SCFHS Exam Syllabus 2026: SMLE, SNLE, SPLE and SDLE Blueprints, Domain Weighting, Question Counts, Scoring and What to Study First for Doctors, Nurses, Pharmacists and Dentists Sitting the Saudi Licensure Exams
The SCFHS exam syllabus for 2026 in one place: the published blueprints and domain weighting for the Saudi Medical Licensure Examination (SMLE), the Saudi Nursing Licensure Examination (SNLE), the Saudi Pharmacist Licensure Examination (SPLE) and the Saudi Dental Licensure Examination (SDLE), question counts, time and scaled scoring, the regional topics the Saudi papers emphasise, how the blueprints compare with the DHA papers, and a study order that follows the weighting.
The Saudi Commission for Health Specialties publishes a blueprint for each licensure exam, and the blueprint is the syllabus: it states the content domains and the share of questions each carries. Candidates who study in blueprint order pass; candidates who study their favourite topics do not. This guide sets out the 2026 blueprints and weighting for the SMLE, SNLE, SPLE and SDLE, the format and scoring, and the regional emphasis that distinguishes the Saudi papers. Exam-by-exam guides: SMLE, SNLE, SPLE, SDLE; free questions for all four are in SCFHS exam questions and answers.
Format and scoring across the four exams
| Exam | Questions and time | Scoring | Who sits it |
|---|---|---|---|
| SMLE | About 300 MCQs in two blocks over about 6 hours | Scaled score; pass for classification typically in the region of a scaled 50 to 60 out of 100 depending on the sitting | GPs and most specialists at classification; also used for residency entry |
| SNLE | About 150 MCQs in about 3 hours | Scaled score with a fixed cut-off, roughly 55 to 65% correct | Nurse Specialists (degree) and Nurse Technicians (diploma) on separate tracks |
| SPLE | About 150 to 200 MCQs in about 3 to 4 hours | Scaled score with cut-off | Pharmacists |
| SDLE | About 150 to 200 MCQs with images in about 3 to 4 hours | Scaled score; around 60% is the usual benchmark | General dentists (specialists at classification) |
Formats and cut-offs are set by SCFHS and change; the candidate guide on Mumaris+ and your exam eligibility are the authoritative sources. Fees and attempts are in SCFHS exam fees.
SMLE blueprint (doctors)
| Domain | Approximate share | What to study first |
|---|---|---|
| Internal medicine (cardiology, respiratory, endocrine, renal, gastroenterology, infectious disease, haematology, neurology, rheumatology) | About 30 to 35% | Diabetes and its complications, hypertension, acute coronary syndrome, COPD and asthma, CKD, tuberculosis and brucellosis, sickle cell disease, thyroid disease |
| Surgery and surgical specialties (general, orthopaedics, urology, ENT, ophthalmology, anaesthesia) | About 15 to 20% | Acute abdomen, trauma primary survey, fractures, burns, pre-operative assessment |
| Paediatrics | About 10 to 15% | Fluids and dehydration, fever and sepsis, respiratory infections, neonatal jaundice and hypoglycaemia, immunisation, inherited disorders common with consanguinity |
| Obstetrics and gynaecology | About 10 to 15% | Antenatal care, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, postpartum haemorrhage, contraception |
| Emergency medicine and critical care | About 5 to 10% | Resuscitation, anaphylaxis, heat stroke, poisoning, sepsis |
| Psychiatry and behavioural science | About 5% | Depression and suicide risk, psychosis, delirium, substance use |
| Family and community medicine, ethics, patient safety and Saudi regulations | About 5 to 10% | Screening, preventive care, consent and confidentiality, notifiable diseases, prescribing rules |
Specialists sit the SMLE for classification but are evaluated on their specialty by qualification; prepare with the General Practice bank and the free GP questions.
SNLE blueprint (nurses)
| Domain | Approximate share | What to study first |
|---|---|---|
| Medical-surgical nursing (cardiac, respiratory, renal, endocrine, neurological, gastrointestinal, perioperative) | 35 to 40% | Heart failure and ACS care, oxygen therapy, dialysis and fistula care, diabetes and DKA, stroke, post-operative complications |
| Pharmacology and drug calculations | 12 to 15% | High-alert drugs, infusion rates, insulin, heparin, antidotes, rights of administration |
| Maternal and newborn | 10 to 12% | Pre-eclampsia and magnesium, postpartum haemorrhage, newborn assessment and hypoglycaemia |
| Paediatrics | 8 to 10% | Dehydration and fluids, respiratory distress, febrile seizures, sickle cell crisis |
| Fundamentals and infection control | 10 to 12% | Isolation precautions, hand hygiene, wound care, safe patient handling, documentation |
| Mental health | 5 to 8% | Suicide risk, antipsychotic side effects, delirium versus dementia |
| Ethics, leadership and prioritisation | About 5% | Consent, delegation, triage logic, incident reporting |
Prepare with the Registered Nurse bank and the free domain sets from medical-surgical to pharmacology; Nurse Technicians use the Assistant Nurse bank.
