The Occupational English Test is designed to assess the language ability of health professionals who want to work in an English-speaking country. Of all the four components, the writing task is perhaps one of the most difficult as it requires linguistic correctness accompanied by medical knowledge. The OET writing task requires you to write a letter based on the case scenario presented to you during the test. You are most likely to write either a referral or a discharge letter, but other types – such as a transfer or follow-up letter – may occasionally be required. Success in this section will depend on clear communication, good use of medical terminology, and organizational ability. By following these strategies on how to approach the OET Writing Task that are provided here, you will strengthen your writing and therefore your chances of passing the OET Writing section with a high grade.

Knowing the format of the OET Writing Task is the key to success. Each letter has a definite structure you need to follow, and knowing that is going to make it easier to do the task more confidently.

The writing task involves a medical scenario where case notes are presented. Such notes have indicated details about a patient’s medical condition, treatment, and history. It is up to you to put these notes into a formal letter. As such, the letter should contain an introduction with strong elements of what the patients have been undergoing in terms of medical work, and a conclusion that would summarize either what is next to be done or the overall reason for the communication.

Referral Letter: This refers to the letter referring the patient to further treatment or investigation by another healthcare professional.

Discharge Summary: This is a letter where you summarize the patient’s state and treatment after discharge from a hospital.

Transfer Letters: these are documents that transfer patient care from one facility to another.

Follow-up Letters: There are times when you will be required to write a follow-up letter where you would have to inform another professional of the treatment that has been received by the patient and the further development.

In any case, the letter should be logical. It has to comprise the history of the patient, their condition at the time, and recommendations for the future.

One very important strategy for the OET Writing Task is audience awareness. When you know who will read your letter, it helps one determine how to write the letter, including tone, language, and content.

The recipient of your letter can be a doctor, nurse, or other medical institution. Depending on the reader, there will be certain expectations as well as specific information that is relevant to their role.

Doctor: For doctors, it is important to focus on the medical details: diagnosis, treatment, and further recommendations.

Nurse: Do not miss to include information about any patient care instructions relevant during your writing for the nurses. Share important observations you make over the patient’s condition without missing anything.

Health Care Institution: If you are writing to an institution, the language should be the most formal, following the protocol of that institution.

Understanding the Recipient

You’ll be tailoring your writing to the recipient in order to make sure that your letter gets across its point. Do not include unnecessary information irrelevant to the recipient’s role, and use a clear and concise style of language.

Stick to the Purpose

Test-takers run the risk of getting away from the purpose of the letter. Each OET writing task has a clear objective that you are to follow while communicating necessary details.

For example, if a patient needs to be referred to further treatment, all the information given should relate to the referral goal. Any minor detail about the patient’s social background and even small health issues should not be added unless it relates to the reason for the referral.

Take a look at these two examples below,

• “I refer Mr. John Doe, suspected to have angina, for further cardiology evaluation.” This statement clearly explains the purpose
• “Mr. John Doe came to our clinic complaining of multiple symptoms and I think you should see him in general.”. This response is quite vague.

By making the purpose clear from the beginning, you guide the reader through the letter.

Use Appropriate Tone and Language

OET requires formal tone with professionalism in the writing. The proper usage of words brings a message to the reader’s end.

As the OET is a professional examination, you should avoid casual expressions in your writing and keep a proper tone of language and vocabulary so that it is suitable for medical use, which should be objective and direct, with no personal thoughts or points of view.

Tips on Avoiding Jargon, Slang, or Overly Complex Language

Avoid jargon: Of course, there will be some medical terms which are inevitable; but do not overdo it. Ensure that any terminology you use is relevant and easily understood by the reader.

No Slang:  professional vocabulary is very important in medical writing. Do not write with informal terms that are useful when speaking but dreadful to put in a formal letter.

Keep It Simple: Make it simple so that the meaning comes through, such as in short, uncomplicated sentences. Jargon and overuse of complicated language confuse the reader and can hide the message you’re trying to communicate.

How to Prioritize Key Medical Information

One of the main OET Writing Task strategies is selecting which information to use. Not all information in the case notes is relevant; your ability to determine which information is most relevant is crucial.

Focus only on the patient’s medical history, treatment, and current condition. Information such as family background or their hobbies are brought in only if they directly relate to the medical care.

Some mistakes to avoid include;

• Including irrelevant details from case notes.
• Writing run-on, unfocused paragraphs that blur the key message.
• Overloading the letter with too much medical detail, not filtering out what is most important.

Organize the Content Logically

A well-organized letter is easy to follow. Organize your letter sensibly, and keep it fluid by smoothly progressing sentences.

• Introduction: Begin by stating the purpose of the letter,.
• Histories: Patient history including relevant medical history.
• Current Condition: Mention the condition regarding the patient.
• Treatment Administered: Describe the treatment provided thus far.
• Plan of Further Care: State the proposed recommendations for further care.

Stick to the Word Limit

As for the word count, the OET Writing Task is between 180 and 200 words. If you write more than that, you will be penalized; if you are short of that you might not have included all the relevant points.

Staying within the word limit shows that you can communicate effectively without over-explaining. This is a valuable skill in a medical context, where concise communication is key.

• Use the writing samples to practice with OET and to estimate word count.
• Write concisely, focusing on getting rid of unnecessary words or details.
• Review your writing and edit down to the correct limit while including all important information.

Conclusion

The OET Exam is crucial for aspiring medicos to achieve their dream of working in an English-speaking country. The Exam is well-structured and made in such a way that it assesses your medical language skills in all key areas- reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Out of all these sub-tests, the writing task is no joke. In order to complete the task, you must understand the format of the test, practice with sample papers, use proper grammar, and stick to the word limit. By following the tips provided in this guide, you can easily score high and avoid falling into some common pitfalls! Good luck to all the future test takers.