CPD/CME News

Complete Your CPD/CME Requirements Online: Everything UAE Healthcare Professionals Need to Know

By Med iLearning - 14th May 2026

CPD/CME is mandatory for every licensed healthcare professional in the UAE. Whether you’re a doctor working under the DHA in Dubai, a nurse licensed through MOHAP, or a pharmacist renewing your licence in Abu Dhabi, continuous professional development is a condition of staying compliant.

The good news: you don’t have to attend a conference, book leave, or pay for expensive in-person courses to meet your requirements. In the UAE, you can complete 100% of your annual CPD/CME hours online with Medilearning, at any time, on any device.

Here’s what you need to know.

What are the CPD/CME requirements for healthcare professionals in the UAE?

Requirements vary by profession and licensing authority:

• Doctors (DHA Dubai): A minimum of 30 CME hours per year are required to maintain a DHA licence. These must be completed through an accredited provider.
• Nurses: The DHA and MOHAP both have annual CPD/CME requirements for licensed nurses (minimum 20 hours). Requirements vary by speciality and licence type.
• Pharmacists: Pharmacists licensed in the UAE must complete continuing professional development as a condition of annual licence renewal (typically 20 hours per year). Requirements are set by the relevant health authority.
• Dentists: DHA-licensed dentists have mandatory annual CPD/CME requirements covering clinical practice and professional development (typically 40 hours per year).

Across all four groups, the direction of travel is clear: CPD/CME requirements are being enforced more actively, documentation standards are rising, and online platforms that produce verifiable certificates are increasingly preferred over informal learning.

Can I complete my CPD/CME entirely online?

Yes. In the UAE, 100% of your annual CPD/CME requirements can be fulfilled through accredited online platforms. You do not need to attend in-person events to meet your DHA, DOH or MOHAP requirements, provided the online modules you complete are from an accredited provider.

MediLearning International is one of those providers. Its four dedicated platforms (Doctor CPD, Nurse CPD, Pharmacist CPD and Dentist CPD) offer 110+ accredited modules across 30+ clinical areas. Modules are available 24/7, certificates are issued on completion, and progress is tracked automatically so you always know where you stand.

What clinical areas and topics are covered?

MediLearning covers the clinical areas and topics most relevant to practising HCPs in the UAE and GCC:

• For doctors: cardiology, oncology, neurology, respiratory medicine, endocrinology, gastroenterology, urology, women’s health, psychiatry, rheumatology, dermatology, men’s health, haematology, hepatology, pain and more.
• For nurses: cardiology, oncology, respiratory medicine, infection control, endocrinology, haematology, nephrology, anaesthesia, women’s health and rheumatology.
• For pharmacists: cardiology, dermatology, oncology, neurology, respiratory, endocrinology, gastroenterology, rheumatology, women’s health, immunology, ophthalmology and more.
• For dentists: orofacial pain assessment, TMJ disorders, neuropathic and persistent orofacial pain, orofacial pain in medically compromised and complex patients

How do online CPD/CME modules work?

The process is straightforward. You register on the platform, select a module in your clinical area, work through evidence-based content at your own pace, and complete a knowledge assessment. On passing, a certificate is issued automatically. Your CPD Data Hub records the credit and tracks your progress toward your annual target.

Modules take around two hours to complete depending on the topic and credit value. You can stop and return to a module at any point.

Frequently asked questions

Does online CPD/CME count toward DHA licence renewal?

Yes. CPD/CME completed on accredited online platforms counts toward DHA CME requirements for doctors and other HCP groups. The key requirement is that the provider and content are accredited by a recognised body.

Is MediLearning accredited?

Yes. MediLearning modules are accredited by the Dubai Health Authority (UAE), the RCPI (Royal College of Physicians of Ireland) for doctors, and the NMBI (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland) for nurses, among other accrediting bodies.

How do I track my CPD/CME progress?

Your MediLearning CPD Data Hub shows a complete record of your completed modules, credit totals, and certificates. You can access this at any time and download certificates for licence renewal purposes. You can also upload, store, and manage all your CPD in one place with our new External CPD/CME Uploads feature.

Can I access CPD/CME modules on my phone?

Yes. All MediLearning content is accessible on any device (desktop, tablet or smartphone).

Is there a cost to access CPD/CME modules?

MediLearning offers individual plans for HCPs as well as organisational plans for hospitals and healthcare teams. Some modules may also be accessible through a Sponsored Credits programme funded by a Medilearning partner at no cost to the HCP.

What happens if I don’t complete my annual CPD/CME requirement?

Non-completion of CPD/CME requirements can affect your licence renewal. The DHA and other health authorities are increasingly rigorous about CPD/CME documentation. Keeping your records up to date through a platform that tracks and certifies your learning is the simplest way to stay compliant.