Occupational English Test

What is IELTS?

“If you're looking for a job as a health care professional, you may already know that you first need to prove your ability with the English language.”

IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is a general English language assessment test that is recognized and accepted across all of the English-speaking countries, including the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA, plus many others.

What is the OET?

The OET (Occupational English Test) is a language assessment test designed for healthcare professionals, which was initially created for countries such as Australia and New Zealand. However, in November 2017, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) began recognizing this assessment as valid for registration in the UK.

Should you take IELTS or OET?

IELTS is always going to be preferable when moving to the UK because it is considered the 'gold standard'. It gives a broader test of the English language and not just workplace specific language. Not only will this have a stronger impact on life in the UK outside of work, but you'll also gain a more widely accepted and recognized qualification.

However, it can be argued that the IELTS focuses on subjects and language that would be irrelevant to healthcare professionals.

For most people, IELTS is the better choice as it covers more countries and provides you with a better understanding of complex English.

On the other hand, as a healthcare professional, the OET could be the better option (even more so for nurses) because it uses profession-specific content.

Which test is easier?

As expected, the two tests vary in difficulty.

The OET is easier in some ways because it is more specific to healthcare, so you can make use of your healthcare knowledge, vocabulary and experiences. This means that you'd find the writing and speaking portions of the test a little easier, as you'd be used to the situations provided.

During the written test, you'll be asked to write a referral letter for a patient, and for the speaking test, you'll need to interact with the examiner, who will be playing the role of a patient.

IELTS is different to the OET - it is not specific to the healthcare profession. This test is typically taken by professionals and students from all industries, which means the topics and content covered will be more general and taken from a range of sources.

The written portion of the test will involve writing an essay, writing a formal letter and analyzing written data. The speaking test will involve having a conversation with the examiner based on some specific topics.

How is IELTS scored?

IELTS is scored on a 0-9 band score basis. A health care professional is usually required to get IELTS score of 7 or above in the Reading, Listening and Speaking portions of the exam. A score of 6.5 is required for Writing.

How is the OET scored?

Unlike IELTS, the Occupational English Test is scored in grades (A-E). To pass, an overall grade of B or A is required.

Is the OET really better than IELTS? Let's look at both tests...

Content

IELTS tests academic English - This includes the ability to write essays, follow lectures, understand academic articles and discuss a wide range of topics, from the environment to education to social trends to cultural values.

OET tests healthcare English - including the ability to communicate effectively in medical scenarios, write a referral or discharge letter, understand a patient consultation, or follow a text taken from a medical journal.

Versions

IELTS offers 2 versions of the test – Academic as described, and General Training, used by organizations to test the more general language considered more appropriate for immigration or vocational purposes. The Listening and Speaking sections are the same for both. The Academic Reading and Writing is more geared to Higher Education than the General Training.

OET offers 12 versions of the test for different healthcare professions; nurses, doctors, dentists, pharmacists, optometrists, podiatrists, occupational therapists, vets, speech pathologists, dieticians, physiotherapists, and radiographers. The Reading and Listening sections are the same for both. The Speaking and Writing sections are tailored to the specific scenarios in which each profession uses English.

Format

IELTS has the following format:

While OET has the following format:

Preparation requirements

Preparing for IELTS involves learning huge amounts of vocabulary on a wide range of academic subjects so test takers are prepared to read academic texts quickly and effectively, understand lectures and discussions, talk about abstract questions and give opinions in detail.

Test takers need to learn how to write reports on a variety of data and a range of essay types. Written texts need to be at an advanced level and so include complex structures and grammar. Learning a set of key exam techniques is also crucial.

Preparing for OET involves learning a wide range of healthcare-related and profession-specific language, so test takers are able to follow, engage with and participate in a variety of clinical scenarios, as well as understand medical texts and talks.

They need to be able to write a healthcare-related letter, such as a referral letter, at an advanced level. They need to acquire a range of exam techniques so they can work quickly and effectively in the test.

As a result, preparation courses for the two tests follow very different pathways and use very different materials.

Scoring

IELTS is marked out of 9, with a separate score for each paper. Half marks are awarded as part of this.

OET is graded from A (best) to E, with an equivalent numerical score to show more precisely where in the grade a candidate sits.

Healthcare regulatory bodies which use both exams to test English for healthcare professions tend to specify an advanced C1 level of language, i.e. around 7 in IELTS and a B in OET. The score equivalencies between the two tests are as follows:

Recognition

IELTS is recognized by universities, regulatory bodies, immigration authorities and companies in many countries around the world. This includes universities in non-English speaking countries where a course may be delivered in English. There are over 1,100 test centre in over 140 countries.

OET is recognized by healthcare regulatory bodies and Higher Education healthcare educators, including those in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Dubai, Ukraine and Namibia. There are over 115 test centre in 40 countries.

Numbers of test takers

Over 3 million people took IELTS in the past year, compared to the tens of thousands taking OET. This reflects the size and reach of the global Higher Education market on the one hand and the specialist nature of the OET on the other.

Preparation infrastructure

IELTS has a global infrastructure developed around preparing learners to take the test, including universities, specialist training organizations, private language schools, published materials, online content, and thousands of teachers and writers.

OET has a small but global preparation infrastructure, consisting of a growing number of specialist training providers and also a small but growing materials base. OET ’s Premium Preparation Provider scheme provides a framework for training organizations to undergo a rigorous accreditation process to demonstrate their ability to prepare candidates for the specialist nature of OET.

Why Advanced Language Centre?

“We keep our batches small so that each student gets one-on-one attention and guidance.”

Our instructors are well versed in all the aspects of the OET exam, and are trained to assess the areas where you may require additional support and guidance. Individual monitoring and support are given to each student, and you will be given extra help with your problem areas in the different modules. Our classes are conducted in face-to-face delivery mode.

Simulated OET tests are held to gauge your capabilities, and feedback is given after each test so that you can work on your grey areas and reduce errors. Listening comprehension and speaking practice is provided using questions from previous OET tests. Our course fee is very affordable and provides great value for money. Our faculty do all they can to help our students to excel in the OET Exams.

At Advanced Language Centre, we strive to help our students achieve first-time success in the OET through high-quality coaching. Our exam preparation strategy is customized to individual student requirements. We undertake a thorough evaluation of each student’s capabilities and help them to work on the areas where they need to improve themselves. We coach our students on efficient time management, and guide them through simulated tests and exam strategy sessions.