In my time as an OET teacher at Sydney Language Solutions, I have seen many Medicine students take the OET examination. Here are some questions that Medicine students frequently ask me and I will provide the subsequent answers.

What kind of a letter will I be writing?

You will be writing a referral letter based on the patient’s notes provided.

Who will I be writing to?

Most of the time, you will be writing to a specialist for further management of the patient’s presenting problems. However, perhaps it is also wise to be prepared to write a letter to a nurse or an allied health professional. It is very important to keep in mind WHO you are writing to and what their ROLE in the patient care is.

Do I have to include all the information?

No, you do not have to include all the patient’s information. In fact, you shouldn’t because you may exceed the word limit of 200 words. Choose the most relevant and appropriate findings. If possible, write only positive findings. Try to SUMMARISE and write as CONCISELY as you can.

Are the address, date, subject line and salutation (e.g. Dear Doctor) included in the word count?

No, these sections of the letter do NOT contribute to your word count. The word count begins at the start of Diazepam shops your introductory paragraph. However, it is still important to include these elements (address, date, subject line, salutation) because they make your letter LOOK like a letter.

All the best!