Prometric Exam for Radiologists: Specialist Diagnostic Radiology Licence for DHA, MOHAP, DOH, SCFHS & QCHP — Blueprint, 65% Pass Mark, Physics and Radiation Safety, Teleradiology Rules and Salaries (2026)

Imaging volumes in the Gulf have grown faster than the number of radiologists licensed to report them. New hospitals open with MRI and CT from day one, screening programmes are expanding, and teleradiology has only partly filled the gap. For a doctor with an MD, DNB, FCPS, FRCR, Arab Board or equivalent in radiology, the written paper is the main hurdle. Radiographers and imaging technologists follow a different route — see the radiographer guide.

The exam

• Specialist Diagnostic Radiology (SDR6042): 150 single-best-answer questions, 3 hours, pass mark 65% — 98 correct answers
• References: the Requisites series, Webb's thoracic imaging and HRCT texts, Diagnostic Imaging: Brain, Haaga's CT and MRI of the whole body, and subspecialty texts

How a visual specialty is examined in words

Most questions describe findings rather than show them: a patient, a modality, a set of imaging features, and a stem asking for the most likely diagnosis, the best next investigation, or the correct management of a complication. That rewards candidates who know the language of classic appearances — "tree-in-bud", "crazy paving", "cluster of grapes", "onion-skin periosteal reaction", "double duct sign" — and the short differential each one implies. If your revision has been mostly case viewing, add deliberate practice in turning descriptions into diagnoses.

The eleven blueprint areas

1. Body imaging — liver lesion characterisation on multiphase CT and MRI, pancreatic masses, renal mass classification (Bosniak), adrenal incidentaloma, bowel obstruction, appendicitis, trauma grading
2. Neuroimaging — stroke imaging and early CT signs, haemorrhage ageing on MRI, tumours by location and age, demyelination, infection, spinal cord compression
3. Head and neck imaging — deep neck spaces, thyroid nodule ultrasound risk features, sinus disease, temporal bone basics, cervical lymph node levels
4. Musculoskeletal imaging — bone tumour approach by age, location and matrix, fracture classifications, arthritis patterns, osteomyelitis, internal derangement of knee and shoulder
5. Chest imaging — HRCT patterns of interstitial lung disease, solitary pulmonary nodule management, mediastinal masses by compartment, pulmonary embolism, lines and tubes
6. Cardiovascular imaging — aortic dissection classification, coronary CT basics, cardiac MRI late enhancement patterns, congenital heart disease on the chest radiograph
7. Paediatric imaging — neonatal chest, intussusception and its reduction, malrotation, pyloric stenosis measurements, non-accidental injury skeletal survey findings, paediatric tumours
8. Women's imaging — BI-RADS categories and management, mammographic signs, breast MRI indications, obstetric ultrasound milestones, ectopic pregnancy, ovarian mass characterisation
9. Contrast, physics and radiation safety — see below
10. Ethics and research — study design, sensitivity and specificity, consent, incidental findings
11. Patient safety — MRI safety zones and screening, communication of critical results, reporting discrepancies

The block candidates skip: contrast, physics, radiation

This is the most learnable section and the one working radiologists most often neglect. Expect questions on:

• Contrast reactions — grading and first-line treatment, premedication, managing extravasation
• Renal safety — risk assessment before iodinated contrast, metformin guidance, gadolinium and nephrogenic systemic fibrosis in severe renal impairment
• Contrast in pregnancy and breastfeeding
• Radiation protection — ALARA, deterministic vs stochastic effects, dose limits for workers and the public, the pregnant worker and the pregnant patient, relative doses of common examinations
• Physics — what kVp and mAs change, CT artefacts and their fixes, MRI sequence basics (T1, T2, FLAIR, diffusion, fat suppression), ultrasound artefacts and Doppler principles
• MRI safety — zones, implants and devices, quench, projectile risk

Two focused weeks here are worth more marks than another pass through neuroradiology.

Recognition of qualifications

A three-year MD or DNB in radiodiagnosis, FCPS, Arab Board and FRCR are the standard routes. A two-year DMRD is a shorter qualification and is generally placed at a lower tier — more experience required, possibly a lower title. FRCR with completed training and American Board certification are typically Tier 1 and exempt from the written paper in the UAE. Details are in the recognition guide and the exemptions guide; confirm your case with the eligibility check. Interventional radiology privileges are granted separately on evidence of training and logged cases.

Teleradiology

Reporting studies for a Gulf facility from abroad is not an unregulated workaround. Regulators in the UAE license telehealth services, and the reporting radiologist is expected to hold a licence recognised by the authority regulating the facility whose patients are being reported. If a teleradiology company offers you work, ask which authority licenses the service and whether you will need your own licence — the answer determines whether you need this exam.

Process

1. Portal registration and title selection.
2. DataFlow verification of primary and postgraduate degrees, registration and experience (guide).
3. Eligibility, booking (lead times), exam — Prometric for most authorities, Pearson VUE for DOH.
4. Offer, credentialing and activation.

Three to six months in total; fees are in the fee guide.

Salaries

Specialist radiologists in the UAE typically earn AED 40,000–65,000 a month and Consultants AED 65,000–110,000, with interventional, breast and neuroradiology subspecialists at the top of the range. Saudi packages run SAR 35,000–60,000 for Specialists, frequently with housing; Qatar is comparable. Some private groups pay per-study or a share of reporting revenue. Compare offers with the salary calculator and register in the talent pool.

Ten-week plan

1. Weeks 1–2: physics, contrast and radiation safety; ethics and patient safety.
2. Weeks 3–4: chest and cardiovascular.
3. Weeks 5–6: body imaging.
4. Week 7: neuro and head and neck.
5. Week 8: musculoskeletal.
6. Week 9: paediatric and women's imaging.
7. Week 10: timed mocks from the Diagnostic Radiology question bank, reviewing every miss.

Frequently asked questions

What is the pass mark for the Prometric radiology exam?

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

Are there images in the radiology Prometric exam?

Most questions describe imaging findings in words and ask for the diagnosis, next investigation or management. Practise converting classic descriptive phrases into differentials.

Is DMRD accepted for a specialist radiology licence in the Gulf?

DMRD is a two-year diploma and is generally placed at a lower tier than an MD, DNB or FCPS. It may require more experience or support a lower title, so check eligibility first.

Do I need a Gulf licence to report teleradiology for a UAE hospital?

Telehealth services are regulated, and the reporting radiologist is expected to hold a licence recognised by the authority that regulates the facility. Ask the company which authority licenses its service before you start.