General Surgery exam questions
3 exam-length papers covering every published domain for General Surgery.
DHA GEN53413 papers · 488 Qs
What is riding on this exam
~AED 1,030
Exam fee, per attempt
Published by DHA. Paid again on every re-sit.
3
Attempts - in total
The cap is three across all UAE authorities, not three each.
60%
Pass mark
Pass or fail only. Your score is never released.
One failed attempt costs you the fee again, plus months of delay on your licence, your visa and your start date. This bank costs about a 4th of one exam fee.
Try two questions from this bank
Real questions from the bank - pick an answer to see the rationale and reference.
Q1Shock, Haemostasis, Transfusion and Coagulation
A 64-year-old man is haemodynamically stable on day 3 after a right hemicolectomy. He has no cardiac history, no active bleeding and no symptoms. His haemoglobin is 7.4 g/dL. What is the most appropriate management?
Choose an answer to see the rationale.
Q2Breast and Endocrine Surgery
A 55-year-old woman undergoes breast-conserving surgery for a 15 mm invasive ductal carcinoma. Final histology reports tumour cells touching the inked posterior margin; all other margins are clear by 4 mm. What is the most appropriate management?
Choose an answer to see the rationale.
Not sure where you stand? Sit 25 of these questions free, timed at real exam pace, and see which domains you are weakest in.
Take the free mock exam →Liked those? The full bank has 488 questions at this standard - every one with a rationale and a reference.
Get the full bank - AED 289What's inside
- ✓3 full-length papers (~150 Q each)
- ✓488 questions, no overlap between papers
- ✓Four options, one unambiguous best answer
- ✓A full rationale on every question
- ✓A real guideline or textbook reference
- ✓Every sub-topic in the published blueprint
Exam route by authority
| Authority | Delivered by | Specialist title |
|---|---|---|
| DHA - Dubai | Prometric | Computer-based MCQ |
| DOH - Abu Dhabi | Pearson VUE | Computer-based MCQ |
| MOHAP - Northern Emirates | Prometric | Computer-based MCQ |
| SCFHS - Saudi Arabia | Prometric / Pearson | Computer-based MCQ |
| QCHP - Qatar | Prometric | Computer-based MCQ |
| NHRA - Bahrain | Prometric | Computer-based MCQ |
| OMSB - Oman | Prometric | MCQ then oral viva |
Assessment mode depends on your licence title as well as your profession. Confirm your own route on your Sheryan / TAMM eligibility notice.
What the General Surgery exam covers
The published blueprint for this exam breaks into 13 domains and 244 testable sub-topics. Our bank covers every one of them - here is the full map, so you can see exactly what you are expected to know.
Fluid, Electrolyte, Acid-Base and Surgical Nutrition~5% (SCFHS published; DHA lists 'Fluid and Electrolytes')15 topics
- Body fluid compartments, daily maintenance requirements and third-space losses
- Choice of crystalloid vs colloid; balanced solutions vs 0.9% saline and hyperchloraemic acidosis
- Hyponatraemia: hypovolaemic/euvolaemic/hypervolaemic, SIADH, TURP syndrome, correction rate and osmotic demyelination
- Hypernatraemia and free-water deficit calculation in the post-operative and ICU patient
- Hyperkalaemia and hypokalaemia: ECG changes, emergency management, causes in the surgical patient
- Calcium disorders: hypocalcaemia after total thyroidectomy/parathyroidectomy, hungry bone syndrome, hypercalcaemic crisis
- +9 more in the bank
Shock, Haemostasis, Transfusion and Coagulation~5% (SCFHS published; DHA lists 'Shock')16 topics
- Classification of shock: hypovolaemic, cardiogenic, obstructive, distributive (septic, neurogenic, anaphylactic)
- ATLS haemorrhagic shock classes I-IV and physiological endpoints of resuscitation
- Haemodynamic monitoring: CVP, lactate, base deficit, ScvO2, dynamic fluid responsiveness measures
- Vasopressor and inotrope selection: noradrenaline, adrenaline, vasopressin, dobutamine, phenylephrine
- Damage-control resuscitation, permissive hypotension and the lethal triad (hypothermia, acidosis, coagulopathy)
- Massive transfusion protocol, 1:1:1 ratios and complications of massive transfusion
- +10 more in the bank
