OET writing case notes practice for nurses and doctors

OET Writing Case Notes: How to Identify Relevant Information Quickly

Practicing for the OET Writing sub-test is tough—particularly when confronted with a lengthy list of OET writing case notes comprising medical information, patient history, and background. Many test-takers find it difficult to determine what is crucial and what is not, wasting precious time on unnecessary information or overlooking important facts. This skill—OET case note selection is essential to obtaining a high score. In this guide, you’ll learn how to quickly identify relevant information, filter patient history effectively, and structure your letter with clarity and precision.

Role of Case Notes in OET Writing

In the OET Writing sub-test, you’re given a set of case notes about a patient and must write a professional letter, such as a referral, discharge, or transfer letter, in 40 minutes. These notes contain a mix of useful and irrelevant information. Your task is to pick only the details that are relevant to the writing task and purpose.

For example, if the question is to refer a patient for rehabilitation to a physiotherapist, it is not necessary to state the patient’s family financial information. The strength of selecting appropriate case notes is what divides a Band B candidate from Band A scorers. It reflects clinical judgment, task completion, and time management—complementary skills to real-world healthcare communication.

Identifying Relevant vs Irrelevant Details

The best approach to OET writing case notes is to be a healthcare professional in mindset. Ask yourself: “What does the reader need to know to be able to continue the patient’s care?”

Following are some practical steps to recognize relevance in a hurry:

Know the task first. Carefully read the task prompt—it informs you to whom you’re writing, why, and what type of letter it is (e.g., referral, discharge, transfer). This sets the tone for what information is important.
Emphasise patient condition and purpose. Knowing why you’re writing, emphasize information directly serving that purpose—such as diagnosis, symptoms, treatment, and response.
Disregard background clutter. Information such as irrelevant medical history, social behaviour, or family history tend to be insignificant unless they influence the primary condition.
Connect information logically. Consider the reader. A physiotherapist is interested in mobility and exercise response, whereas a dietitian requires dietary and weight information.

Through this development of judgment, you can quickly scan the OET case notes without sacrificing accuracy.

Filtering Patient History Effectively

Reading through long OET writing case notes becomes daunting. But the secret is in prioritising current relevance over overall completeness.

Set the main timeline: Record when symptoms started, how they escalated, and what interventions were administered. Omit events that are resolved or irrelevant.
Prioritise the main condition: If the patient is being referred for the management of hypertension, don’t waste time on their childhood asthma unless it’s currently affecting care.
Employ the SOAP principle (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan): Successful OET candidates often mentally organise notes into these categories as they read. This allows them to know what information bolsters the assessment and what facts dictate the plan.
Mark secondary relevance: Certain information, such as allergies, smoking status, or medication adherence, may be secondary to the main issue but could affect management. Make these brief in your letter.

Filtering effectively not only enhances accuracy but also leaves you with more time to write a logical, well-written letter.

Utilizing Keywords to Save Time

When reading through OET case notes, identify keywords that directly relate to the writing task. Keywords are visual cues to direct your focus.

Examples of high-value keywords are:

Condition terms: “Chest pain,” “shortness of breath,” “fracture,” “blood pressure.”
Action words: “Referred,” “advised,” “reviewed,” “follow-up.”
Medical outcomes: “Improved,” “deteriorated,” “responded well,” “stable.”
Instructions: “Monitor,” “assess,” “continue medication,” “refer to specialist.”

Mark or underline these words as you read. This allows you to relate the appropriate points while writing a letter without having to read through all the notes again.

Also, employ color coding or symbols if doing it online—green for applicable, red for inapplicable, and yellow for potential inclusion. The practice develops over time to give you a faster pace and assurance.

Efficiently Structuring the Letter

Once you’ve sifted the OET writing case notes, organizing your letter clearly comes next. An organized letter not only gets more marks but also helps you not to leave out important information.

Use this easy format:

Opening (Purpose) – Indicate why you’re writing and who the patient is. Example: “I am referring Mr. John Smith, a 58-year-old man, for further management of his uncontrolled diabetes.”
Relevant Background – Add medical history with direct relation to the matter at hand. Exclude general or resolved problems.
Current Condition – Briefly cover presenting symptoms, examination results, and recent tests.
Treatment and Progress – State what has been attempted so far and the patient’s reaction.
Request or Recommendation – Finish with what you anticipate the reader will do, e.g., “Please review and modify his medication.”

OET writing tips:

Use short, clinical sentences.

Don’t copy case note language verbatim—paraphrase in your own words.

Seek clarity and logical sequence above profuseness of detail.

Practice Strategies for Improvement

Enhancing your OET case note selection requires regular, targeted practice. Below are strategies employed by high-scoring candidates:

Timed practice: Write in just 5 minutes after reading case notes. This conditions your brain to spot important details immediately.
Compare sample answers: Look at example OET sample letters and observe which case notes were utilized or excluded. This demonstrates how experts prioritize details.
Group study sessions: Study sets of case notes with others and argue over what’s essential—this sharpens decision-making.
Use mock tests: Test under actual conditions with a timer to gain speed and confidence.
Seek feedback: Get your practice letters evaluated by an OET tutor or experienced peer. Constructive feedback accelerates improvement.

By combining strategic practice with reflective analysis, you’ll start recognizing relevance almost instinctively.

Conclusion

Learning OET writing case notes doesn’t mean memorising patterns—it’s knowing the intention behind the letter and presenting professionally. With careful practice, clear organization, and keyword scanning, you can extract key information effectively and compose neat, high-scoring letters.

Remember that clarity, intention, and relevance are your most helpful friends in the OET Writing sub-test. The more you practice filtering and organizing, the more natural and confident your writing will be.