The Occupational English Test (OET) Listening sub-test assesses your ability to understand spoken English in a healthcare context. Here are some strategies to help you perform well:
General Strategies
- Understand the Test Format
- Part A (Consultation Extracts) – Listen to two patient-professional conversations and complete notes.
- Part B (Short Workplace Extracts) – Listen to six short extracts (e.g., team briefings, handovers) and answer multiple-choice questions.
- Part C (Presentation or Interview) – Listen to two longer extracts (e.g., health-related interviews or lectures) and answer multiple-choice questions.
- Improve Healthcare Vocabulary
- Familiarize yourself with medical terminology, symptoms, treatments, and abbreviations (e.g., BP = Blood Pressure).
- Practice listening to medical conversations and lectures on YouTube or podcasts.
- Practice Active Listening
- Focus on keywords like diagnosis, treatment, medications, dosages, instructions, patient concerns, etc.
- Predict possible answers before the audio starts based on the question.
- Enhance Note-Taking Skills
- Use short forms and abbreviations (e.g., “hx” for history, “sx” for symptoms).
- Only note essential details—don’t try to write everything.
Part-Specific Strategies
🔹 Part A: Consultation Extracts (Note Completion)
✅ Read the questions carefully before the audio starts to predict possible answers.
✅ Focus on what information is missing (e.g., name, date, symptoms, medications).
✅ Watch out for paraphrasing—patients might describe symptoms differently than in the question.
✅ Be careful with spelling and grammar, as answers must be accurate.
🔹 Part B: Short Workplace Extracts (MCQs)
✅ Listen for tone and context—who is speaking and what the situation is.
✅ Identify key details like instructions, procedures, policies, or advice.
✅ Be aware of distractors—some choices may sound correct but aren’t the best answer.
🔹 Part C: Presentations & Interviews (MCQs)
✅ Identify the speaker’s main idea and attitude—are they recommending, warning, or explaining?
✅ Focus on cause-effect relationships (e.g., “This happened because…”).
✅ Eliminate incorrect options by looking for keywords and synonyms in the answer choices.
Additional Tips for Success
🔹 Use OET Official Practice Tests – Simulate real exam conditions.
🔹 Listen to Various Accents – OET audios feature British, American, Australian, and other accents.
🔹 Stay Calm & Move On – If you miss an answer, don’t panic—focus on the next one.
🔹 Improve General Listening Skills – Listen to BBC Health, TED Talks, and medical podcasts.
