Getting started

In my experience, the most successful OET students pass through five distinct stages.

1. Attain Upper-Intermediate English Proficiency.

2. Comprehend the Test Structure and Identify Areas of Focus.

3. Use a Blend of Test and Non-Test Materials to Reach Your Target Bandscore.

4. Complete a Mock Test and Proceed to Book the Actual Test if Your Scores Are Within Close Proximity to Your Target Bandscores.

5. Sit for the Test.

You might find yourself at stage 1, or perhaps transitioning into stages 2 or 3. But let’s start at the beginning…

  1. Attain an Upper-Intermediate Level of English Proficiency.

Ensure your English proficiency reaches at least B2 and preferably C1 on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). This corresponds roughly to an IELTS score of 7.0-7.5. Prioritize this step before delving deeply into test materials. This proficiency level is characterized by "effective operational proficiency."

Let’s also think about WHY this matters.

You want to be absolutely confident in your ability to communicate safely and effectively. If a healthcare professional cannot do tasks such as taking consent, gathering information on symptoms, reassuring a scared patient, checking a patient has not eaten before an operation… then all the medical knowledge in the world is rendered useless. Your words matter.

Back to OET

The OET is a rigorous examination that assesses a broad spectrum of language skills applied to diverse tasks, such as communicating with patients, comprehending and analyzing presentations, and composing professional letters.

A solid foundation of vocabulary and grammar before working on test papers

Experience shows that candidates lacking at least an upper-intermediate level of English struggle with comprehension and coherence when solely immersed in test materials. Without a robust vocabulary and a grasp of English sentence structures, you face exhaustion and loss of motivation. However, when you work at a level that is just beyond your current abilities, then you feel the satisfaction of steady progress and you want to keep going.

Assess your CEFR level here

You need not excel in every aspect, and everyone has their own profile of strengths and weaknesses; but a solid foundation is essential.

What are common problems with English that slow down progress?

  1. Limited vocabulary for both medical, academic English and everyday words used by patients.  (Listening A, Speaking, Reading, Listening)

  2. Inadequate grasp of English grammar. (Reading B, C)

  3. Difficulty bridging spoken and written English. (Listening A, B, C and Speaking)

  4. Lack of confidence in organising ideas in a piece of writing (Writing, Reading C)

  5. Overreliance on a narrow set of phrases so you might sound ‘wooden’ and unresponsive in conversation. (Speaking)

 

How long do I need to get to a C1 level?

The British Council estimates that it takes about 100-200  hours of guided study to go from B to C. If you studied for seven hours a week or an hour a day on your own, this would mean you need roughly 14 weeks of study. Of course, this is made easier with a help of a study program and tutor, but you can also get there by yourself. Once you are there, working through test questions is so much more productive.

Study time needed to progress from B2 to C1 on the CEFR

 

Thank you Irham Setyaki, Unsplash

Helen Lewis