OET Referral, Discharge and Transfer Letters: What Is the Difference?

OET Writing for medicine usually asks for a letter based on case notes. The format looks similar, but the purpose and the reader differ. Choose the right purpose and the content follows.

Letter	Purpose	Reader
Referral	Ask a specialist or service to assess or manage the patient	Specialist, clinic or service
Discharge	Hand over care after a hospital stay, with follow-up needs	GP or community team
Transfer	Move care between hospitals or wards	Receiving clinician

What They Share

• A clear opening line saying why you are writing.
• Only relevant history, findings and treatment.
• A specific request or action at the end.

What Changes

• Referral: concentrate on why the patient needs this specialist and the question you want answered.
• Discharge: emphasise what happened, the current medication and what the GP must monitor.
• Transfer: highlight current status, outstanding issues and urgent needs.

See the worked advice in OET Writing for doctors: referral letter and the common errors in why candidates score below Grade B.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which letter is most common in OET Medicine?

Referral letters are very common, but discharge and transfer letters also appear. Practise all three.

Do I address the reader by name?

Use the name or title given in the task, and a formal greeting and closing.

OET is run by Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment. Format, fees and recognition rules change, so confirm every detail on the official OET website and with the regulator you are applying to. HighYield is an independent practice provider and is not affiliated with OET.

Practise for the OET

HighYield OET practice has listening, reading, writing and speaking practice for doctors, with a free listening sample to try first. Related guides: OET for doctors: complete guide, how to prepare and 8-week study plan.