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Bahrain for Doctors in Training

Door 2 — Residency Training (Arab Board)

Door 2 is for doctors who want to train in Bahrain to become specialists. Getting your license through Door 1 comes first — residency acceptance builds on top of it, not around it. Postgraduate residency training in Bahrain is coordinated by the Bahrain Medical Specialty Board (BMSB) and accredited by the Arab Board of Health Specializations (ABHS) across major tertiary centers including Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC), King Hamad University Hospital (KHUH), and Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) Hospital.

Pathway Snapshot

Secure your NHRA license first, then gain formal acceptance into a recognized residency program at an accredited hospital. You train under the Arab Board curriculum, passing the Initial Exam at PGY-2 and the final examinations at the end of your program.

Complete Journey: NHRA License → Hospital Acceptance → Arab Board Residency → Initial Exam → Final Knowledge Exam + Final Practical Exam → Arab Board Certification → Consultant Practice.

On this page

Main Links

1 Program Overview 2 Specialties & Durations 3 Arab Board Examination Milestones 4 Fees 5 Full Arab Board Guide

Program Overview

Residency training runs through Bahrain's Supreme Council of Health, following the Arab Board curriculum. You will need to be formally accepted by a specific hospital running a recognized residency program. They will issue you a letter confirming your acceptance and training start date. From there you train under the Arab Board system, sitting the Arab Board Specialty Certificate exam at the end.

For full details on the Arab Board — including the three-stage examination framework (Initial Exam, Final Knowledge Exam, Final Practical Exam), exam cadence, eligibility timelines, attempt limits, passing standards (Angoff/Hofstee methodology), and GCC recognition — see our complete Arab Board guide.

Full Arab Board Guide →

Specialties & Durations

Specialty Program Duration Key Training Sites

Internal Medicine

 4 Years SMC, KHUH, BDF Hospital

General Surgery

 5 Years SMC, KHUH, BDF Hospital

Pediatrics

 4 Years SMC, KHUH, BDF Hospital

Obstetrics & Gynecology

 5 Years SMC, KHUH, BDF Hospital

Arab Board Examination Milestones

All specialties follow a three-stage examination structure. The final clinical assessment evaluates candidate competency through an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) and a Structured Oral Examination (SOE) or viva panel. The exact number of stations, duration per station, and final weighting vary significantly by specialty and are determined by the relevant ABHS Scientific Council.

  • Initial Exam: Written MCQ exam, held twice per year. Must be first attempted within 2 years of starting training; up to 4 attempts total, all within the first 3 years.
  • Final Knowledge Exam: Written MCQ exam, held once per year. Eligibility requires a completed research project and approved logbook. Maximum 4 attempts.
  • Final Practical Exam: Combined OSCE and SOE, held once or twice per year. Maximum 4 attempts. Candidates are generally permitted up to 3 to 4 attempts to pass the exit exam, subject to the specialty's scientific committee bylaws.

For detailed information on attempt limits, exceptional-attempt pathways, passing standards (Angoff/Hofstee methodology), and exam cadence, see our full Arab Board guide.

What we offer

Arab Board Initial Exam and Final Knowledge Exam question banks, plus OSCE station walkthroughs and clinical viva case scenarios for the Final Practical Exam.

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Fees

Arab Board examination fees are set by the ABHS Executive Office. The ABHS publishes an official fee schedule on its portal, categorized by administrative tier. Fees vary based on training category and country of residence. Confirm current amounts directly via arab-board.org or through your sponsoring institution. For the full guidance on ABHS fees, see our Arab Board guide.