Test overview for OET

Healthcare professionals can choose between three test types to suit their schedule and preference: OET Test on Paper, OET Test on Computer at a venue or OET@Home®. Before booking your OET Test, check which test type is accepted by the organisation you’ll be sharing your results with.
The OET Test on Paper and OET Test on Computer is offered for all 12 healthcare professions, including Nursing, Medicine and allied healthcare. OET@Home is available for the medicine, nursing, pharmacy, physiotherapy professions.

What’s in the test?

The OET Test assesses all four language skills (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking) with an emphasis on communication in a healthcare environment.
The Listening and Reading sub-tests are designed to assess your ability to understand spoken and written English, based on health-related topics and tasks common to all professions. The Writing and Speaking sub-tests are specific to the 12 individual healthcare professions – designed to reflect common tasks performed in the workplace.

Sub-test	Content	Time
Listening	42 questions	Approximately 40 minutes
Reading	42 questions	60 minutes
Writing	One writing task	45 minutes
Speaking	Two role plays	Approximately 20 minutes

What’s in the OET Listening sub-test?

45 minutes
The Listening sub-test includes three parts:   Part A: Two separate consultations between a healthcare professional and a patient

Part A: Two separate consultations between a healthcare professional and a patient
Part B: Six short dialogues or monologues in workplace settings
Part C: Two long presentations or interviews with healthcare professionals

The Listening sub-test is the same for all candidates irrespective of profession

What’s in the OET Reading sub-test?

60 minutes
The Reading sub-test includes three parts:

Part A: Part A: An expeditious (fast) reading task
Part B: Part B: Six short workplace extracts
Part C: Part C: Two long healthcare-related articles

The Reading sub-test is the same for all candidates irrespective of profession.

What’s in the OET Writing sub-test?

45 minutes

Test takers will be asked to write a letter – usually to another healthcare professional, based on case notes or documentation. In a formal letter of 180-200 words, you should explain the relevant issues to be addressed (based on given instructions) and demonstrate that you have considered the facts and information provided.

The Writing sub-test is unique to each profession, so you’ll recognise the tasks and case notes from real workplace experiences.

What’s in the OET Speaking sub-test?

20 minutes

Test takers will be asked to participate in two role plays of healthcare consultations to assess both your English language skills and clinical communication skills. You’ll take the role of the practitioner, and the interviewer plays the patient or patient’s relative/carer.

The Speaking sub-test is unique to each profession, so you’ll recognise the tasks and case notes from real workplace experiences.