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Specialist Rheumatology Prometric Exam

RHU5501 is the DHA code for the Specialist Rheumatology Prometric exam, and its published blueprint splits the paper across 11 areas: regional pain syndromes, cartilage, and bone diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, seronegative spondyloarthropathies, crystal induced arthropathies, infectious and related arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid syndrome, other rheumatic and connective tissue diseases, vasculitis, patient safety and professionalism and ethics. That list is the syllabus — questions are written to those headings from 5 named reference texts, so revision that ignores it is revision spent on the wrong material.

Exam Guidelines by Prometric and Pearson VUE

Exam summary, coverage areas and references

Duration
3 hrs
Questions
150
Exam Code
RHU5501
Exam Fee
USD 280
approx. AED 1,028
Pass Score
65%

Exam Coverage

  • Regional Pain Syndromes
  • Cartilage, and Bone Diseases
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Seronegative Spondyloarthropathies
  • Crystal Induced Arthropathies
  • Infectious and Related Arthritis
  • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Antiphospholipid Syndrome
  • Other Rheumatic and Connective Tissue Diseases
  • Vasculitis
  • Patient Safety
  • Professionalism and Ethics
Recommended references (5)
  1. 1. Klippel, John H. Primer on the Rheumatic Diseases. New York, NY: Springer, Latest Edition.
  2. 2. Weisman, Michael H., Michael E. Weinblatt, & James S. Louie. Treatment of Rheumatic Diseases: Companion to Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders, Latest Edition.
  3. 3. Bijlsma, J. W. J. EULAR Textbook on Rheumatic Diseases. London: BMJ / EULAR, Latest Edition
  4. 4. Essentials of Patient Safety, SCHS, Latest Edition.
  5. 5. Rheumatology secrets, Sterling G. West, MD, Third edition.

Chapters

4.6(463)
2 chapters · 200 total questions

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Mock exams

Full-length · timed · 65% to pass

Once you're comfortable with the chapters, take a full-length mock under real exam conditions - 150 randomized questions, 3-hour timer, no instant feedback. Three separate papers so you can build stamina across multiple attempts.

About the Specialist Rheumatology Prometric Exam (RHU5501)

RHU5501 is the DHA code for the Specialist Rheumatology Prometric exam, and its published blueprint splits the paper across 11 areas: regional pain syndromes, cartilage, and bone diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, seronegative spondyloarthropathies, crystal induced arthropathies, infectious and related arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid syndrome, other rheumatic and connective tissue diseases, vasculitis, patient safety and professionalism and ethics. That list is the syllabus — questions are written to those headings from 5 named reference texts, so revision that ignores it is revision spent on the wrong material.

The sitting is 150 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours — about 1.2 minutes per question — delivered on computer at a Prometric test centre. The 65% pass mark works out at roughly 98 correct answers out of 150. Nothing is deducted for a wrong answer, so an unanswered question is the only guaranteed zero on the paper.

The paper is sat by doctors applying for a licence under the Specialist Rheumatology professional title. Specialist is a graded title: the regulator checks your specialty certificate and post-qualification years against its classification table, and a mismatch there is refused on classification rather than on the paper. In practice the exam is rarely the bottleneck: the regulator has to accept your qualification and experience, and Dataflow has to return primary source verification, before a booking slot exists at all. Start that paperwork alongside your revision rather than after it.

This bank holds 200 explained questions cut to the same headings as the RHU5501 outline, each with written reasoning that also rules out the distractors. Retries are unlimited, and the timed mocks run at the real 150-question, 3-hour, 65%-to-pass settings — so the first time you sit this paper at full pace is not the morning it counts.

One body of content, seven regulators. DHA in Dubai, MOHAP across the UAE, SCFHS in Saudi Arabia, QCHP in Qatar, NHRA in Bahrain and OMSB in Oman all license the Specialist Rheumatology title off a Prometric-delivered MCQ paper, and the overlap between them is substantial. DOH runs its sitting through Pearson VUE instead. What differs is the pass mark, the classification tier they will grade you into, and how many attempts they allow — not the medicine.

Specialist Rheumatology exam — frequently asked questions

What does exam code RHU5501 cover?

RHU5501 is the Specialist Rheumatology Prometric paper. The code appears on your eligibility approval and on the Prometric booking screen — quote it when you book, because neighbouring grades of the same profession have their own codes and their own papers.

How many questions is the Specialist Rheumatology exam, and how long do I get?

150 questions in 3 hours, which is about 1.2 minutes each. It is computer-based at a Prometric centre, and you can flag and revisit questions before you submit.

What is the pass mark for RHU5501?

65% under the DHA guideline — roughly 98 correct answers out of 150. Nothing is deducted for wrong answers, so leave nothing blank. Other Gulf regulators publish their own thresholds for the same content, so confirm the figure with the authority you are applying to.

Which topics carry the marks in the Specialist Rheumatology exam?

The published blueprint names 11 areas: Regional Pain Syndromes, Cartilage, and Bone Diseases, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Seronegative Spondyloarthropathies, Crystal Induced Arthropathies, Infectious and Related Arthritis, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Antiphospholipid Syndrome, Other Rheumatic and Connective Tissue Diseases, Vasculitis, Patient Safety and Professionalism and Ethics. Our chapters use the same headings, so a weak chapter score points straight at the blueprint area to revisit.

