What You Should Before Taking the OET for Work in the UK

Planning to take the Occupational English test Philippines to work in the UK? Set yourself up for success! Here are the three things you should know before taking the high-stakes exam. 

1. There is no passing or failing grade on the OET exam.  
OET is first and foremost an English proficiency assessment exam. It aims to establish a healthcare professional’s linguistic competence, whether they’ll be able to thrive and work efficiently in a place where English is the predominant mode of communication. Hence, there is no passing or failing grade in OET. 

Despite there being no passing or failing OET grade, most exam takers do have a grade goal when they take the exam. Here’s why:

2. Different countries and medical boards have an OET grade requirement for overseas healthcare professionals looking to join their workforce. 
Let’s focus on the UK. There are two major medical authorities in the UK: the 
Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and the General Medical Council (GMC). 

If you’re a nurse or a midwife, you’ll have to adhere to the NMC’s requirements. If you’re a doctor, you’ll have to comply with the GMC’s requirements. Here’s a breakdown of their grade requirements. 

The UK OET Grade Requirement for Nurses and Midwives 
Applicants must have at least a Grade B in all four sub-tests: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Also, the NMC will only accept results that are: 

• …from a single test date.
• …from two test dates taken within a six-month period, provided that the exam taker: has no grade below C+ in both test attempts, completed all four-sub tests in both attempts; and secured a minimum of Grade B in all four-subtests across the two attempts.

The UK OET Grade Requirement for Doctors
Applicants must have at least a Grade B in all four sub-tests: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Also, the GMC will only accept results from OET medicine sub-tests that are taken in the same test date. 

3. The OET is a language assessment exam, not a medical test.
If you’re preparing with a training facility, like the OET review center Makati, this is one of the first things your instructor will tell you. 

The OET’s contents vary depending on the test taker’s healthcare expertise. This, however, doesn’t mean that you’ll get a low score if you missed a couple of points about your practice or failed to demonstrate your knowledge as a nurse or doctor. OET is not an exam of expertise. As long as you demonstrated your English communication skills well, you have a chance of reaching—and exceeding—your grade goals. 

Achieve your grade goal after a single test attempt. Make the most out of your OET preparation period. Enroll in an excellent review program, like the one we offer in OET review center Makati, to learn from test experts and get access to first-rate training materials. 

Thinking of enrolling in one of our OET training courses? Click here to learn more about our programs and our enrollment process.

References:
"Frequently Asked Questions." OET Helpdesk. Accessed April 17, 2018. https://support.occupationalenglishtest.org/hc/en-gb/categories/200963875-Frequently-Asked-Questions.

"OET for General Medical Council (GMC), UK." OET Helpdesk. Accessed April 17, 2018. https://support.occupationalenglishtest.org/hc/en-gb/sections/360000008836-OET-for-General-Medical-Council-GMC-UK.

"OET for Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), UK." OET Helpdesk. Accessed April 17, 2018. https://support.occupationalenglishtest.org/hc/en-gb/sections/115001521249-OET-for-Nursing-and-Midwifery-Council-NMC-UK.