Occupational English Test

The Occupational English Test (also known as OET) is an international English language test for the healthcare sector. It assesses the language communication skills of healthcare professionals who wish to register and practise in an English-speaking environment.

OET is available for the following 12 professions: dentistry, dietetics, medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, optometry, pharmacy, physiotherapy, podiatry, radiography, speech pathology, and veterinary science.

OET was designed in the late 1980s by Professor Tim McNamara, under the guidance of the Australian National Office for Overseas Skills Recognition (NOOSR), which administered the test at that time. The test has been researched and developed continuously since then to ensure that it has kept up with current theory and practice in language assessment. This work has been done primarily by the University of Melbourne’s Language Testing Research Centre and, more recently, also by Cambridge English Language Assessment.

Since March 2013 the test has been owned by Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment Trust (CBLA), a venture between Cambridge English Language Assessment and Box Hill Institute.

OET is recognised by regulatory healthcare bodies and councils in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. Many organisations, including hospitals, universities and colleges, are using OET as proof of a candidate’s ability to communicate effectively in a demanding healthcare environment. In addition, OET is recognised by the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection for a number of visa categories, including work and student visas.

Each recognising organisation determines which grade results mean that candidates meet the language competency standards to function in their profession. A full list of regulatory organisations which accept OET can be seen on the official website.

OET provides a valid and reliable assessment of all four language skills – Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking – with an emphasis on communication in medical and health professional settings. OET consists of four sub-tests:

Listening

The listening test consists of two parts. In Part A, candidates listen to a simulated consultation (dialogue) between a professional and a patient and are required to take notes under headings. In Part B, candidates listen to a health professional giving a short talk on a health-related topic and are required to complete a range of open-ended and fixed-choice questions.

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