Writing
OET Writing: referral letter structure and note selection
Organise a referral letter around the reader's next step: sort case notes into keep, summarise or omit, plan the paragraphs, and see a worked practice case.
Read article
Articles by Dr Ahmed Hesham
OET Blog: Tips, Practice & Exam Guides
Practical advice for Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking and OET preparation on computer or paper.
Latest articles
New guides and the most useful places to start.
Speaking
OET Speaking: Realistic Empathy and Signposting
Make empathy sound genuine and signpost every topic change in OET role-plays, mapped to the clinical communication criteria, with weak vs stronger examples.
Read article
Exam Format
OET on Computer vs Paper: Preparation Differences
How paper, computer and OET@Home differ for Writing, Reading and Speaking, how to choose a mode, and a two-week practice plan for each format.
Read articleWriting
Letter structure, case-note selection, model letters and profession-specific Writing tasks.
Writing
OET Writing: referral letter structure and note selection
Organise a referral letter around the reader's next step: sort case notes into keep, summarise or omit, plan the paragraphs, and see a worked practice case.
Read article
Writing
OET Nursing Discharge Letter: Writing the Final Request Paragraph
Write a nursing discharge letter whose final paragraph tells the reader exactly what to do next: an invented case, note selection, model letter and closing requests.
Read article
Writing
OET Writing for Physiotherapy: referral vs discharge letters
How physiotherapy referral and discharge letters differ in reader, purpose and emphasis, with one practice patient written up both ways.
Read article
Writing
OET Writing Tips 2026: 11 Expert Strategies for Healthcare Professionals
Eleven strategies for letter type, reader, case-note selection, structure, tone and the final check before time.
Read article
Writing
OET Writing Sample for Nurses: Discharge Letter
Discharge case notes, a model letter to the district nurse and a criterion-by-criterion explanation.
Read article
Writing
OET Nursing Referral Letter Sample: Referral to a Specialist Nurse
Practice nurse case notes, a model referral to a diabetes specialist nurse and marking notes.
Read article
Writing
OET Nursing Transfer Letter Sample: Hospital to Care Home
Post-stroke case notes, a model transfer letter to a care home nurse and marking notes.
Read article
Writing
OET Writing Sample for Doctors: Referral Letter
GP case notes, a model referral letter to a cardiologist and an explanation of every selection decision.
Read article
Writing
OET Medicine Discharge Letter Sample: Hospital to GP
Pneumonia case notes and a model discharge letter from hospital to the GP, decision by decision.
Read article
Writing
OET Writing Sample for Pharmacists: Letter to a GP
Medication review case notes, a model letter to a GP and an explanation of every selection decision.
Read article
Writing
OET Writing Sample for Physiotherapists: Discharge Letter
Knee replacement case notes, a model letter to a community physiotherapist and marking notes.
Read article
Writing
OET Writing Sample for Occupational Therapists: Referral Letter
Home assessment case notes after a fall, a model referral letter and marking notes.
Read articleSpeaking
Patient-centred role-plays, clinical communication and model answers by profession.
Speaking
OET Speaking: Realistic Empathy and Signposting
Make empathy sound genuine and signpost every topic change in OET role-plays, mapped to the clinical communication criteria, with weak vs stronger examples.
Read article
Speaking
OET Speaking: How to Handle an Angry or Anxious Patient
Stay calm with an angry, upset or anxious patient in an OET role-play: acknowledge, explain and involve, mapped to the clinical communication criteria.
Read article
Speaking
OET Speaking Tips 2026: 11 Expert Strategies for Healthcare Professionals
Patient-friendly language, empathy, structure, signposting and time control in OET role-plays.
Read article
Speaking
OET Speaking Role-Play Cards for Nurses (With Model Answers)
Two nursing practice cards and a model role-play with marking notes, useful phrases and common mistakes.
Read article
Speaking
OET Speaking Role-Play Cards for Doctors (With Model Answers)
Two medicine practice cards and a model consultation with marking notes and useful phrases.
Read article
Speaking
OET Speaking Role-Play Cards for Pharmacists (With Model Answers)
Two pharmacy practice cards and a model role-play with marking notes and useful phrases.
Read article
Speaking
OET Speaking Role-Play Cards for Physiotherapists (With Model Answers)
Two physiotherapy practice cards and a model role-play with marking notes and useful phrases.
