UAE Health Ministry Launches Metaverse Program for Medical Exams Monitored Using AI

The UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has today announced the launch of a new metaverse program that will allow medical professionals and consultants to conduct exams and interviews remotely, according to The Khaleej Times.

With the program, medical professionals located in different countries who are interested in working in the UAE can log into the metaverse and take the exam or attend interviews, while UAE-based examiners can monitor the exam virtually. The interview and exam details will be sent electronically. This could be a much more straightforward process of getting accreditation to work in the UAE for those in the medical profession.

“For example, if the doctor is in Australia or any other country and we have three examiners in different locations in UAE, they all will log in to metaverse and start the exam. The three doctors in the UAE will be in their own healthcare facilities, but they will be together as panelists in the metaverse,” Dr. Amin Hussein Al Amiri, assistant undersecretary for the MoHAP, explains.

To prevent cheating, examiners will monitor the students’ facial and eye movements using artificial intelligence. AI will be able to detect whether the students are getting external support or looking at papers in other directions. 

While the UAE has been remotely conducting exams for healthcare professionals below the level of consultants and specialists for more than eight years, some of those located abroad were required to be physically present in the UAE for interviews. The newly launched metaverse program removes that need and allows them to attend interviews from their home countries.

A number of metaverse projects were launched in the UAE by governmental organizations and private businesses in the past year. These include a metaverse customer service center launched by the MoHAP last January; a metaverse hospital in July; and the opening of a virtual office of the Ministry of Economy in September, among others.

The latest initiative from the MoHAP is part of the UAE’s efforts to position itself as the preferred destination for top global talent. The metaverse program will be implemented next Monday, Jan 6.