Saudi Medical Licensure Examination (SMLE)

Applicant Guide

Note : Read this guide before submitting an application to test.

 They will acknowledge at the time of application that you have read and understood. This guide and the policies and procedures contained within.

General Rules

Saudi Medical Licensure Examination

Congratulations to those who are a year away from MBBS/MD graduation and to those who have already graduated! We share your excitement and pride at this important moment in your life. Your future career promises to be bright and full of opportunities. We wish you success in all your future endeavors and dreams.

If you want to practice in Saudi Arabia or join a postgraduate training program at the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS). you must take the Saudi Medical Licensure Examination (SMLE) at this stage.

What is the SMLE?

The SMLE is an exam that assesses your readiness to practice and/or proceed to postgraduate training. It consists of 300 MCQs which may include up to 20 pilot questions. It is a six-hour MCQ examination with scheduled breaks.

The exam contains three sections of 100 questions each, and candidates have 120 minutes to complete each part. The system schedules two breaks: one between section one and section two, and another between section two and section three. Candidates may divide a total of 45 minutes between these breaks according to their preference.

These multiple-choice questions (MCQs) present four options, from which the candidate must select the single best answer. In addition, the examination includes recall questions designed to test basic knowledge, as well as scenario-based questions that assess higher-order skills such as interpretation, analysis, decision-making, reasoning, and problem-solving. For further guidance and important instructions, candidates should refer to Appendix A.

What is a test blueprint, and what is its purpose?

A test blueprint is a document that reflects the content of the SMLE. The blueprint is the

plan used for “building” the SMLE. The blueprint was established by the SMLE steering

committee which consists of representatives from Saudi Medical College Deans.

The blueprint tests what you are expected to know before entering supervised clinical practice, and the exam bank maps all items to the SaudiMEDs framework.

Note:(See Appendix B: for test blueprint and SaudiMEDs framework).

Application and Eligibility

How to apply for the SMLE?

To apply for the SMLE, you must have a recognized primary degree (MBBS or

equivalent) from an accredited health science program or commenced training in the internship year or student who is one year away from graduation.

Applying for the SMLE

When applying for the examination, you must apply through the e-application and include the required attachments. Once your application is processed, a scheduling permit with your eligibility period will be issued. will receive an email with instructions for accessing your permit.

After obtaining the scheduling permit, you may visit the specified website to schedule a test date.

You may not schedule more than three months in advance.

Since the beginning of February 2019, the SCFHS has not only started offering the SMLE in 11 testing windows within Saudi Arabia but also made it available internationally. Therefore, if you would like to explore further details or stay updated with the latest announcements, you should visit the official SCFHS website.

Important Notes:

• - Scheduling the allowed test attempts during the year is the sole responsibility of the candidate.
• - SCFHS is not responsible for delaying the test attempts till the end of the year and not finding a test spot.
• Firstly, candidates can test in any SCFHS-approved Prometric testing center, both locally and internationally, since the available locations appear clearly upon scheduling.
• Secondly, a candidate is not allowed to sit for the test twice in the same testing window; therefore, in such an instance, the system will announce the result of the first dated test, whereas the second attempt will, consequently, be considered invalid and marked as an attempt without a valid result.
• - All candidates must review the applicant guide before taking the test.

Exam Preparation Resources

SMLE Mock Practice Examination:

To experience a test that resembles the actual test blueprint and sampled from the SMLE item

bank, you can apply for SMLE mock test. Please visit the SCFHS website for more information.

Exam Day

Instructions for examination day:

• • You will be continuously monitored by video, physical walk-throughs and the observation
  • window during your test. All testing sessions are video and audio recorded (if applicable).
  • You must bring valid (unexpired) and acceptable ID(s) (Saudi ID, Resident ID, or Passport)
  • and exam schedule printed out to the examination hall, and present it at the registration desk.
  • Any clothing or jewelry items allowed to be worn in the test room must remain on your person at all times. Removed clothing or jewelry items must be stored in your locker.
  • You may not leave the examination hall before thirty minutes have elapsed and always accompanied by an invigilator if you wish to return.
  • You must conduct yourself in a civil manner at all times when on the premises of the testing center. Exhibiting abusive behavior towards the Test Center Administrator (TCA), or any other staff member of the test center, may result in legal prosecution.
  • To protect the privacy of all testers, the TCA can neither confirm nor deny if any particular individual is present or scheduled at the test center.
  • Repeated or lengthy departures from the test room for unscheduled breaks will be reported by the TCA.
  • You must return all materials issued to you by the TCA at the end of your test.
  • You are required to sign out on the test center roster each time you leave the test room. You
  • must also sign back in and show your ID to the TCA in order to be re-admitted to the test room.
  • Persons not scheduled to take a test are not permitted to wait in the test center.
  • If you arrive 30 minutes after the scheduled time, you will not be allowed to enter the test hallway, and the session will be cons
  • ch break time and exceed the allocated break time, next test block will start automatically and the excess time will be deducted from your testing time.
  • Ensure you arrive 10-15 minutes before the start of your next block to allow time for sign in as the sign process may take more around 15 minutes based on testing capacity.

Test; SMLE

 # of Test Block(s) 3 min

Duration of Each Block Break Ti

• idered “No Show”.

Prohibitions

Before the examination:

• Seeking, providing, and/or obtaining unauthorized access to examination materials, providing false information or making false statements on or in connection with application forms, scheduling permits, or other exam-related documents.
• Applying for an examination for which you are not eligible.
• Communicating or attempting to communicate about specific test items, cases, answers, and/or exam results with an examiner, potential examiner, or formal or informal test developers at any time before, during, or after an examination.

During the examination:

• Taking an examination for which you are not eligibl
• Taking an examination for someone or engaging someone to take an examination for you giving, receiving, or obtaining unauthorized assistance during the examination or attempting to do so
• Making notes of any kind while in the secure areas of the test center, except on the writing materials provided at the test center for this purpose.
• Failing to adhere to any exam policy, procedure, or rule, including instructions of TCA
• Verbal or physical harassment of test center staff or other examination staff, or other disruptive or unprofessional behavior during the registration, scheduling, or examination process
• Possessing any unauthorized materials, including photographic equipment, communication or recording devices, and cell phones, in the secure testing areas

• The examination hall prohibits any other electronic communication device not mentioned herein, irrespective of whether it is turned off, and makes no provision to store them.

     
• Communicating or attempting to communicate about specific test items, cases, and/or answers with another examinee, or formal or informal test preparation group at any time before, during, or after an examination.

After the examination:

• Altering or misrepresenting examination scores.
• Any reproduction by any means, including, but not limited to, reconstruction through memorization, and/or dissemination of copyrighted examination materials by any means, including the internet.
• Communicating or attempting to communicate about specific test items, cases, and/or answers with another examinee, potential examinee, or formal or informal test preparation group at any time before, during, or after an examination.
• Failure to cooperate fully in any investigation of a violation of the SCFHS rules.

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