Read articleReading
Part A scanning, Part B workplace texts and Part C inference under time pressure.
Reading
OET Reading Part B: workplace texts and purpose questions
Answer Reading Part B by finding each workplace text's purpose first, then eliminating distractors, with an invented practice text and worked answers.
Read article
Reading
OET Reading Part A: scanning under time pressure
A minute-by-minute plan for Reading Part A, with a worked scan path through four practice texts and the copying rules that cost easy marks.
Read article
Reading
OET Reading Part C: inference and distractors
A six-step elimination method for Reading Part C, with a practice paragraph showing why each wrong option fails.
Read article
Reading
OET Reading Tips 2026: 10 Expert Strategies for Healthcare Professionals
Part A scanning, Part B and C distractors, inference and a weekly mock strategy.
Read articleListening
Note-taking, prediction and spelling accuracy for Parts A, B and C.
Listening
OET Listening Parts B and C: prediction, opinion and distractors
Predict from the stem and options, separate opinion from fact and spot distractor patterns in Listening Parts B and C, with a worked practice transcript.
Read article
Listening
OET Listening Part A: note-taking and spelling
Turn a consultation into accurate Part A notes: prediction, exact wording, spelling and abbreviations, with a worked practice extract.
Read article
Listening
OET Listening Tips 2026: 10 Expert Strategies for Healthcare Professionals
Strategies for Parts A, B and C: note-taking, accents, distractors and answer accuracy.
Read articleExam Format
Computer vs paper, test dates and fees, study plans, retakes, and how OET compares with IELTS and PTE.
Exam Format
OET on Computer vs Paper: Preparation Differences
How paper, computer and OET@Home differ for Writing, Reading and Speaking, how to choose a mode, and a two-week practice plan for each format.
Read article
Exam Format
OET Study Plan: 4, 8 and 12-Week Schedules
Week-by-week OET study plans for 4, 8 and 12 weeks by sub-test, with when to take the placement test and a full mock, and how to use free practice.
Read article
Exam Format
OET vs PTE: which English test should healthcare professionals take?
OET or PTE Academic? Format, timing and scoring side by side, and which UK, Irish, Australian, New Zealand and US regulators accept each test.
Read article
Exam Format
Retaking OET After a Near Miss: What to Do Next
Missed your target by one sub-test? Read the result, check whether your regulator combines sittings, weigh a re-mark or re-sit, and plan the retake.
Read article
Exam Format
OET vs IELTS: Which Test Should Nurses and Doctors Take?
OET's official IELTS comparison, format differences, which regulators accept each test and how to choose.
Read article
Exam Format
OET Test Dates 2026, Fees and Results
Paper and computer test dates, fees, re-sit and rescheduling costs, booking deadlines and results timing.
Read articlePathway Guides
Score requirements and registration steps for the UK, USA, Australia and the Gulf.
Pathway Guides
OET Score Requirements by Regulator (2026)
Minimum scores, sittings, OET@Home rules and validity for the NMC, GMC, Ahpra, NMBI, ECFMG and more.
Read article
Pathway Guides
UK Pathway Guide 2026 for OET Healthcare Professionals
NMC, GMC, GPhC and HCPC score requirements, steps, documents and common mistakes.
Read article
Pathway Guides
USA Pathway Guide 2026 for Healthcare Professionals
ECFMG, USMLE, NCLEX, FPGEC and NPTE routes, English test rules and state boards.
Read article
Pathway Guides
OET for ECFMG Certification: 2027 Pathways Guide
Required OET Medicine scores for the 2027 ECFMG Pathways, the one-sitting rule and key deadlines.
Read article
Pathway Guides
Australia Pathway Guide for OET Candidates
Ahpra, AMC, NMBA and APC steps for doctors, nurses, pharmacists and physiotherapists.
Read article
Pathway Guides
Gulf Pathway Guide for OET Healthcare Professionals
Qatar DHP, Sheryan, DataFlow and Prometric steps for doctors, nurses, pharmacists and physiotherapists.
Read articleNo articles match your search. Try a skill such as Writing or a part such as Part A.
Put the advice into practice
Free sample tests, model letters and role-plays, plus timed practice and mock exams in the learner app.