OET Medicine flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

OET Listening Part A

Two recorded health-professional consultations of about five minutes each, with 24 short-answer questions. Answers are usually one to three words taken directly from the recording, and spelling must be correct.

OET Listening Part B

Six short workplace extracts of about one minute each, followed by six three-option multiple-choice questions. Each extract has one question, and the answer paraphrases what the speaker says.

OET Listening Part C

Two interviews of about 15 minutes each with 12 three-option multiple-choice questions. Questions follow the order of the recording and test detail, opinion and inference.

Listening distractor correction

A speaker may state one value and then revise it mid-sentence. The final stated value is the one to record in the notes, not the first one mentioned.

Listening paraphrase trap

The question wording rarely matches the recording. Correct answers are usually expressed with synonyms or rephrased ideas, so listen for meaning rather than identical words.

Listening spelling and units

Part A marks spelling and units strictly. Write figures as digits, include units when asked, and check common medical spellings such as diarrhoea and haemorrhage.

Listening note headings

Part A notes are organised under headings that mirror the consultation, such as presenting complaint, history, examination and management. Use headings to predict the answer type.

Listening guessing rule

There is no penalty for incorrect answers in any part of Listening. Always record or select an answer for every question, even when unsure.

OET Reading Part A

Four short texts of about 150 words each with 20 short-answer questions. Questions follow the order of information across the texts, and answers are usually one to four words from the text.

OET Reading Part B

Six short workplace texts of about 100 to 150 words each, each followed by one three-option multiple-choice question. The correct option paraphrases the text.

OET Reading Part C

Two longer texts of about 800 words each with 16 four-option multiple-choice questions. Questions follow the passage order and test detail, inference, attitude and writer purpose.

Reading time budget

The Reading sub-test lasts 60 minutes. Allocate about 15 minutes to Part A, 10 minutes to Part B and 35 minutes to Part C.

Reading exact-wording distractor

An option that repeats exact words from the text is often wrong. The correct answer usually restates the idea in different words.

Reading Part A scanning

Part A questions often require matching a detail to one of four texts. Scan for names, dates, dosages and headings instead of reading every word.

Reading Part C evidence rule

The answer must be supported by the passage, not by general medical knowledge. Read the question stem first, then locate the relevant sentence.

Reading Part B workplace texts

Part B texts are short workplace documents such as memos, policies or emails. Each has one question, and the answer reflects the writer's main point.

Reading question order

In Parts A and C, questions follow the order of the information in the texts. Use this to locate answers sequentially and avoid re-reading.

OET Writing task

Write a referral letter of about 180 to 200 words in 45 minutes, based on case notes about a patient. The letter is addressed to a named colleague.

Writing assessment criteria

Six criteria: purpose, content, conciseness and clarity, genre and style, organisation and layout, and language. Each contributes to the overall score.

Referral letter structure

Open with the reason for referral, then patient details, relevant history, examination findings, investigations, management to date and the specific request.

Writing relevance selection

Include only information relevant to the recipient. Omit social or family details unless they directly affect the referral or the patient's management.

Writing formal register

Use formal professional language: no contractions, no colloquialisms and no direct speech from the case notes. Transform note-style fragments into full sentences.

Writing word count

The 180 to 200 word target excludes the address, salutation and sign-off. Being far over or under the range can affect the score.

Writing salutation and sign-off

Address the recipient by title and surname, state the patient's name and date of birth early, and close with a professional sign-off such as 'Yours sincerely'.

Writing abbreviation expansion

Do not copy abbreviations or shorthand verbatim from the notes. Expand them into standard terms the recipient will understand.

OET Speaking format

Two role-plays of about five minutes each with a trained interlocutor playing a patient or relative. Total time is 20 minutes including preparation.

Speaking role-play card

Each card gives the setting, your role, the patient's role and the task. You have three minutes to prepare before each role-play begins.

Speaking assessment criteria

Criteria include relationship building, understanding the patient's perspective, providing structure, information gathering, information giving and language.

Speaking introduction

Greet the patient, state your name and role, confirm the patient's identity, and explain the purpose of the consultation before asking questions.

Open versus closed questions

Start with open questions such as 'What brings you in today?' and use closed questions later to confirm details. Avoid leading questions.

Signposting the consultation

Tell the patient what will happen next, for example 'I'd like to ask about your symptoms, then discuss options'. This satisfies the providing-structure criterion.

Teach-back understanding check

Check understanding by asking the patient to summarise the plan in their own words, not by asking 'Do you understand?', which invites a yes answer.