When pursuing a career in healthcare in an English-speaking country, one of the first steps is proving your English language proficiency.
Healthcare regulatory bodies like GMC, NMC and GpHC give you two test types to choose from: OET (Occupational English Test) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System).
Choosing the wrong test can cost you time (and money!) so let us help you.
We’re going to use our expertise at Fast Track IELTS to review both test types so that you can make an informed decision on whether OET or IELTS is best for you.
Let’s get started!
1. Quick Overview
OET
The OET is specifically designed for healthcare professionals.
Your English language skills are assessed in a medical context, focusing on scenarios which healthcare professionals encounter in their daily work.
IELTS
This is a general English language proficiency test for a wide range of purposes such as education, migration, and employment.
IELTS is not specific to any profession and has two versions:
- IELTS General Training: For those migrating to English-speaking countries or applying for work below the degree level.
- IELTS Academic: For those applying to study at university level or for professional registration.
2. The Importance of Context
OET
When choosing between OET or IELTS, there is no denying that choosing OET as a healthcare professional gives you an advantage.
The OET uses your knowledge and experience of medical situations to help you prove your ability to communicate effectively in the healthcare workplace.
All professions take the same reading and listening exams.
However, the OET writing and speaking sub-tests will be aimed at scenarios specific to your profession.
For example, the writing exam could require you to write a referral letter to another health professional by using medical case notes about a patient.
When choosing between OET or IELTS, there is no denying that choosing OET as a healthcare professional gives you an advantage.
IELTS
In contrast, one of the main complaints we hear from our students is that it is difficult to prepare effectively for IELTS.
The writing and speaking sub-tests are particularly challenging because the topics are wide-ranging and don’t focus on specific professions.
This means that you must study a wider range of vocabulary and also form opinions and solutions related to these various topics!
For example, Task 2 of the writing exam requires you to respond to a question or problem related to topics such as the environment, the economy, education, technology, family, art, etc.
3. How Will You Be Assessed?
Whether you choose OET or IELTS, you will be assessed on all four language skills: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. However, the format and context vary:
OET
| Listening | Context |
|---|---|
| Part A | Medical consultations |
| Part B | Healthcare workplace scenarios |
| Part C | Presentations or interviews on research or developments in healthcare |
| Reading | Context |
|---|---|
| Part A | Short texts based on one health-related topic |
| Part B | Short texts from the workplace such as guidelines or procedures |
| Part C | Medical journal articles on research or developments in healthcare |
| Writing |
|---|
| Writing one letter specific to your profession such as a referral letter using medical case notes about a patient. |
| Speaking |
|---|
| Two role-plays between healthcare professionals and patients specific to your profession |
IELTS
| Listening | Context |
|---|---|
| Part 1 and 2 | Conversations or presentations based on everyday social situations such as buying a train ticket or signing up to the local library. |
| Part 3 and 4 | Conversations within training or educational contexts such as discussing exam results with a lecturer at university. |
| Reading | Context |
|---|---|
| Parts 1 – 3 | A wide range of academic and general topics, depending on whether you take the Academic or General Training version. |
| Writing | Context |
|---|---|
| Task 1 | Describing visual information or writing a letter (depending on which version of the test you take) |
| Task 2 | Responding to a question or problem related to a current topic. |
| Speaking | Context |
|---|---|
| Part 1 | A general conversation about your family, work or experience studying. |
| Part 2 | A presentation about a topic |
| Part 3 | Follow-up discussion questions on the presentation topic |
4. Which is More Difficult?
This is quite a subjective question but here are a few points that our students have made about each test type.
OET
- Multiple-choice Questions
Most of the questions in OET Reading and Listening will be multiple-choice questions.
This can be easier in some ways as you have limited answers to choose from.
Don’t be fooled though, the answer options can be tricky and will use synonyms, modal verbs and superlatives or comparatives to distract you!
- Part C for Listening and Reading
These sections of the OET are challenging for a few reasons such as using complex vocabulary and fast speech.
However, the main issue that students face is the ability to analyse a text and understand what is being implied by a writer or speaker.
…the main issue that students face is the ability to analyse a text and understand what is being implied by a writer or speaker.
IELTS
- Variety of Question Types
Both Reading and Listening will require you to answer a wide range of question types such as
- True/False/Not Given
- Summary Completion
- Matching Headings etc,…
There are slightly different techniques for each question type which can be initially challenging.
- Importance of Instructions
The instructions play an important role in IELTS.
You have an exact number of options to choose from in certain question types or a specific word range to adhere to in the writing exam.
If not followed, you risk losing valuable marks.
- Writing Task 2
An extremely common challenge that our students face is not achieving higher than 6.5 in their IELTS Writing.
This is usually because they have not answered the question fully or gone off topic from the original question.
An extremely common challenge that our students face is not achieving higher than 6.5 in their IELTS Writing… because they have not answered the question fully or gone off topic from the original question.
We Can Help You
Fortunately, we have techniques and methods to help you develop skills to master all of these challenges.
If you are interested in finding out more, contact us at Fast Track IELTS to discuss the OET or IELTS course options that we offer with an experienced member of our team.
5. How Long Do Results Take?
OET
The type of test you take can affect how long it will take to receive results.
| Test Type | Results Published |
|---|---|
| OET on Paper | 17 days |
| OET on Computer | 10 days |
IELTS
One real advantage for IELTS test-takers is the extremely fast results.
Again, the type of test you take can affect how long it will take to receive results.
| Test Type | Results Published |
|---|---|
| IELTS on Paper | Within 13 days |
| IELTS on Computer | Within 2 days |
6. Are the Grade Boundaries Different?
OET
The OET is graded from A (highest) to E (lowest), where healthcare regulatory bodies such as GMC and GpHC typically require a grade of B or higher in each skill for registration.
Rather than an average score, you must achieve a B in each sub-test.
If registering with NMC, you only need a C+ in Writing and a B in Listening, Reading and Speaking.
IELTS
IELTS is scored on a scale of 0 to 9 in each of the four skills, with the overall score being an average.
Many healthcare regulatory bodies require a score of 7 or 7.5.
If registering with NMC, you only need a 6.5 in Writing and 7 in Listening, Reading and Speaking.
7. What is the Difference in Cost?
OET
For a full review of the costs involved with OET, check out our article on “How Much OET Costs (2024)”.
To summarise, OET will cost AUD $587 = GBP £304.
This cost is the same for both OET on Computer and OET on Paper.
IELTS
The cost of the IELTS exam may vary slightly between different countries; however, the general cost for IELTS Academic is GBP £200 – £220.
This cost is the same for both IELTS Academic on Computer and IELTS on Paper.
To find out the costs at an IELTS centre near you, follow this link and select your location.
So is the OET or IELTS right for you?
If we had to choose between OET or IELTS for our healthcare students, we would recommend OET because the use of medical contexts plays to their strengths and experience.
It’s easier to predict the topics that may come up and students can focus specifically on learning vocabulary within a medical context.
Of course, there are still advantages to IELTS in that the cost is slightly cheaper and you will receive your results quickly.
The question is though, will you be able to achieve the grades you require?
Contact Us For More Information
Still not sure about which test is best for you?
Leave a comment below or contact us by email at contact@passmyielts.com and we can give guidance on making the best decision for you.