So, I've been getting a lot of questions from doctors who wished to know how to prepare for the Saudi Licensing Exam. Instead of responding to each individual email, I thought it would be time-saving to respond to most of the questions that I typically get.
What is the Saudi Licensing Exam (SLE)?
The SLE is a one-step examination for healthcare professionals in Saudi Arabia. Physicians who wish to practice in the kingdom have to take the exam in order to be registered with the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties. While some physicians have been reported to practice without sitting for the SLE, the exam is mandatory for those who wish to join a residency programme in Saudi Arabia or for those who earned their medical degrees out of the kingdom to ensure that they have achieved the appropriate standards and criteria to practice in the kingdom.
The exam for general practice consists of 100 multiple choice questions (MCQs) from the following areas:
- Internal medicine (25 questions)
- Family medicine (15 questions)
- Ophthalmology (3 questions)
- Gynaecology/obstetrics (10 questions)
- Paediatrics (15 questions)
- General surgery (15 questions)
- Orthopaedics (3 questions)
- Ear, nose, and throat (3 questions)
- Basic sciences (3 questions)
- Psychiatry (5 questions)
- Dermatology (3 questions)
It is considered an easy exam to pass, but candidates need to put in more work to get high scores. The passing grade for the SLE is 50%, but you should aim for a much higher grade (>75%) if you wish to increase your chances of joining a postgraduate programme.
Resources
Anecdotal reports from interns and general practitioners suggest that the questions are recycled. This said, it might help to revise previous exam questions. A few books currently on the market are great for the exam:
SLE Made Easy: Saudi License Examination by Dr. Yasser Albrahim
Where to purchase: Amazon
Format: Electronically delivered as a .mobi file on Kindle or any device (PC or tablet) that accepts Kindle
This 769-page long book contains over 1,300 MCQ, including answers and explanations, to help students understand concepts instead of them just practising to memorise answers to questions.
Comprehensive Review for Saudi License Examination (SLE) by Dr Yahia M Al-Khaldi.
Price: 26.66 USD (100 SAR)
Where to purchase: Jarir Bookstore (either online or at a physical store in your area)
Format: Paperback
This 306-page long book contains more than 1,200 MCQs, with answers provided by the author.
Other helpful books
Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine by Murray Longmore, Ian Wilkinson, Andrew Baldwin, and Elizabeth Wallin
Price: 39.49 USD (148.13 SAR) for the Kindle version and 46.81 USD (175.59 SAR) for the flexibound version
Where to purchase: Amazon and Jarir Bookstore
Format: Kindle and flexibound
First Aid for the USMLE Step 3 by Tao Le, Vikas Bhushan, James Yeh, and Kachiu Lee
Price: 33.08 USD (124.07 SAR) for the Kindle version and 42.32 USD (158.73 SAR) for the paperback version
Where to purchase: Amazon and Jarir Bookstore
Format: Kindle and paperback
How to Register for the SLE
To register for the exam, you need to visit the offices of the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS). They have offices in several cities of the kingdom. You can visit their website for information on how to register and the location of testing centres, both within and outside Saudi Arabia.
The SCFHS warns all candidates on their website not to submit fraudulent degrees when registering for the exam, as they check all certificates submitted to the council. Frauds risk a jail term and a permanent ban from Saudi if caught.
Have you taken the SLE? If yes, please share your experience below. And for first-time takers of the exam, I wish you all the best!
What is the Saudi Licensing Exam (SLE)?
The SLE is a one-step examination for healthcare professionals in Saudi Arabia. Physicians who wish to practice in the kingdom have to take the exam in order to be registered with the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties. While some physicians have been reported to practice without sitting for the SLE, the exam is mandatory for those who wish to join a residency programme in Saudi Arabia or for those who earned their medical degrees out of the kingdom to ensure that they have achieved the appropriate standards and criteria to practice in the kingdom.
The exam for general practice consists of 100 multiple choice questions (MCQs) from the following areas:
- Internal medicine (25 questions)
- Family medicine (15 questions)
- Ophthalmology (3 questions)
- Gynaecology/obstetrics (10 questions)
- Paediatrics (15 questions)
- General surgery (15 questions)
- Orthopaedics (3 questions)
- Ear, nose, and throat (3 questions)
- Basic sciences (3 questions)
- Psychiatry (5 questions)
- Dermatology (3 questions)
It is considered an easy exam to pass, but candidates need to put in more work to get high scores. The passing grade for the SLE is 50%, but you should aim for a much higher grade (>75%) if you wish to increase your chances of joining a postgraduate programme.
Resources
Anecdotal reports from interns and general practitioners suggest that the questions are recycled. This said, it might help to revise previous exam questions. A few books currently on the market are great for the exam:
Where to purchase: Amazon
Format: Electronically delivered as a .mobi file on Kindle or any device (PC or tablet) that accepts Kindle
This 769-page long book contains over 1,300 MCQ, including answers and explanations, to help students understand concepts instead of them just practising to memorise answers to questions.
Price: 26.66 USD (100 SAR)
Where to purchase: Jarir Bookstore (either online or at a physical store in your area)
Format: Paperback
This 306-page long book contains more than 1,200 MCQs, with answers provided by the author.
Other helpful books
Price: 39.49 USD (148.13 SAR) for the Kindle version and 46.81 USD (175.59 SAR) for the flexibound version
Where to purchase: Amazon and Jarir Bookstore
Format: Kindle and flexibound
Price: 33.08 USD (124.07 SAR) for the Kindle version and 42.32 USD (158.73 SAR) for the paperback version
Where to purchase: Amazon and Jarir Bookstore
Format: Kindle and paperback
How to Register for the SLE
To register for the exam, you need to visit the offices of the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS). They have offices in several cities of the kingdom. You can visit their website for information on how to register and the location of testing centres, both within and outside Saudi Arabia.
The SCFHS warns all candidates on their website not to submit fraudulent degrees when registering for the exam, as they check all certificates submitted to the council. Frauds risk a jail term and a permanent ban from Saudi if caught.
Have you taken the SLE? If yes, please share your experience below. And for first-time takers of the exam, I wish you all the best!
Can a fresher MBBS from India sit for the Saudi License exam or is any experience required? I have 3 years hospital experience spread over 12 years.
ReplyDeletePreviously, fresh graduates and GPs who had experience in their home countries had to complete an internship of at least 3-6 months at a Saudi-based hospital. However, I have encountered a few fresh graduates who took the SLE without fulfilling the internship requirement. You might want to visit the offices of the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties in your region to find out more.
ReplyDeleteGreetings for the day sir
ReplyDeleteI, umair Mahmood appeared for prometric exam for the category of "Dental Hygiene Technician" position on 18-April-2016 at exam center 8783 at Pakistan, city lahore FC college bearing eligibility number G160037540, passport number: PD 0159722 and i have scored a percentage of 44%.
I came to knew that 40% is considered to be a passing score but I secured a percentage of 44% and my result is mentioned as fail, so I request you to please help me with the passing percentage required for the same
Thank you
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