“OET was the key to the door to reach my dream.”
When Wissal Chabchoub, a midwife from Tunisia, first graduated in 2015, moving abroad wasn’t in her immediate plans. “I wanted a typical life,” she recalled. But by the age of 28, everything changed. “I lost many things, almost everything, as a person,” she shared. “I felt I needed to do something for myself. I didn’t know what. But I believed that when you want to change your life, the universe starts opening doors in front of you.”
Those doors weren’t easy to walk through. Wissal faced one hurdle after another, but her mindset remained clear: “Even if your conditions are against you, it’s not a reason to give up.”
A leap of faith and a game of rejections
Initially, Wissal explored migrating to Germany and began learning the language. She also set up a LinkedIn profile just to see what was out there. “It started as a game. I was applying for nursing positions, even those my degree didn’t fit. I liked that someone out there was responding to my emails.”
One of those responses came from a recruiter named Eleonora from Vitae Professionals
“They said, ‘If you want to go to the UK, you’ll need to take the OET Test or IELTS.’ They offered both OET preparation, and IELTS. I had no idea who could help me, but I chose the OET Test because there was extra support.”
Based in Porto, Portugal, Vitae Professionals is a leading recruitment agency connecting healthcare professionals with global career opportunities. Known for excellence and deep sector knowledge, they help individuals make meaningful career moves.
To meet the evolving needs of healthcare workers, they launched VP Formação — offering high-quality, practical training. Their programs cover clinical skills and language training, supporting professionals at every stage. As of October 2024, VP Formação is Portugal’s first OET Premium Preparation Provider.
Choosing the OET Test over IELTS: “It was the best and easiest option”
Although Wissal initially selected the OET Test for the support structure, she quickly realised it was the right fit in every way: “The OET Test was the best option and the easiest option. Even though I took it a few times, if I had chosen IELTS, it would’ve been much harder because it’s not medical-based English.”
Although there was a cost associated with receiving support from an official OET Preparation Partner, Wissal knew that working with VP Formação was the best route to get the proper preparation for the OET Test. She also understood that developing language skills requires time and dedication.
“I studied day and night. The universe gave me a chance, and I had to use it.”
Building resilience and gaining more than a score
Though Wissal did not pass the OET Test first time, she was able to retake it and reflected on how this became part of her journey. “OET made me grow up as a person before I grew professionally. I learned how to be consistent, how to accept failure, and how to fix my weaknesses.”
At one point, she was working full-time as a midwife, doing a part-time job, studying for OET, and volunteering to strengthen her CV. “People thought I was crazy,” she laughed.
Finding her way: from Qatar to the UK
On passing the OET Test, Wissal was delighted, but then came the next step: applying for a job in the UK. Eventually, an unexpected call from a hospital in Qatar gave her a new path. “I didn’t even remember applying,” she laughed. “But I passed the interview, and when I didn’t have the money to submit my papers, they told me, ‘Just send them — we’ll handle the rest.’ That was the universe again.”
Working in Qatar prepared Wissal for her final leap. “Now I know why I went there: I wasn’t ready yet for the UK. But thanks to OET, I was communicating well, even during an international accreditation visit. I stood out because of my communication skills.”
Making it to the UK — at the right time
In January 2025, Wissal finally made it to the UK. Today, she’s a registered midwife at Singleton Hospital in Swansea. “Even if you pass the exam, it doesn’t mean you're ready to take a big life step,” she reflected. “Now I see that everything happened at the right time.”
After countless applications and moments of doubt, her opportunity came when a recruiter from ID Medical contacted her via LinkedIn about an urgent midwifery role in the UK. “I thought it was a fraud,” she admitted. “But I did the interview, and just 30 minutes later, they called to say I was among the top applicants. I had one month to prepare my papers and move.”
She credits OET not just with improving her English, but her empathy and communication: “The OET Test teaches you how to speak to patients — not just answer questions. It teaches you to show empathy. That’s so important for a healthcare professional.”
Advice to healthcare professionals: “Don’t give up”
Wissal’s story is one of grit, self-belief, and trust in something bigger. Her message for other nurses, midwives, and healthcare professionals considering the OET Test?
“If you fail a couple of times, it doesn’t mean it’s not your path. It just means you’re not strong enough yet. Falling down is not losing. It’s just a way to stand up stronger.”
“You will get the support you need. You’ll be taking an exam with fair, professional people. And if you’re serious about your dream — just go for it.”
Interested in following Wissal’s footsteps?
The OET Test is the only English language test designed for healthcare professionals. Start your journey today.
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