If you're a healthcare professional looking to prove your English proficiency — whether for career advancement or further education — the test you choose can make all the difference.
While both OET and IELTS Academic are respected and widely recognised, the OET Test is specifically designed for healthcare professionals. It’s not just the smarter choice — in many cases, it’s also the easier one. Here’s why:
1. Content that's relevant and easier to prepare for
The IELTS Academic test covers everything from geology to fine arts — meaning you'll need to study vocabulary and concepts far outside your healthcare expertise. Even the writing section follows an academic format: analysing graphs, writing structured essays, and presenting arguments on abstract topics. For many healthcare professionals, that can feel like preparing for a university course in a completely unrelated field.
The OET Test, by contrast, focuses on familiar healthcare content, reducing the amount of vocabulary you’ll need to learn, making preparation easier and faster.
Emmaqulate, a dedicated nurse from Kenya with over a decade of experience, shared:
“OET felt more friendly and manageable compared to IELTS,” Emmaqulate notes. “Despite my busy schedule, I could prepare effectively. If I wasn’t working, it would have taken even less time.”
Sanjith, a Clinical Governance & Risk Manager at the NHS, had a similar experience:
“I took IELTS three or four times but couldn’t pass. The topics for the writing assessment were obscure things like art or drama, which were not my field of expertise. But with OET, if you ask me about work, I don’t need to imagine.”
2. Faster prep, fewer retakes and lower overall cost
OET’s focus on healthcare language means that candidates often achieve their required scores more quickly than those preparing for IELTS Academic. Because the OET Test concentrates on familiar healthcare topics, you’ll spend less time learning unrelated academic vocabulary, speeding up the process and reducing preparation time.
While the test fee may seem higher upfront, fewer study hours and fewer retakes mean OET Test often ends up being the more affordable path to success.
This was certainly true for Brenda, a nurse from Kenya. After attempting IELTS five times, she kept falling short of the required score — especially in the listening section. Each IELTS attempt cost her more time, energy, and money, without the results she needed. That’s when she made a pivotal decision.
“I told myself, ‘Let me try OET,’ and it was the best decision I ever made. The content was relevant to my nursing career, and I passed.”
3. Each OET sub-test tests real-world healthcare scenarios
Each OET sub-test reflects the type of work you already do, so the tasks are familiar and relevant. Here's how it compares:
- Listening sub-test: the OET Test will assess you on healthcare-related audio examples, such as a discussion between a doctor and patient. IELTS will assess you on audio from academic scenarios, such as a university lecture.
- Reading sub-test: the OET Test focuses on healthcare-related texts such as workplace communications. IELTS, however, includes texts on diverse academic topics like astronomy or economics.
- Writing sub-test: in the OET Test, you’ll write referral letters or case notes to other healthcare professionals. IELTS will require you to analyse and describe charts and write essays on subjects unrelated to healthcare.
- Speaking sub-test: in the OET Test, you'll take part in role plays simulating real healthcare situations, such as talking to a patient. In IELTS, you might need to discuss unrelated topics like art or history.
Want to see it in action? Watch our video series for real test examples and expert tips.
4. OET helps you communicate confidently in the workplace
While IELTS Academic tests general English skills, OET focuses entirely on healthcare communication. This means you're not just preparing for an exam, you're practising the real conversations you have with patients, colleagues, and other healthcare professionals.
From writing referral or discharge letters to understanding a patient’s concerns during a consultation, OET helps you build the language skills you need to handle clinical situations with clarity and confidence. Because the test tasks mirror what happens in a workplace, you become more prepared — and more assured — in how you speak, listen, read, and write in a healthcare context.
The result? You feel more confident and capable not just in passing the test, but in doing your job well — and in English — from day one.
Sylvanus, a nurse from Kenya, who took OET, put it best:
“When you start using English professionally, you don’t get lost, because OET prepares you for how people communicate in a professional setting,” he explains.
5. Trusted by healthcare organisations around the world
OET is recognised by leading healthcare regulators and organisations worldwide — including:
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UK: NMC, GMC, GPhC, HCPC
- Ireland: NMBI, Medical Council of Ireland, CORU
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USA: ECFMG, TruMerit (Formerly CGFNS International)
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Australia & New Zealand: AHPRA, Medical Council of New Zealand, Nursing Council of New Zealand
OET results are also accepted for visa purposes in countries like the UK, US, Australia, and New Zealand. Explore the full list of organisations that recognise the OET Test.
Ready to take the next step?
OET offers healthcare professionals a faster, more relevant, and more cost-effective path to success.