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OET Excellence

Occupational English Test for Healthcare Professionals

Master healthcare English with AI-powered practice and authentic medical scenarios

A-E
Grade Scale
12
Professions
4
Sub-tests
40min
Per Section
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OET Test Sections

Master all four healthcare English sections with our comprehensive AI-powered practice

Listening

Healthcare conversations, consultations, and medical presentations for real-world practice

  • Patient-healthcare professional dialogues
  • Medical briefings and handovers
  • Healthcare team discussions
  • Medical conference presentations
  • Authentic accent variations

Reading

Medical texts, research papers, and healthcare documentation analysis

  • Medical journal articles
  • Healthcare policy documents
  • Patient case studies
  • Clinical guidelines
  • Medical research findings

Writing

Professional healthcare correspondence and documentation skills

  • Referral letters
  • Discharge summaries
  • Case notes
  • Medical reports
  • Professional emails

Speaking

Patient consultations and healthcare professional interactions

  • Patient consultation roleplay
  • Medical history taking
  • Treatment explanations
  • Health advice delivery
  • Professional discussions

Question Types We Support

Master all OET question formats with our AI-powered healthcare English practice

Listening 4 Question Types

Approximately 45 minutes, healthcare audio recordings

Multiple Choice Note Completion Short Answer Matching

Part A: Consultation extracts. Part B: Workplace extracts. Part C: Presentations.

Reading 4 Question Types

60 minutes, 3 parts with healthcare texts

Multiple Choice Short Answer True/False/Not Given Matching

All reading texts are from authentic healthcare workplace sources.

Writing 1 Task Type

45 minutes, profession-specific letter writing

Referral Letter Discharge Letter Transfer Letter Letter of Advice Information Letter

Task varies by healthcare profession (Medicine, Nursing, Dentistry, etc.)

Speaking 2 Role-Play Tasks

Approximately 20 minutes with interlocutor

Patient Consultation Role-Play 1 Patient Consultation Role-Play 2

Each role-play: 2-3 min preparation, 5 min speaking. You play the healthcare professional.

Practice All Question Types

AI Healthcare Scenarios

Experience authentic medical situations with our advanced AI engine

Practice with real healthcare scenarios you'll encounter in professional settings

Emergency Department

Triage assessments and urgent care communications

Ward Rounds

Patient progress discussions and team meetings

Outpatient Clinics

Routine consultations and diagnostic discussions

Healthcare Professions

Specialized content for various healthcare roles and medical specialties

Medicine
Clinical Practice
Nursing
Patient Care
Dentistry
Oral Health
Pharmacy
Medication Management
Physiotherapy
Physical Rehabilitation
Optometry
Vision Care
Occupational Therapy
Daily Living Skills
Speech Pathology
Communication Disorders
Veterinary Science
Animal Health
Radiography
Medical Imaging
Medical Laboratory
Diagnostic Testing
Dietetics
Nutrition Science

OET Grading System

Understanding OET grades and professional registration requirements

Grade Score Range IELTS Equivalent Registration Acceptance
A 450-500 8.0-9.0 All healthcare boards worldwide
B 350-440 7.0-7.5 AHPRA (Australia), NMC (UK), NZNO (NZ), most regulators
C+ 300-340 6.5 Some pathways with conditions, bridging programs
C 200-290 5.5-6.0 Generally not accepted for registration
D 100-190 4.5-5.0 Not accepted - retake required
E 0-90 Below 4.5 Not accepted - significant improvement needed

Registration Requirements by Country

Australia (AHPRA)

Nursing: Grade B in all

Medicine: Grade B in all

Allied Health: Grade B in all

UK (NMC/GMC)

Nursing: Grade B (min 350 each)

Medicine: Grade B in all

Dentistry: Grade B in all

New Zealand

Nursing: Grade B in all

Medicine: Grade B in all

Immigration: Grade B acceptable

OET vs IELTS: Which Test for Healthcare Professionals?

Compare the two English tests accepted by healthcare regulatory bodies

Feature OET IELTS Academic
Content Focus Healthcare-specific scenarios and terminology General academic topics
Writing Task Referral/discharge letter from case notes Essay on general topics
Speaking Role-play as healthcare professional with patient General conversation with examiner
Listening Medical consultations and healthcare lectures General conversations and lectures
Test Duration ~3 hours 2h 45min
Grading A to E grades (500-0) 0-9 band scale
Retake Option Individual sub-tests can be retaken Must retake entire test
Best For Healthcare professionals seeking registration General immigration, non-healthcare study

Pro Tip: Most healthcare professionals find OET easier because the content is relevant to their daily work. If you're already working in healthcare, the medical terminology and scenarios will feel familiar.

Frequently Asked Questions About OET

Get answers to common questions about the Occupational English Test

For nursing registration in most countries, you need at least Grade B (350-440) in all four sub-tests. Australia's AHPRA requires minimum Grade B, UK's NMC requires Grade B or above with at least 350 in each component. Some nursing boards accept Grade C+ (300-340) for certain pathways with additional requirements.

OET is specifically designed for healthcare professionals with medical scenarios, terminology, and tasks. You'll encounter:
  • Healthcare-specific reading passages
  • Medical case notes for writing tasks
  • Patient consultation role-plays for speaking
  • Clinical conversations for listening
Healthcare workers often find OET more relevant and easier because the content matches their daily work.

OET results are valid for 2 years from the test date. After this period, you'll need to retake the test if required for professional registration or immigration. Some regulatory bodies may have specific validity requirements, so always check with your target organization.

OET offers profession-specific tests for 12 healthcare professions: Medicine, Nursing, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Pathology, Optometry, Veterinary Science, Radiography, Podiatry, and Dietetics. Each profession has tailored content relevant to their field.

OET Writing is assessed on 6 criteria:
  • Overall Task Fulfillment
  • Appropriateness of Language
  • Comprehension of Stimulus
  • Linguistic Features (grammar and cohesion)
  • Presentation Features (spelling, punctuation)
  • Organization
You write a letter (referral, discharge, etc.) based on case notes in 45 minutes.

Yes! OET offers a sub-test retake option. If you pass some components but not others, you can retake only the failed sub-tests instead of the entire exam. You can combine passing results from up to 6 test sittings within a 2-year period to achieve an overall passing result. This is a major advantage over IELTS.

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