• The Occupational English Test is an international language examination designed specifically for professionals in the healthcare industry. It is a certification that allows healthcare experts to work in places where English is the supreme language. 
• It tests four skills : Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing, mainly covering communication of work based situations.
• Listening & Reading task types remain the same for all test takers whereas Writing & Speaking are profession specific – it aims at required areas within the healthcare field. They are Medicine, Physiotherapy, Occupational therapy, Optometry, Dietetics, Veterinary Science, Dentistry, Radiography, Speech Therapy, Nursing, Pharmacy & Podiatry.

Reading Test Duration : 60 minutes

• 3 Parts including 42 question types altogether.
• Question topics – generic healthcare interests applicable to all healthcare professionals.

PART A – Expeditious reading task (15 mins including 20 questions) – checks your ability to find certain information with the texts. Includes 4 short texts related a single healthcare topics.

PART B & C – Careful Reading Tasks ( 45 mins including 22 questions)

PART B -checks your ability to identify details or main points.  Includes 6 short tasks taken from a healthcare work area.(100-150 words each).

• Question texts: extracts from policy documents, hospital guidelines, manuals or internal communications such as emails or memos.
• Question Type- Each text comes with a Multiple Choice question with 3 options.

PART C – Checks your ability to identify detailed meaning & opinion. Includes 2 texts (800 words each).

• Question Texts: topics of interests to healthcare professionals.
• Question Type: 8 Multiple choice questions wit 4 options for each text.

Listening Test Duration : 40 minutes

• 3 Parts including 42 question types altogether.
• Question topics – generic healthcare interests applicable to all healthcare professionals.

PART A – consultation extracts (5 mins each) – checks your ability to find certain information during consultation. Includes 2 recordings of  conversations between a health professional and a patient during consultation.

• Question type: complete the healthcare professional notes using the information you hear. Health professionals can be any of the 12 areas who take OET.

PART B – Short workplace extract (1 min each)- checks your ability to identify details, opinions or purpose of short extracts from the healthcare workplace. It includes 6 recorded extracts.

• Question Type: 1 multiple choice question for each extract.

PART C– Presentation extracts ( 5 mins each) – checks your ability to follow a recorded presentation or interview on a range of general healthcare topics.

– 2 extract recordings with 6 multiple choice questions for each extract

– You can expect 2 presentation extracts or 2 interview extracts or 1 each.

Writing Test duration : 45 mins–

• The task will be profession specific. Based on the area of expertise, you will be getting a question related to this on a workplace-based situation & demands of the profession. Eg; Nurse does the task of nursing.
• Question Type: Write a letter , especially a referral letter, letter of transfer or letter of discharge, informing or advising a patient or a responding letter to a complaint.
• Along with the task instructions, you will receive case notes or other related documentation which includes information to use in your response.

Speaking Test duration : 20 mins

• Includes 2 Roleplays specific to profession – based on typical workplaces situations. 
• Roleplays will be introduced one by one. You will have 3 mins to prepare for each.
• Roleplays will play for about 5 mins each.

ABOUT ROLEPLAYS:

– You will receive information for each role play on a card that you keep while you do the role play.

– the card explains the situation and what you are required to do

– you can take down notes on the card.

– Questions related to the card can be asked during preparation time.

– Roleplays are based on typical workplace situations & reflects the demands made on a health professional in a particular h situation.

– The interlocutor follows a script so that the speaking test structure is similar for each candidate. The interlocutor has also detailed information to use in each role play. Different role plays are used for different candidates.

2 to 3 mock test sets of the complete OET Examination will be conducted at the institute premises. The questions will be provided based on the current trends of the test. In this manner, candidates get a real time exposure to attending the examination with ease.