Emirati Board Neurology Exams

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Next registration and exam dates

Next dates not yet published

NIHS has not yet published the next neurology sittings. Check the NIHS certification exam calendar.

  • 6 November 2026 — Emirati Board Final Clinical exam (CCE) registration closed

Roadmap to neurology in the UAE

  1. After medical school: internship and the EMREE

    1-year internship

    A medical degree, then 12 months of internship.

    To enter residency, pass the Emirates Medical Residency Entrance Examination (EMREE), run by NIHS. It is offered in many sittings between December and March each year (2025–26: 21 December 2025 to 22 March 2026; fee AED 1,000).

  2. Neurology residency (medicine included)

    60 months (PGY-1 to PGY-5)

    After the EMREE, apply to an NIHS-accredited programme, then register with NIHS with a written acceptance from the training centre.

    The first year is general medicine inside the programme: at least 6 months of internal medicine, 1 month of emergency medicine and 1 month of ICU, the rest medicine electives. It is not a separate step.

    Neurology then includes at least 24 months of adult clinical neurology, 3 months of child neurology, 3 months of EMG / nerve conduction, 2 months of epilepsy monitoring and 4 months of electives (NIHS programme requirements, marked draft; confirm with your programme).

  3. In-training exam: Part 1 Written

    After PGY-2, passed by the end of PGY-3

    Residents may sit Part 1 after PGY-2 and must pass it by the end of PGY-3 to be promoted to PGY-4. Part 1 must be passed before the Final exams.

    NIHS also strongly encourages an annual in-training exam but does not name one for neurology; ask your programme.

    Emirati Board Part 1 Written

  4. Board exams: Final Written, then Final Clinical (CCE)

    Autumn, after training

    Both are held once a year. In 2026 the Final Written was on 7 October (enrolment 1–30 August) and the Final Clinical exam is on 6 November (enrolment 15–22 October).

    Board-eligible status lasts 4 years after you complete training; retraining is required after that.

Where the exam fits

The Final Written and the Final Clinical exam (CCE) come after the 60-month NIHS residency, each once a year in the autumn. Part 1 Written is taken during training and must be passed first.

Emirati Board Final exams: the details

Final Written

EnrolmentOpened 1 August and closed late August in 2026 (1–30 August). The 2027 dates are not yet published.
StructureTwo papers of single-best-answer MCQs, plus up to 10% unscored pretest items.
Number of questions100 to 125 per paper
Options per question4 (official sample items, A to D)
Pass ruleSet by standard-setting, not a fixed percentage.
FeeAED 3,000

Final Clinical exam (CCE)

Enrolment15–22 October 2026, for the 6 November 2026 exam.
Structure8 to 12 stations of 10 to 15 minutes, with 2 examiners per station and 3-minute breaks. Not multiple choice.
Pass ruleEach station has a minimum performance level; a pass needs about 70% of stations.
FeeAED 3,000

All registration and exam dates

  • 6 November 2026 — Emirati Board Final Clinical exam (CCE)Enrolment 15–22 October 2026

Dates are set by the board and can change. Always check the official page before you apply.

Curriculum and blueprint

Final Written blueprint

Twelve domains, weights only.

Weights as NIHS publishes them; each domain may vary by ±5%. NIHS lists no subtopics. The NIHS and SCFHS blueprints overlap.

Neuromuscular and related — 14%
Cerebrovascular diseases — 12%
Epilepsy, psychiatry and sleep — 12%
Demyelinating disease / MS and spinal cord — 10%
Movement disorders — 10%
Pain and headache — 8%
Dementia — 7%
CNS infection — 7%
Neuro-ophthalmology — 5%
Neoplasia and paraneoplasia — 5%
Trauma and neurology of systemic diseases — 5%
Paediatric neurology, nutritional and metabolic diseases — 5%

Research, ethics, professionalism and patient safety are spread across the domains.

Source: Neurology Final Written blueprint

Eligibility

  • Training completed in an NIHS-accredited programme, with programme-director attestation and summative milestones.
  • Part 1 Written passed.
  • Board-eligible status lasts 4 years after you complete training; retraining is required after that.

How HighYieldNeuro helps

Our 1,443 high-quality questions span every area of neurology, each with a detailed explanation and a summary of the key points, and are reviewed and updated every year.

Our comprehensive study notes cover every area of neurology for every part of the exam, with a Last Minute Review series for the final few days before the test. Your personalised study plan sets out week by week what to cover before your exam date.

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