What is OET Exam Benefits of OET Exam
OET exam is conducted to assess the English language skills of healthcare professionals who want to work in an English-speaking environment. To know more about OET and its benefits check out this blog now!
August 29, 2022
Career & Coaching Expert
What is OET ?
- The test is suitable for doctors, nurses and paramedical workers belonging to files like Dentistry Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Medicine, Nursing, Dietetics, Podiatry, Speech Pathology, Radiography, Nursing, Veterinary Science, Pharmacy and Optometry.
- Owned by Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment, OET is valid in a number of countries including the US, Australia, New Zealand, Dubai and Singapore, Ukraine, Ireland, Nambia and the UK.
OET Exam Structure
Let’s have a look at the exam structure in detail:
- The listening section consists of 3 parts with common questions for health professionals of all specializations.
- There are 42 questions to be answered in 40 minutes. You will be given the time between the questions to write the answers.
- Though the criteria for qualifying for the listening test varies each year, ideally a minimum of 30 marks are required to get a grade B (qualifying grade).
- Reading:
- This section aims to assess your reading, skimming, and scanning ability.
- The reading section has 3 parts consisting of 42 questions in total.
- The time allotted is 60 minutes in total with 15 minutes to finish 20 questions of section A and the remaining 45 minutes to finish 22 questions of sections B and C.
- The writing section is profession-specific and has a situation for each profession like Nurse, Dentist, etc.
- The motive behind the test is to check your writing skills in the English language.
- The time allotted for this section is 45 minutes.
- The speaking test, unlike others, is taken individually where you have to enact as a healthcare professional while the interviewer plays the role of the patient or the patient’s relative.
- In the case of a veterinarian, the interviewer plays the role of the animal’s owner. The duration of the test is for 20 minutes.
- You can assess your fluency, pronunciation, and interactivity.
OET Exam dates 2021
The OET exam is held 24 times a year across multiples cities in India. The OET Exam dates for 2021 are as follows:
OET Exam: Paper Pattern
Sections |
Test Duration |
Listening |
45 mins |
Reading |
60 mins |
Writing |
45 mins |
20 mins |
OET Exam Eligibility Criteria
There are no hard-and-fast rules applied to the requirement section of the OET exam. All those who have completed higher level degrees or certifications in Medicine related fields and wish to practice in the healthcare sector of the aforementioned nations can appear for this exam.
OET Exam Highlights
Exam Name |
Occupational English Test (OET Exam ) |
Applicable For |
Healthcare professionals willing to practice abroad |
Conducted By |
Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment Trust (CBLA) |
Mode of Exam |
Online and Offline |
Applicable Countries |
US, Australia, New Zealand, Dubai and Singapore, Ukraine, Ireland, Nambia and the UK |
Exam Fee |
AUD 587 (INR 32,900) |
Score Range |
A (Highest) to E (Lowest) |
Official Website |
OET Exam Fees and Registration
In order to register for the OET exam, it is mandatory for the candidates to submit the required examination fees. As per the official authorities, the standard examination fees for OET exam is AUD 587 (INR 32,900).
To register for the OET exam, candidates can visit the official website and can successfully complete their registration online in a few simple steps. Candidates will first have to complete the login steps and then proceed with registration.
Preparing for an OET Exam
While IELTS requires you to develop a high vocabulary to perform well in the test, OET is completely profession-based. Moreover, it requires you to have an understanding of the medical terms and its possible usage in various situations. You are expected to write various types of medical letters, one being the referral letter. If you want to score well, you need to go through the requirements and assessment process for OET on the official website before you start preparing for the test.
Let’s look at some of the benefits of taking OET.
- language skills needed in a healthcare job:
- OET is the only English language test designed for the healthcare industry. It can help you learn the language skills you will need to succeed in your role.
- OET uses roleplays to simulate healthcare environments. When you practise and take OET, you learn how to communicate with patients in a safe, controlled environment.
- By putting these skills into practice, you’ll gain valuable experience that can help you when you perform your duties in an English-speaking healthcare job.
- Confidence building:
- A key aspect of communication that tends to be played down is confidence. Healthcare professionals whose English is a second language can often lack the confidence to communicate effectively in English.
- OET’s is specifically designed for 12 professions, including medicine, nursing and dentistry. OET’s test materials assess listening, reading, speaking and writing skills in a language a healthcare professional will understand.
- Practise in an English-speaking country:
- OET is recognised as proof of English by healthcare regulators around the world.
- Alongside the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, OET is recognised by the UK’s General Medical Council and the Nursing Medical and Midwifery Council, as well as regulators in Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore and several other countries.