Surgical Infection, Sepsis and Antimicrobial Stewardship~5% (SCFHS published; DHA lists 'Sepsis and Surgical Infections')16 topics
- Sepsis and septic shock: Sepsis-3 definitions, qSOFA/SOFA, Surviving Sepsis one-hour bundle
- Source control principles: timing, drainage, debridement and diversion
- Surgical site infection: CDC classification (superficial, deep, organ-space) and risk factors
- Wound classification: clean, clean-contaminated, contaminated, dirty and expected infection rates
- Surgical antibiotic prophylaxis: agent, timing (within 60 min), redosing and duration
- Necrotising soft tissue infection: LRINEC score, Fournier gangrene, urgent radical debridement
- +10 more in the bank
Perioperative Care, Anaesthesia, Pain and Surgical Complications~9% (SCFHS 5% pre-op/anaesthesia/pain + 5% surgical complications, merged; DHA lists 'Perioperative Care')20 topics
- Preoperative risk assessment: ASA grade, RCRI, METs, POSSUM, frailty scoring
- Cardiac risk stratification and management of ischaemic heart disease, stents and beta-blockade
- Respiratory optimisation: COPD, OSA/STOP-BANG, smoking cessation, postoperative pulmonary complications
- Perioperative management of diabetes, steroids, thyroid disease and adrenal insufficiency
- Chronic kidney disease and dialysis patients; contrast nephropathy and perioperative AKI
- Anticoagulant and antiplatelet management around surgery; neuraxial anaesthesia timing rules
- +14 more in the bank
Trauma and Surgical Critical Care~5% (SCFHS published; DHA lists 'Trauma and Critical Care')19 topics
- ATLS primary and secondary survey; airway with C-spine control, adjuncts and reassessment
- Tension pneumothorax, open pneumothorax, massive haemothorax, flail chest and cardiac tamponade
- Emergency department thoracotomy: indications, technique and outcomes
- FAST/eFAST, CT trauma protocol and diagnostic peritoneal lavage - modern roles
- Blunt abdominal trauma: non-operative management of splenic and hepatic injury, AAST grading, angioembolisation
- Penetrating abdominal and thoracic trauma: selective non-operative management and mandatory laparotomy criteria
- +13 more in the bank
Breast and Endocrine Surgery~10% (SCFHS published; DHA lists 'Endocrine and Breast')20 topics
- Triple assessment of a breast lump: clinical, imaging (mammography/US/MRI) and core biopsy
- Benign breast disease: fibroadenoma, phyllodes tumour, cysts, duct ectasia, fat necrosis, gynaecomastia
- Breast infection: lactational and non-lactational abscess, periductal mastitis, aspiration vs incision
- Nipple discharge and the approach to a bloody discharge; intraductal papilloma
- Breast cancer risk factors, BRCA1/2 and hereditary syndromes, risk-reducing surgery
- Breast cancer screening principles and BI-RADS reporting
- +14 more in the bank
Hernia, Abdominal Wall, Skin and Soft Tissue~6% (SCFHS 5% hernia/abdominal wall/soft tissue tumours; DHA lists 'Hernia (all)' and 'Skin and Soft Tissue')18 topics
- Inguinal hernia anatomy: inguinal canal, Hesselbach triangle, myopectineal orifice, direct vs indirect
- Open repair techniques (Lichtenstein, Shouldice) vs laparoscopic TEP/TAPP; mesh choice and fixation
- Femoral hernia: higher strangulation risk, approaches and emergency management
- Incarceration, obstruction, strangulation and Richter hernia; assessment of bowel viability
- Umbilical, paraumbilical, epigastric and Spigelian hernia
- Incisional and complex ventral hernia: component separation, TAR, sublay vs onlay, loss of domain
- +12 more in the bank
Upper GI, Foregut and Bariatric/Metabolic Surgery~11% (SCFHS 7% upper GIT + 5% obesity surgery; DHA lists 'Upper GI')19 topics
- GORD: pathophysiology, pH/manometry, medical therapy, indications and technique of fundoplication
- Hiatus hernia types I-IV; paraoesophageal hernia, gastric volvulus and repair principles
- Achalasia: manometric subtypes, Heller myotomy, POEM and pneumatic dilatation
- Other motility disorders, diffuse oesophageal spasm and oesophageal diverticula (Zenker, epiphrenic)
- Barrett oesophagus: surveillance, dysplasia grading and endoscopic ablation/EMR
- Oesophageal carcinoma: adenocarcinoma vs squamous, staging (EUS/PET), neoadjuvant therapy, oesophagectomy approaches
