children's hospitals and university centres recruiting at the top of the range; Qatar is comparable. Compare in the salary calculator and register in the talent pool.
Eight-week plan
- Week 1: principles — fluids, neonatal physiology, nutrition.
- Weeks 2–3: neonatal surgery.
- Week 4: general paediatric surgery and genitourinary.
- Week 5: thoracic and head and neck.
- Week 6: oncology and hepatobiliary.
- Week 7: trauma, ethics, patient safety.
- Week 8: two timed mocks from the Specialist Pediatric Surgery question bank.
Frequently asked questions
What is the pass mark for the Prometric paediatric surgery exam?
65%. The Specialist Pediatric Surgery paper has 150 single-best-answer questions in three hours, so 98 correct answers are needed.
Can a general surgeon operate on children in the Gulf?
Within general surgery privileges, older children with common conditions may be treated in some hospitals, but the Paediatric Surgery title and neonatal privileges require a dedicated paediatric surgery qualification such as MCh, DNB or FCPS.
Which paediatric surgery topics are tested most?
Neonatal emergencies — malrotation, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, oesophageal atresia, Hirschsprung's disease, anorectal malformations — plus pyloric stenosis, intussusception, biliary atresia timing and paediatric tumour staging.
Are paediatric surgeons in demand in Saudi Arabia?
Yes. High birth rates, expanding neonatal intensive care and a relatively high rate of congenital anomalies keep children's hospitals recruiting paediatric surgeons continuously.
Practice banks for this exam
Chapter-wise MCQs with written reasoning on every question, and timed mocks at the real pass mark.