An 8-Week OET Study Plan for Busy Doctors

Most doctors preparing for the OET are also working, often with long shifts. This eight-week plan assumes about 8 to 10 hours of study a week. If your English is already strong, you can shorten it. If your target is high or your starting level is lower, stretch it. The key is regular practice, not occasional long sessions.

Weeks 1 and 2: find your starting point

• Read the format of each sub-test so that you know what the tasks are.
• Take one full Listening test and one full Reading test under exam conditions.
• Write one letter and record one speaking role-play.
• Note your weakest skill and your most frequent types of mistake.

Weeks 3 and 4: build skills

• Listening: work through Part A tests, focusing on spelling and prediction. Review each transcript.
• Reading: practise Part A timing with a 15-minute limit, and read one long article a day.
• Writing: study two model letters, then write two letters of your own and compare.
• Speaking: practise the structure of a role-play aloud every other day.

Weeks 5 and 6: practise under exam conditions

• Do a full Listening test and a full Reading test each week.
• Write at least three letters, timing yourself to 40 minutes.
• Do four to six role-plays, recording and listening back to each.
• Revisit every question you missed and write down what caused the error.

Week 7: target weak areas

• Use your results to choose what to repeat. If Reading Part C is weak, do more long texts. If your letters lack key points, practise selecting information.
• Add vocabulary for common clinical topics and the language of explanation and reassurance.

Week 8: consolidate

• Take one full practice of each sub-test, in the same order as the real exam where possible.
• Review notes, not new material, in the last two days.
• Plan your test day: documents, travel, a quiet room and microphone if you are taking the test online.

Tips for working doctors

1. Use short slots. Twenty minutes of reading or one role-play fits a break.
2. Listen to English healthcare podcasts on the way to work.
3. Keep a notebook of new phrases and the mistakes you repeat.
4. Protect one longer session a week for a full test.
5. Track your results so that you can see improvement, which helps motivation.

How to know you are ready

You are probably close to ready when your practice scores are consistently at your target level across several different tests, when you finish each sub-test inside the time, and when your letters and role-plays include the key points without effort. If one skill is still below target, give it extra time rather than moving on.

Ready to practise? OET Practice for Doctors has full listening and reading tests in the real format, writing letters with model answers and speaking role-plays. Try the free listening test to see how it works.

Practise for the OET on HighYield

Put this into practice with HighYield OET Practice for doctors, a full practice area built around the real exam. Start with the free listening test, then work through every sub-test:

• OET Listening practice tests: Parts A, B and C with audio
• OET Reading practice tests: Parts A, B and C with answers and evidence
• OET Writing tasks: referral letters with model answers and scoring
• OET Speaking role-plays: doctor role-plays to rehearse out loud