SPLE blueprint (pharmacists)
| Domain | Approximate share | What to study first |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical sciences and pharmacotherapy | About 35 to 40% | Cardiovascular, diabetes, infectious disease and antimicrobial stewardship, anticoagulation, oncology supportive care, renal and hepatic dosing |
| Pharmaceutical sciences (pharmaceutics, pharmacokinetics, medicinal chemistry, compounding) | About 25 to 30% | Kinetic calculations, dosage forms, stability and storage, sterile compounding |
| Pharmaceutical calculations | About 10 to 15% | Doses by weight, dilutions, infusion rates, percentage strengths, alligation |
| Pharmacy practice, law, ethics and patient safety (Saudi regulations, controlled drugs, counselling, drug information) | About 15 to 20% | Saudi FDA and MOH dispensing rules, narcotic prescriptions, medication error prevention, Ramadan and diabetes counselling |
Prepare with the Pharmacist bank and the free pharmacist questions.
SDLE blueprint (dentists)
| Domain | Approximate share | What to study first |
|---|---|---|
| Restorative dentistry and endodontics | About 20 to 25% | Pulp diagnosis, caries management, working length and obturation, vital pulp therapy |
| Prosthodontics (fixed and removable) | About 15% | Preparation principles, occlusion and vertical dimension, denture design and troubleshooting |
| Periodontics | About 10 to 15% | 2017 classification, non-surgical therapy, antibiotics, peri-implant disease |
| Oral surgery, oral medicine and oral pathology | About 15% | Extractions and complications, anticoagulated patients, infections, cysts and tumours, oral cancer |
| Paediatric dentistry and orthodontics | About 10 to 15% | Pulp therapy in primary teeth, trauma, space maintenance, malocclusion classification |
| Oral radiology, pharmacology and local anaesthesia, infection control, ethics and Saudi regulations | About 15% | Radiographic interpretation, anaesthetic doses, prophylaxis, sterilisation |
Prepare with the image-based General Dentist bank and the free dentist questions.
The regional emphasis of the Saudi papers
- Endemic and regional conditions: brucellosis, tuberculosis, MERS-CoV, sickle cell disease and G6PD deficiency, familial Mediterranean fever, heat illness, inherited metabolic disorders linked to consanguinity.
- Diabetes and its complications at every level, including Ramadan fasting guidance.
- Saudi regulations: controlled-drug prescribing, notifiable diseases, patient rights, consent and gender-sensitive care.
- Mass-gathering medicine: Hajj and Umrah health rules, meningococcal vaccination.
How the SCFHS blueprints compare with the DHA papers
The content domains are nearly identical, so the same preparation works; the differences are length (the SMLE is twice the length of the DHA GP paper), scaled scoring instead of a raw percentage, and the regional emphasis above. A candidate who passes the DHA paper will usually pass the SCFHS equivalent with added stamina practice, and vice versa (DHA vs SCFHS, Prometric syllabus by profession).
A study order that follows the weighting
- Start with the largest domain for your exam (internal medicine, medical-surgical nursing, clinical pharmacotherapy or restorative dentistry) and spend about 40% of your time there.
- Cover the calculation and safety domains early, because they are high-yield and quick to master.
- Work the remaining domains in weighting order, keeping an error log (error-log method).
- Sit at least three full-length timed mocks at the real question count; for the SMLE that means two 150-question blocks in a day.
- Book the exam through Mumaris+ and Prometric once classification issues eligibility (Mumaris+ registration, SCFHS practice questions online).
Frequently asked questions
Where is the official SCFHS exam syllabus published?
In the exam blueprint and candidate guide on the SCFHS website and Mumaris+; the tables above summarise them, and the official document is authoritative for your sitting.
What is the biggest domain in the SNLE syllabus?
Medical-surgical nursing, at about 35 to 40% of the paper, followed by pharmacology and calculations.
How many questions are in the SMLE and how long is it?
About 300 MCQs in two blocks over about 6 hours, scored on a scale.
Is the SCFHS syllabus the same as the DHA syllabus?
The domains are nearly identical; the Saudi papers are longer, scaled and add regional emphasis.
How should I prioritise the SCFHS syllabus?
Study in weighting order, starting with the largest domain, master the calculation and safety topics early, and sit full-length timed mocks before the exam.
Practice banks for this exam
Chapter-wise MCQs with written reasoning on every question, and timed mocks at the real pass mark.