- +13 more in the bank
Colorectal, Appendix and Perianal Surgery~8% (SCFHS published; DHA lists 'Colorectal and Perianal')20 topics
- Acute appendicitis: scoring (Alvarado/AIR), imaging strategy, appendicectomy vs antibiotics-first
- Appendiceal mass and abscess; appendiceal neoplasms, mucocele and pseudomyxoma peritonei
- Diverticular disease: Hinchey classification, medical management, percutaneous drainage, Hartmann vs primary anastomosis
- Diverticular complications: colovesical/colovaginal fistula, stricture, bleeding
- Inflammatory bowel disease: Crohn disease vs ulcerative colitis, medical therapy and surgical indications
- Acute severe colitis: Truelove-Witts, toxic megacolon and emergency subtotal colectomy
- +14 more in the bank
Acute Abdomen and Gastrointestinal Bleeding~11% (SCFHS 7% acute abdomen + 5% GI bleeding, merged)19 topics
- Systematic approach to acute abdominal pain: history, referred and migratory pain patterns, peritonism
- Diagnostic imaging strategy: erect CXR, ultrasound, CT with contrast, when to operate without imaging
- Generalised peritonitis and perforated viscus: resuscitation, antibiotics and timing of laparotomy
- Small bowel obstruction: adhesive vs hernia vs malignant, water-soluble contrast challenge, criteria for surgery
- Closed-loop obstruction, strangulation and bowel viability assessment intraoperatively
- Acute mesenteric ischaemia: embolic, thrombotic, NOMI and venous - diagnosis, revascularisation, second look
- +13 more in the bank
Hepatobiliary, Pancreas and Spleen~13% (SCFHS published - largest single section; DHA lists 'Hepato-biliary' and 'Pancreas and Spleen')23 topics
- Biliary anatomy, anatomical variants, Calot triangle and the critical view of safety
- Gallstone disease: biliary colic, acute cholecystitis, Tokyo guidelines grading and timing of cholecystectomy
- Difficult cholecystectomy: subtotal cholecystectomy, conversion, cholecystostomy in the unfit patient
- Bile duct injury: Strasberg classification, recognition, drainage and hepaticojejunostomy reconstruction
- Choledocholithiasis: predictors, MRCP, ERCP, laparoscopic bile duct exploration and Mirizzi syndrome
- Acute cholangitis: Charcot/Reynolds, urgent biliary decompression and sepsis management
- +17 more in the bank
Subspecialty Surgery (Vascular, Paediatric, Thoracic, Plastic) and Transplantation~9% (SCFHS 5% subspecialty + 5% transplant; DHA lists 'Vascular', 'Pediatrics')21 topics
- Peripheral arterial disease: claudication, critical limb ischaemia, ABI, Rutherford/Fontaine, revascularisation options
- Acute limb ischaemia: 6 Ps, Rutherford categories, embolectomy, thrombolysis, fasciotomy and reperfusion injury
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm: screening, thresholds for repair, EVAR vs open, ruptured AAA management
- Carotid disease: symptomatic vs asymptomatic stenosis, timing of endarterectomy, stroke risk
- Diabetic foot: neuropathy vs ischaemia, infection, offloading, debridement and amputation levels
- Venous disease: varicose veins, chronic venous insufficiency, venous ulcer, thermal ablation and sclerotherapy
- +15 more in the bank
Professionalism, Ethics, Patient Safety and Evidence-Based Surgery~3% (est.; DHA explicitly lists 'Professionalism and Ethics' and 'Patient safety' as separate coverage items; SCFHS states these are embedded across domains)18 topics
- Informed consent for surgery: capacity, material risk disclosure, alternatives and documentation
- Consent in emergencies, in minors, and in the patient lacking capacity; role of next of kin in GCC practice
- Confidentiality, medical records, data protection and disclosure obligations
- Breaking bad news, disclosure of complications and open disclosure after adverse events
- Managing the difficult conversation: refusal of treatment, discharge against medical advice, blood refusal
- End-of-life decision-making, DNR/DNAR orders, futility and palliative surgery
- +12 more in the bank
Before you book your exam
General Surgery licensing in the GCC
Requirements, timelines and salary by country
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