🇧🇭 Bahrain · Doctors
What do doctors need for an NHRA license in Bahrain?
Bahrain's National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) keeps its general (GP) licence for Bahrainis, so a doctor trained abroad needs a specialty certificate in its tier table, a one-year internship and a pass in the Bahrain Medical Licensure Examination (BLE); a Tier 3 certificate also needs 36 months of experience after it and the NHRA Specialist Examination.
Checked 23 Oct 2026 · NHRA ↗
What NHRA asks of a specialist
| Medical degree | Medical schools should be listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools and the Ministry of Education list of recognised universities; qualifications by correspondence or online distance learning do not count |
|---|---|
| Internship | A minimum of one year of supervised clinical practice in a university-affiliated or accredited educational hospital, with at least six months in medical and six months in surgical services |
| Specialty certificate | A specialty certificate obtained after a full-time structured clinical residency of at least three years, or a full-time clinical master's or PhD with at least 70 to 75 per cent supervised clinical training, allocated to Tier 1, 2 or 3 in the Recognized Specialty Certificates table by country and awarding body; a sub-specialty licence needs a one-year fellowship |
| Licence at home | The applicant must be registered and hold a valid professional licence or registration from the home country and/or country of last employment |
| Good standing certificate | Issued in the last 180 days by the regulator where you last worked |
| Gap in practice | Less than 3 years |
| Verification | The documents required for licensing (qualifications, experience certificates, professional licences, good standing) shall be verified directly from the original or primary source |
| English test | None named |
Experience after the specialty certificate
| Specialist | Consultant | |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | None | 24 months |
| Tier 2 | 12 months | 48 months |
| Tier 3 | 36 months | Cannot attain the title |
Exams
| Bahrain Medical Licensure Examination (BLE) | All physicians must pass the BLE to obtain the professional licence; a pass is valid five years; only Bahraini or GCC nationals holding a valid GCC licence are exempt |
|---|---|
| Attempts | Four consecutive attempts within three years of the first; only Bahraini physicians may retrain for six months and sit twice more |
| NHRA Specialist Examination | Holders of Tier 3 specialty qualifications trained outside Bahrain must pass the NHRA Specialist Examination (electronic, written, short cases or interview); Tier 1 and Tier 2 qualifications are exempt; four attempts within three years of the first |
Good to know
- Can a GP trained abroad get an NHRA license?
- The general licence categories are for Bahrainis only; non-Bahraini physicians need an exemption from the Supreme Council of Health; general practitioners and general residents work under the direct supervision of consultants.
- What experience counts?
- Hands-on clinical experience during salaried employment, relevant to the category applied for and gained in licensed hospitals or medical centres; volunteer work, observerships, attachments and electives are excluded; non-Bahrainis must fulfil the post-qualification experience before applying.
- Is there an age limit?
- Yes: non-Bahraini doctors can be licensed up to the age of 65 years.
- How long does DataFlow take?
- DataFlow says 15 to 25 working days from payment with a complete file; no attestation or apostille is needed for primary source verification.
- How long is the licence valid?
- Renewable for up to three years at a time with 30 CME/CPD hours a year and a health fitness certificate every three years.
What to do next
Tell us your specialty certificate, your internship and your experience, and we show whether NHRA will license you as a specialist or consultant and what is left, with how long it takes.
Sources
outcomeOS describes each regulator's published rules; it does not advise on your individual case. · Privacy · Terms
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