Do I need a separate exam for each Gulf authority?

No. DHA, MOHAP, SCFHS, QCHP, NHRA and OMSB each license the Specialist Rheumatology title off a Prometric-delivered MCQ paper built on the same content. DOH runs its sitting through Pearson VUE instead. What changes between them is the pass mark, the classification tier and the attempt limit — so one body of preparation carries across, but each application is its own file.

What does it cost to sit RHU5501?

DHA's exam guideline prices this sitting at USD 280, which is roughly AED 1,028 at the dirham peg. That is the test fee alone: the regulator's application charge and Dataflow verification are billed separately, and other Gulf authorities set their own amounts for the same paper.

How much experience does the Specialist grade need?

It depends on the regulator. For the Specialist classification this paper belongs to: DHA asks for 3 years in specialty after board qualification; MOHAP asks for 3 years in specialty post-board; DOH asks for 5 years post-qualification (3 in specialty); SCFHS asks for 4 years post-qualification (2 in specialty); QCHP asks for 3 years in specialty after board qualification; NHRA asks for 3 years in specialty post-board; OMSB asks for 3 years in specialty post-board. Each authority counts those years against its own classification table, and they have to be backed by experience letters that survive Dataflow verification.

What do I need before I can book RHU5501?

An eligibility approval from the regulator — your qualification and experience accepted against its classification rules — plus Dataflow primary source verification returned on your degree, licence and experience letters. The booking window opens after that, not before, which is why the paperwork should run in parallel with your revision.

Guides for Specialist Rheumatology candidates

Prometric Exam for Rheumatologists: Specialist Rheumatology Licence for DHA, MOHAP, DOH, SCFHS & QCHP — the 11-Area Blueprint, 65% Pass Mark, Biologic Prescribing, DM and FCPS Recognition and Salaries (2026)

Lupus, Behçet's and familial Mediterranean fever are all more common in the Gulf than in Europe, and rheumatologists are among the scarcest medical specialists in the region. This guide covers the Specialist Rheumatology paper — 150 questions, three hours, 65% to pass — its eleven official blueprint areas, the classification-criteria, biologic and vasculitis questions that repeat, how DM, DNB and FCPS are recognised, and what rheumatologists earn.

Read the guide

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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.

Read the guide

Prometric Exam for Sports Medicine Doctors: Specialist Sports Medicine Licence for DHA, MOHAP, DOH, SCFHS & QCHP — the 9-Area Blueprint, 55% Pass Mark, Which Qualifications Count, Club and Federation Jobs, and Salaries (2026)

Professional football, international events and a national push on physical activity have made sports medicine a real career in the Gulf. This guide covers the Specialist Sports Medicine paper — 150 questions, three hours, 55% to pass — its nine official blueprint areas (heavier on exercise science than most candidates expect), which master's degrees, diplomas and fellowships are accepted, where sports doctors actually work, and what they earn.

Read the guide

Licensing routes for doctors

The full pathway — eligibility, documents, exam and registration — written per authority.

Neighbouring exam banks

Papers from the same professional group, each with its own code, blueprint and pass mark.

Authorities that license this title

Each regulator sets its own pass mark, classification tier and attempt limit for the same paper. Check yours before you book.

Experience each regulator asks for at the Specialist grade
RegulatorMinimum experience
DHA3 years in specialty after board qualification
MOHAP3 years in specialty post-board
DOH5 years post-qualification (3 in specialty)
SCFHS4 years post-qualification (2 in specialty)
QCHP3 years in specialty after board qualification
NHRA3 years in specialty post-board
OMSB3 years in specialty post-board

What candidates are saying

Verified reviews from doctors, nurses, and allied-health professionals who prepared with this bank.

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Vinod Sharma
🇮🇳 Verified
Consultant GI · Chandigarh
126d ago

The tier-based eligibility explainer was gold. Saved me from applying to the wrong authority. Consultant title granted by DOH Abu Dhabi.

AE
Ahmed El-Sayed
🇪🇬 Verified
Consultant Cardiology · Cairo
18d ago

Very well organized. The pass score prediction after finishing chapters kept me honest - I re-attempted the ones under 70% until I was above 85% consistently.

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Tariq Iqbal
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Consultant Ortho · Islamabad
53d ago

The 6-month access was exactly what I needed. Started slow, ramped up in the last month. Consultant title recognized in Abu Dhabi - offer letter in hand.

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Physician · Jeddah
98d ago

الشرح واضح جدًا. المحتوى متوافق مع أسئلة الهيئة. اجتزت الاختبار من المرة الأولى.

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Deepika Ravi
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Dental Hygienist · Chennai
149d ago

Chapters were paced perfectly. 100 questions per chapter is exactly what you can knock out in one focused sitting.

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Omar Hassan
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Physician · Amman → Doha
30d ago

Solid question bank. A couple of questions in the older chapters felt slightly outdated but the explanations were still accurate. QCHP verdict: passed.

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Rashid Ahmed
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Physician · Dhaka
72d ago

Good bank overall. Would love more Bangla case discussions but the English explanations are clear enough. Cleared NHRA on second attempt.

LM
Layla Al Mansoori
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Pharmacist · Sharjah
118d ago

The pharmacology explanations pull from Katzung and the mnemonics stuck. I recommended it to two colleagues who also passed.

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