Medical Ethics Course for Doctors in the UAE

What you will learn

• Identify the federal, emirate and free-zone instruments that govern a physician's ethical conduct in the UAE and the licensing authority that applies to your practice.
• Describe the twelve standards of the DHA Code of Ethics (2025) and the statutory duties and prohibited acts for physicians under Federal Law No. 5 of 2019, Federal Decree-Law No. 4 of 2016 and Cabinet Resolution No. 40 of 2019.
• Apply autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice, and a six-step decision method, to clinical dilemmas within UAE legal limits.
• Obtain valid consent, including written consent where required, and apply the correct substitute consent order for DHA, DOH or federal rules.
• Manage refusal of treatment, discharge against medical advice and emergency exceptions lawfully and document them correctly.
• Protect confidentiality, disclosing information only within the lawful exceptions and using NABIDH, Malaffi and social media in line with authority rules.
• Maintain honest records, certificates, insurance claims and advertising, and avoid prohibited financial arrangements and conflicts of interest.
• Apply the legal conditions for withholding resuscitation, permitted abortion, organ donation, human research and telehealth prescribing.
• Explain how complaints proceed through Medical Liability Committees, grievances and disciplinary penalties, and respond honestly and appropriately.
• Write a structured reflective account that demonstrates insight and plans specific, evidenced changes in practice.

Syllabus

11 sections, about 3 learning hours, 20-question final assessment

1. 1The ethical and legal framework for doctors in the UAE3 lessons

   • Medical ethics in the UAE: where ethics, law and licensing meet
   • The codes and standards that define ethical conduct
   • Your statutory duties as a physician
2. 2Ethical principles and reasoning in a multicultural system3 lessons

   • The four principles through a UAE lens
   • A practical method for ethical decisions
   • Culture, religion and family in ethical decisions
3. 3Consent, capacity and the right to refuse3 lessons

   • What valid consent requires in the UAE
   • Capacity, minors and substitute decision-makers
   • Refusal, discharge against advice and emergencies
4. 4Confidentiality, privacy and dignity in examination3 lessons

   • Confidentiality and its lawful exceptions
   • Digital records, health information exchanges and social media
   • Examining patients: third parties, consent and dignity
5. 5Honesty, integrity and money in medical practice3 lessons

   • Honest records, certificates and sick leave
   • Conflicts of interest, industry and referrals
   • Insurance integrity and honest advertising
6. 6Boundaries, competence and speaking up3 lessons

   • Professional boundaries with patients
   • Scope of practice, competence and supervision
   • Candour, incident reporting, speaking up and safeguarding
7. 7Ethics at the beginning and end of life, research and technology3 lessons

   • End of life: no ending of life, and the conditions for withholding CPR
   • Reproduction, abortion and organ donation
   • Research, telehealth and new technologies
8. 8Complaints, accountability and remediation3 lessons

   • When an ethical concern becomes a complaint: liability and discipline
   • Responding ethically when a complaint is made
   • Insight, reflection and remediation
9. 9Conclusion and key points1 lesson

   • Conclusion and key points
10. 10References and further reading1 lesson

    • References and further reading
11. 11Reflection1 lesson

    • Your reflective account

Course facts

CPD value

Approximately 3 learning hours (self-directed CPD, including knowledge checks, reflection and assessment)

Audience

Physicians licensed by MOHAP, DHA, DOH, SHA or DHCR in government and private facilities, including general practitioners, specialists, consultants and doctors new to UAE practice

Standards covered

Federal Law No. 5 of 2019 (Arts 17, 19, 24, 28, 29); Federal Decree-Law No. 4 of 2016 on Medical Liability (Arts 3–6, 8–12, 14–16, 17–25, 28, 37–38) and Cabinet Resolutions No. 40 of 2019, No. 14 of 2020 and No. 44 of 2024; Federal Law No. 2 of 2019 (Arts 4, 13, 16, 20); Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021; Federal Decree-Law No. 38 of 2024 (Art. 42); Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2023; Federal Law No. 3 of 2016, Federal Decree-Law No. 13 of 2024 and Federal Law No. 9 of 2019 (reporting duties); Ministerial Resolution No. 14 of 2021 (Patient's Rights and Responsibilities Charter); Ministerial Resolution No. 1448 of 2017 (Code of Ethics, referenced); DHA Standards for Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (2025), Guidelines for Patient Consent (2024), Health Information Consent and Access Control (2025), ST-21 and ST-53; Dubai Executive Council Resolution No. 49 of 2024; DOH Patient Consent Standard (2025), Policy on Integrity and Benefit Disclosure (2022), Incident Reporting and Management Standard V2 and Abu Dhabi Law No. 10 of 2018

Format

Self-paced, gated lessons with knowledge checks, UAE case studies and reflection

Assessment

20 scenario-based questions, 80% to pass (16 of 20)

Outcome

Certificate of completion and a written reflection for your professional development portfolio

Alignment

Supports reflection on the DHA Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (2025) Standards 1–12, the federal Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (Ministerial Resolution No. 1448 of 2017), the Patient's Rights and Responsibilities Charter, the DOH Patient Consent Standard and Policy on Integrity and Benefit Disclosure, and physician duties under Federal Law No. 5 of 2019; not approved or accredited by any UAE authority

Price

AED 449

Who this course is for

General practitioners, specialists and consultants licensed by MOHAP, DHA, DOH, SHA or DHCR, including doctors new to UAE practice.

Written for professionals licensed by any UAE authority: MOHAP, DHA, DOH, SHA or DHCR. Where the rules differ, the course explains the difference.