Are you a medical professional dreaming of practicing in an English-speaking environment? Then, the Occupational English Test (OET) is the ticket to your dreams. The Occupational English Test is a language proficiency test specifically designed for healthcare professionals. The exam assesses the language skills of healthcare professionals who wish to work or study in an English-speaking country. The Occupational English Test (OET) measures proficiency in listening, reading, writing, and speaking in the context of healthcare. Here, we will delve deep into the OET Listening Test.
OET Listening Test
The listening sub-test consists of three parts. The exam lasts for a total of 50 minutes, and the candidate will receive a total of 42 questions.
PART A
OET Listening Part A assesses your ability to identify specific information. You will listen to a conversation extract between a patient and a healthcare professional, followed by questions. There will be two such extracts, each followed by twelve questions. Here, candidates should pay close attention to the introduction. Listening carefully to the introduction will provide a good idea of the consultation topic, the healthcare professional involved, and the patient’s condition. Make sure to use the exact words spoken in the audio; do not change or paraphrase the words.
PART B
The OET Listening Part B tests a range of listening skills and focuses on listening for gist, purpose, detail, and function. The test consists of short workplace extracts. You will hear short workplace conversations between two colleagues or between a healthcare professional and a patient. There will be six short extracts, each followed by one multiple-choice question. These questions may include distractors like false information or irrelevant details, deliberately included to mislead you. Ensure that the answer you mark as correct has been said by the speaker indicated in the question.
PART C
Part C consists of lecture extracts. This part tests various listening skills, including listening for gist, attitude, and opinion. The extracts in this part will be in a presentation or interview format, with a healthcare professional speaking about a general healthcare topic. You will be given two long extracts, each followed by six multiple-choice questions. Listening carefully to the introduction will provide an idea of the topic and the speaker’s purpose. It’s crucial to maintain concentration throughout the audio.
Manage your time efficiently by reading the instructions carefully and checking the number of questions. Try to allocate time for each task. Use authentic listening materials and real-life sources, such as news broadcasts, podcasts, and radio shows, to improve your listening skills. Stay focused during the test and manage your time effectively.
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