An overview of the Occupational English Test (OET)
The Occupational English Test (OET) is an examination that assesses your proficiency in the English language and grants you a certificate. While a language competence proof is not required by the General Medical Council (GMC) from certain countries, aspiring doctors from Nepal must provide one. Having taken the OET myself, I would like to present an ultimate guide to the test in this blog.
In a previous blog, I discussed the advantages and disadvantages of both the OET and IELTS exams. If you have decided to take the OET test, the initial step for you would be to enroll in a preparatory course. Within Kathmandu, there are a few centers offering OET courses, but I was recommended the one provided by ULCI, located in Dillibazar. They offer courses every week, admitting new students at the beginning of the week. This four-week course focuses on training you for the Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking sections of the exam.
ULCI provides both online and in-person courses. The classes run for two hours daily, with multiple batches available throughout the day. Saturdays are off, but you can still come and take your mock exams during that time. By signing up for their course, you receive four free mock tests, although you also have the option to take only the mock tests for a separate fee.
I attended classes with Mr. Dominic Parker, but you have the choice to select other teachers. Choosing ULCI was the best decision I made for my exam preparation because:
ULCI is the only testing venue in Nepal for the OET. By taking mocks at ULCI, you become familiar with the venue, the desk, the chair, and the headphones provided for the listening part of the exam. Additionally, you become acquainted with the location where the speaking section will be conducted, making the actual exam slightly less nerve-wracking.
The feedback provided by ULCI is precise and immensely helpful in improving your exam scores.
You will soon realize that the test is not as difficult as one might think, especially when compared to our medical school exams. This realization reduces stress during preparation.
The practice conducted during the classes is sufficient to prepare you for the real exam.
The mock exams significantly contribute to your preparation for the actual test. According to one of the ULCI staff members, only a few people fail after taking the four mocks, and I believe this to be true.
However, if you choose to prepare on your own, that is perfectly fine as well. You can watch free videos on YouTube, and the practice sets provided on the official OET website are a must! There are numerous videos and channels available on YouTube, but one of my favorites was E2OET.
The Structure of OET
As mentioned earlier, this test is divided into four sections: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. You will be tested in the same order. Each section further consists of parts A, B, C, and so on.
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Listening:
In this section, you will be given a pair of headphones and audio will be played. You will also receive a booklet where you must fill in the blanks or mark the correct answers based on the audio you hear.
Reading:
This section requires you to read small passages, memos, notices, and even long essays (in part C).
Writing:
In the writing test, you will be given a scenario and case notes. You will also receive information on whom to address the letter to. The letter you are required to write may be a letter of referral (most commonly asked), a discharge letter, or sometimes a case update. You will need to quickly go through the case notes, determine which information to include and what is irrelevant, organize the information cohesively, and write within a specified word limit.
You will now have a lunch break. The test center will divide you into groups and assign you an interlocutor. You will have to wait your turn to take the Speaking test.
Speaking:
In this section, you will be provided with two case scenarios on a role-play card. An interlocutor will be present with you in a soundproof room, recording your conversation. The interlocutor will have a timer, usually visible only to them. They will engage in a short chat with you at the beginning, which will not be marked. After that, you will be given time to review the role-play card and plan your role-play. The role-play will then commence, with you acting as a doctor in the UK and conversing with the patient (interlocutor) based on the guidelines given in your card. You will be assessed on various aspects such as information gathering, empathy, and signposting.
The Key to Passing the OET
Throughout my OET journey, I have realized that the test is more of a measure of alertness and common sense rather than purely testing English language proficiency. If you are not well-rested, well-fed, and completely alert during the test, you are likely to make mistakes that could cost you valuable scores. For example, in one of the OET tests, students were asked to write a case update to the GP about their patient. Revisiting the scenario, it is the GP’s patient for whom you are about to write a case update. Therefore, if you mention the GP’s findings in your letter, it would not be a case update. Many students included the findings from the GP’s notes and failed the written test.
I also made two minor errors during my speaking test, which did not impact my score significantly but were amusing. In the first role-play, I forgot the patient’s name (the interlocutor) and failed to address her by name throughout the role-play. In the next role-play, I began with “Good morning” when it was already afternoon.
In summary, if you prepare intelligently and remain alert on the day of the test, you can easily pass the OET.
Best of luck with your preparation!
