In healthcare, we often practice how to separate our feelings from our job. But there are times where that separation can damage patient rapport. A patient might tell you that they are frightened or struggling with something like finances or substance abuse. For native speakers, the “right” response is a challenge. If English is an additional language, this moment can feel especially challenging. You are trying to provide a response that is both professional but caring at the

There’s a moment that comes up in almost every OET Speaking role play: the patient says something you can’t just agree with. Common examples include: minimizing the severity of their condition, pushing back on a recommendation, asking for something you can’t provide, or they might even express a belief about their health that isn’t clinically accurate. What you do in that moment is one of the things OET assessors are specifically watching for. And for many candidates, it’s al

A lot of OET Writing Test prep focuses on learning the letter format, understanding how to identify important information, but what test takers really need to know is how to find and address the “problematic point”. This post helps you identify the issue(s) the patient is facing and gives suggested language you can use to communicate clearly with your colleagues on the healthcare team. Every OET writing prompt contains what the test designers call a “problematic point”. The p