What is the OET? A Comprehensive Guide for Healthcare Professionals

Levi Cheptora

Fri, 06 Jun 2025

The Occupational English Test (OET) is a specialized English language proficiency exam designed specifically for healthcare professionals. Unlike general English tests, the OET focuses on medical contexts and scenarios that healthcare workers encounter daily, making it particularly suited for doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, and other medical practitioners. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the OET, from its format and scoring to the benefits it offers and how it compares to other English exams like IELTS.

What Is the OET?

The OET is an international English language test that assesses the language skills of healthcare professionals who wish to register and practice in English-speaking countries. It tests the ability to communicate effectively in a medical setting, focusing on real-world healthcare scenarios rather than general English topics.

Key Facts About the OET:

• Created for Healthcare Workers: The OET is designed to reflect the tasks that healthcare professionals perform in their daily work. It includes specialized versions for 12 different healthcare professions, including medicine, nursing, dentistry, and pharmacy.
• Recognized Worldwide: OET is accepted by healthcare regulators in Australia, the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Dubai, and Singapore. Many medical councils, such as the General Medical Council (GMC) and Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) in the UK, accept OET scores for registration purposes.
• Healthcare-Specific Content: Every part of the OET exam uses medical scenarios and healthcare vocabulary, making it more relevant and practical for professionals in the industry.

Useful Resource:

• OET Official Website: Learn more about the OET exam and its structure. Visit OET.org

OET Test Format

The OET assesses four key language skills: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. However, unlike general exams like IELTS, each section is tailored to reflect real medical situations.

1. Listening

• Duration: 45 minutes
• Format: The listening section includes three parts, focusing on healthcare conversations, patient consultations, and health-related presentations or talks.
• Task: You will listen to dialogues and monologues related to medical situations and answer questions that test your understanding.

2. Reading

• Duration: 60 minutes
• Format: The reading test has three parts that evaluate your ability to comprehend health-related texts, including articles, reports, and case notes.
• Task: You will read healthcare-related passages and answer multiple-choice or short-answer questions.

3. Writing

• Duration: 45 minutes
• Format: The writing section requires you to complete a letter relevant to your profession, such as a referral letter, discharge letter, or advice letter.
• Task: Based on a case study, you will write a letter to another healthcare professional, focusing on clarity and professionalism.

4. Speaking

• Duration: 20 minutes
• Format: The speaking test is a role-play between you (acting as a healthcare professional) and the examiner (acting as a patient or caregiver). The scenarios reflect real-world interactions, such as consulting with a patient or giving medical advice.
• Task: You will perform two role-plays, and your ability to communicate effectively in medical situations will be assessed.

Download the Official OET Test Format Guide
Download PDF

Benefits of OET for Healthcare Professionals

For medical practitioners, taking the OET instead of a general English proficiency test like IELTS offers several key advantages:

1. Relevant Test Content

Since the OET focuses on healthcare-related tasks, it’s more relevant and practical for professionals in the medical field. For example, if you’re a doctor, you’ll be asked to write referral letters or explain medical conditions in the Speaking section—tasks you’ll encounter in your daily practice.

2. Tailored for Specific Professions

OET provides different versions for 12 healthcare professions, including:

• Medicine
• Nursing
• Dentistry
• Physiotherapy
• Radiography
• Pharmacy

This means that each exam is customized to reflect the type of language used in specific healthcare contexts.

3. Improved Job-Related Communication

The OET doesn’t just test your English skills—it also helps improve your ability to communicate effectively in your professional environment. This can be a major benefit when interacting with patients, colleagues, and healthcare systems in English-speaking countries.

4. Wider Recognition

While OET is not as globally accepted as IELTS, its recognition is expanding. It is widely accepted in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and Ireland, and more countries are beginning to recognize it for healthcare licensing.

Useful Resource:

• List of Countries Recognizing OET: Check where OET is accepted for healthcare professionals. Visit OET Recognition Page

OET vs IELTS: What’s the Difference?

While both the OET and IELTS are widely accepted by healthcare regulatory bodies, there are some key differences between the two exams.

Key Differences:

Which Test Is Right for You?

• Choose OET if you want to focus on healthcare-specific English, and you plan to work in countries that recognize the OET.
• Choose IELTS if you need a more general test that is accepted worldwide, including in countries like Canada or the USA, where OET is not as widely accepted.

Related Resource:

• IELTS vs OET: Which Should You Take? A detailed comparison of both exams for healthcare professionals. Visit IELTS Medical

OET Scoring System

The OET scoring system is different from IELTS’s band system. Instead of bands, OET results are given as grades (A to E) for each of the four sub-tests (Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking).

• Grade A: High-level performance (450-500)
• Grade B: Good performance (350-440)
• Grade C: Moderate performance (300-340)
• Grade D and below: Weak performance (under 300)

Healthcare regulators typically require a Grade B in all four sections for registration.

OET Score Requirements:

• UK: Grade B in all sections for doctors and nurses.
• Australia and New Zealand: Grade B across all sections.

OET Score Resource:

• Check Score Conversion and Grade Requirements for Each Country
  Visit OET Scoring Page

How to Prepare for the OET

Effective preparation is key to achieving a high OET score. Here are some preparation tips and resources for healthcare professionals:

1. Take OET Practice Tests

Practice tests are the best way to familiarize yourself with the format and content of the OET. They allow you to experience real exam conditions and time constraints.

Download Practice Tests
Download OET Practice Materials

2. Focus on Medical Vocabulary

Since the OET uses healthcare-specific language, it's essential to brush up on medical terminology and common phrases used in healthcare settings.

Resource:

• MedlinePlus Medical Dictionary
  Visit MedlinePlus

3. Join an OET Preparation Course

Consider enrolling in an online preparation course that’s specifically designed for healthcare professionals.

Recommended OET Preparation Course

• OET Online: Offers tailored preparation courses, mock exams, and study guides. Visit OET Online

Conclusion

The OET is an excellent choice for healthcare professionals who need to prove their English proficiency in a medical context. Its focus on healthcare scenarios makes it more relevant and practical for doctors, nurses, and other medical practitioners compared to general English exams like IELTS. However, it’s important to consider the exam’s acceptance in your target country or institution before deciding.

By understanding the OET format, knowing the benefits, and using the right preparation strategies, you can improve your chances of achieving the scores you need for a successful medical career abroad.