The terms mentioned in this Regulation are defined as follows:

• The Authority

  Saudi Commission for Health Specialties
  Health Practitioner	Any individual licensed to practice health professions, which include various categories specified in the Law on the Practice of Health Professions and other health professions agreed upon between the Ministers of Health and Civil Service and the Authority.
  Professional Classification	Granting the appropriate professional degree to the health practitioner based on a sequential process that includes studying qualifications and experiences, notarizing them, and professional evaluation.
  Professional Registration	Maintaining detailed data for the health practitioner in the health information database.
  Temporary Registration	Maintaining preliminary data for the practitioner in the Authority to allow them to complete the registration requirements within the legal timeframe.
  Registration Rejection	Preventing the applicant from registering with the Authority due to incomplete registration requirements.
  Registration Suspension	Temporarily halting registration due to a legitimate reason that necessitates reviewing the eligibility of the applicant for professional registration.
  Registration Activation	Allowing re-registration after it has been rejected or suspended.
  Registration Cancellation	Removing the practitioner's name from the list of registered individuals in the Authority.
  Re-registration	Extending the registration period after verifying the health practitioner's compliance with the re-registration requirements.
  Notarization	Verifying the authenticity of the documents submitted for classification from their source through the mechanism approved by the Authority.
  Professional Evaluation	Determining the competence and academic level of the applicant for professional registration.
  Professional Practice	Working in the field of specialization.
  Interruption of Professional Practice	Ceasing professional practice in the field of specialization for two consecutive years, except for study and training purposes in the field of specialization.
  Training Center	A health establishment qualified to participate in the training program and recognized by the Authority.
  On-the-Job Training	Receiving training under the supervision of specialists to acquire additional skills/experience in the field of specialization.
  Basic Qualification	The initial health qualification obtained by the practitioner, classified by the Authority for practicing a health profession.
  General Specialization	The main specialization in any branch of medicine or other health specialties.
  Sub-specialization	A specialization derived from the general specialization, requiring a certificate in the general specialization to pursue.
  Saudi Specialty Certificate	The highest professional certificate awarded by the Authority in general specializations.
  Recognition Decision	The acceptance of a qualifying program lasting no less than one academic year obtained by the practitioner, based on its accreditation by entities recognized by the Authority.
  Testing Course	A course defined by a specific duration or a limited number of attempts during which the applicant for registration is allowed to pass the professional evaluation.
  Training Completion Certificate	A declaration from the certifying body that the trainee has completed the required training before being allowed to sit for the final examination.
  Executive Council for Professional Practice	A council approved by the Board of Trustees of the Authority, composed of representatives from the Authority, Ministry of Civil Service, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, and the private sector, chaired by the General Secretary of the Authority.
  Academic Year	A school year consisting of two semesters, each lasting no less than nine months.
  Visiting Health Practitioner	A health practitioner coming from outside the Kingdom, whose services are sought by a private or governmental entity despite not having permanent professional classification and registration from the Authority, based on the specific regulations in the Law on the Practice of Health Professions.
  Clinical Training	Practical training in the field of specialization that qualifies the trainee for professional practice in the country of origin.

   

1. The provisions of this Regulation apply to all healthcare practitioners who wish to practice healthcare in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

2. The registration period for a healthcare practitioner is two years, after which re-registration is based on the availability of requirements.

3. Professional registration cannot be renewed more than 180 days after the registration period has expired, except for a reason accepted by the Authority; otherwise, it will be treated as a new application.

4. A healthcare practitioner may not be registered in more than one job category at the same time, such as medicine and nursing.

5. The Authority has the right to re-evaluate the healthcare practitioner whenever it deems necessary to ensure their professional competence.

6. The implementation of the provisions of this Regulation is based on the approval of the executive rules by the Executive Council for Professional Practice.

7. The Secretary-General may exempt from the provisions of this Regulation based on the recommendations of the Authority's councils or the Chief Executive Officer of Professional Practice or at the request of government entities for national interests, and the exemption shall be for individual cases as follows:

• A- The required experience duration.

• B- The number of allowed examination attempts.

• C- The applicable fees.

• D- The required continuing medical education hours.

1. All health certificates issued by accredited universities and educational bodies, both locally and internationally, are recognized in principle.

2. Academic certificates (Bachelor's - Master's - Doctorate) obtained by Saudis from outside the Kingdom must be equivalently recognized by the Ministry of Education.

3. Practical experience is not considered a substitute for the qualification requirement in classification.

4. New academic degrees are studied by specialized committees and councils designated by the Chief Executive Officer of the professional practice, and a recommendation is submitted to the Executive Council of the professional practice for approval.

5. The authority is guided in classifying the qualifications of employees in the health field by the regulations and laws in force in the Kingdom.

6. The date of approval of the result by the University Council is considered the actual date for obtaining the certificate issued by it.

7. The minimum admission requirements set by the issuing authority of the certificate are one of the essential factors determining the classification process.

8. The authority issues a recognition certificate for the health practitioner for the qualifying program if it is presented and accredited by a local or international reference body and after being studied by the authority's committees, provided that this certificate has not been previously used for professional classification and does not lead to a modification of the current classification of the practitioner.

9. The practitioner has the right to obtain a recognition certificate for a certificate outside their primary specialty, and if they wish to classify this training professionally, the classification and registration requirements for the same specialty they wish to classify must be met.

10. If the applicant's Bachelor's degree is outside the health field, the subsequent health qualification is studied, and upon its approval, it is treated as the primary qualification in the specialty.

11. The health practitioner may modify their professional classification by transitioning from one specialty to another, taking into account the factor of interruption from professional practice.

1. Certificates obtained by doctors without a structured training and clinical framework in the field of specialization.

2. Research-oriented certificates obtained by applicants that have no direct relation to health practice.

3. Master's and doctoral certificates for which training requirements were completed on the job in the Kingdom, excluding the requirements of thesis discussion or passing the examination.

4. Health certificates of an honorary nature.

5. Certificates related to traditional medicine and alternative medicine.

6. Registration certificates for granting licenses to work or membership certificates for certain associations granted after passing licensing examinations in some countries, such as the United States of America.

7. Distance education certificates issued by internal or external entities that have not been accredited by the Ministry of Education.

8. Certificates not accredited by reference sources in the country of origin.

1. A request for classification/registration or renewal of registration with the authority shall not be accepted unless accompanied by proof of the validity of the qualification and registration or experience from the country of origin.

2. The authority shall authenticate the licenses/registration certificates issued by the accredited medical councils in the country of origin.

3. The authority shall suffice with the authentication of experience in the absence of professional licenses/registration certificates in the country of origin.

1. The training programs in the health field accepted by the Authority are the regulated programs that the practitioner enrolls in and progresses through from one level to a higher level according to specific controls in training centers accredited by the Authority or another recognized entity.

2. The actual duration of practical training in clinical specialties is the duration considered in the classification of certificates.

3. Overlapping periods in training to obtain different qualifications are accepted with a reference to the overlap.