OET SPEAKING BY PROFESSION · DOCTORS
OET Speaking for doctors: the role play explained
OET Speaking for doctors is two role plays, not a general conversation test: you take the professional's side of the conversation, and the interlocutor plays the other side from a card you never see.
This page sets out what the role plays involve for doctors, the two families of criteria they are marked against, and how to practise the consultation itself, not only the English.
THE ROLE PLAYS
Speaking is two doctor and patient role plays. Common cards involve explaining a new diagnosis, negotiating a management plan with a reluctant patient, or counselling on lifestyle change. Marking covers both linguistic criteria and clinical communication: gathering information, involving the patient in decisions, and checking understanding rather than lecturing.
WHAT THE CRITERIA REWARD
WHO ACCEPTS IT
OET Medicine is accepted by the GMC for UK registration, required by ECFMG for all US Pathways applicants, and accepted by the Medical Board of Australia via AHPRA, the Medical Council of Ireland, and the Medical Council of New Zealand, among others. Grade B (350) per subtest is the usual bar. Rules and score validity windows differ by regulator, so check the current requirements directly before you book a sitting.
See the exact current requirement
LAST REVIEWED 9 AUGUST 2026
COMMON QUESTIONS
What does the OET Speaking subtest involve for doctors?
Speaking is two doctor and patient role plays. Common cards involve explaining a new diagnosis, negotiating a management plan with a reluctant patient, or counselling on lifestyle change. Marking covers both linguistic criteria and clinical communication: gathering information, involving the patient in decisions, and checking understanding rather than lecturing.
How long is the OET Speaking subtest?
About 20 minutes in total: a short warm up that is not assessed, then two role plays of roughly five minutes each, with about three minutes of preparation per card.
Which criteria does OET Speaking mark?
Two families: linguistic criteria (intelligibility, fluency, appropriateness of language, and grammar and expression) and clinical communication criteria (relationship building, understanding the patient's perspective, providing structure, and information gathering and giving).
Which regulators accept OET Medicine?
OET Medicine is accepted by the GMC for UK registration, required by ECFMG for all US Pathways applicants, and accepted by the Medical Board of Australia via AHPRA, the Medical Council of Ireland, and the Medical Council of New Zealand, among others. Grade B (350) per subtest is the usual bar. Rules and score validity windows differ by regulator, so check the current requirements directly before you book a sitting.
Independent preparation service. Not affiliated with, or endorsed by, OET or Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment. Practice feedback is based on published OET criteria and is not an official evaluation. Regulator requirements change: confirm current rules with the regulator directly.
OET for doctors · OET Writing for doctors · OET Speaking for all twelve professions