The OET test assesses the English language efficiency of healthcare professionals who wish to seek employment in an English speaking country. For communication purposes proficiency in the English language is a necessity. So the candidates are required to obtain a good score on the OET exam.
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WHY OET ?
The OET exam serves as a proof of the candidate’s ability to communicate in the English language and it is highly needed in healthcare care organizations. A candidate can get assessed through the language skills like listening, speaking, reading and writing.
PAST
The OET exam was originally an Australian innovation. Founded in Australia in the late 1980’s by a professor called Tim McNamara. It was under the guidance of the Australian National Office for Overseas Skills Recognition. They were the testing agency at that time. It was designed as a language test, especially for healthcare professionals like nurses, doctors etc. for assessing reading, speaking, listening and writing.
PRESENT
The OET test has been undergoing vast changes over years. Especially during the past two years. Because many candidates
nowadays, take the OET exam very seriously for their better career prospects. So it is being routinely assessed and changed in order to keep it in lines with the current medical trends. It is not a general English test, instead this test is purely designed for healthcare professionals. So in order to move to an English speaking community, a candidate needs to prove his language skills for prior acceptance.
When preparing for the OET exam, it’s important to have a clear understanding of its format because right now it has become a trend. In the current trend all language skills are given much importance.
For the speaking session of the OET exam they assess your ability to communicate properly in a healthcare scenario. It includes a role play, provided with a medical situation. Your vocabulary and ability to communicate well are assessed in this session.
For the writing section, you will be asked to write a referral letter which is very relevant as far as a healthcare professional is concerned. You will be given case notes and asked to write a letter based on it. Your vocabulary, grammar, spelling and punctuation will be checked.
The reading section checks your ability to understand English and comprehend journals or articles pertaining to the medical field. You will be required to answer multiple choice questions and match information from the texts to the corresponding statements.
Listening session on the other hand assesses your ability to listen actively which means it is not just hearing. Understanding spoken English in a medical context. Health related audios, medical lectures etc. will be played before you. You have to answer questions later on based on these audios.
Tailored strategies can be used effectively to crack the exam. A SWOT analysis can be done. Focus on the weak points.
According to those who have passed the exam, there are some difficult areas for the OET. They are
- Understanding the test basically
- Pronunciation and fluency
- Doesn’t know how to deal with stress
- Grammar accuracy
Since September 2018, the subtests of the OET exam have been rated on a range of 0 to 500. Maximum score is 500 and the lowest possible score is of course 0. Highest degree of language competence is also needed.
OET FUTURE
If OET is conquered, your future is secured. If you are planning to pursue your career in the healthcare industry, the OET exam is the best option. There are 12 different versions of this exam. Cracking the exam helps to make the candidate more confident. Carefully select a coaching center that will assess your abilities on a regular basis. Teaching approach is very important. A better teacher guides you through the right way. Different yet feasible teaching approach should be taken. Nowadays there are lots of coaching classes that provide OET coaching alone. As a candidate it is your duty to choose the right ones.