oet referral letter guide

The Occupational English Test includes four sub-tests, each verifying different linguistic abilities related to the healthcare field. The Writing sub-test will obviously test writing skills, being specific for each professional (medicine, physiotherapy, nursing, etc.). Most commonly, you will be required to write a referral letter, following the task instructions and using the given case notes. In order to learn how to improve OET writing, we have gathered a number of useful OET referral writing tips.

#1 Use the reading time accordingly

At the beginning of the OET Writing sub-test, you will be given five minutes as reading time. Use it wisely and go through the task instructions, paying attention to essential details. In there, you should find out to whom you are writing and why; based on this information, it will be easier to select the case notes that are relevant to the reader. Small bits of information can change the way you write the letter; for example, it matters a lot if the medical professional is familiar with the patient or not.

#2 Organize the case notes in a structured manner

The first and most important thing to remember is that case notes should be organized in neat paragraphs. This will help you achieve a clear structure for the letter, with all relevant information being included. Your letter should follow this structure: introductory sentence, main and secondary issue, any other details and the request. The issues can be medical or social, additional details can refer to medication and the request is clearly for referral (to a specific medical professional).

#3 Include at least one of the following points or both for a positive impact

  • main medical issue (diagnosis / surgery)
  • request/purpose in the introductory sentence

The introductory sentence should refer to the obvious medical issue, which can be taken from the ‘admission diagnosis’ section. Based on the said problem, you should refer the patient to a specialist physician for examination (the request). You can then proceed to describe the issues more in detail, under the main medical issue (secondary issue to follow).

#4 Distinguish between main and secondary issues

The case notes can be useful in identifying valuable information regarding the main issue. It is important not to confuse the main issue with the secondary one; for example, if a patient suffers from headaches and dizziness, you have to determine which one follows the other. The main and secondary issues should be described in separate paragraphs, as mixing ideas in the same paragraph can result in a lower grade.

#5 Understand the task & check out samples

Read the OET writing task instructions and the Writing Task as many times as you can, with attention, so that you make sure you have understood what you have to do. The better you understand the task, the bigger your chance of successfully completing the Writing sub-test is going to be. Moreover, you should consider reading the sample writing sub-test letters, as these can provide a clear picture of how such a letter should be constructed.

#6 Write a separate paragraph for any other details

Perhaps one of the most difficult tasks is to decide which information a specialist might need to know. After you have written the main and secondary issue paragraphs, be sure to write a separate one for any other details. These should include related information worth mentioning, even though it is not directly related.

#7 Referral explicitly described in the last paragraph

Even though you have mentioned the need for referral in the introductory sentence, it is not enough. At the end of the letter, you will have to be more explicit and state the request for referral. Use the information from the OET writing task instructions, as well as from the discharge or management plan, to describe the request in a well-structured manner.

#8 Your letter should tell a story to the reader

After you have selected and organized your case notes, it is time to transform them into the actual letter. You should write the letter in a manner that it tells a story to the reader; do not copy the case notes directly, as this is not recommended. Moreover, not all the information included in the case notes is useful, some details are placed in there to distract you.

NoteThe OET Writing Correction Service at Benchmark Education Solutions is the only preparation companion you will need to make ensure you go on to achieve A or B grade in the writing module. Our teachers are seasoned medical professionals with ESL teaching experience. They will point out and correct all minor issues of tenses, clauses, articles, prepositions, sentence formation, word choice, case notes interpretation and organisation of information.

In conclusion, these are some of the most important referral writing tips to consider for the OET Writing sub-test. It is always a good idea to read the sample letters, as these can help you write a better referral letter.

39 thoughts on “Top 8 OET Referral Letter Writing Tips”

    1. Thank you for your message. We provide OET Writing Correction service only. OET 2.0 materials are still being developed by our expert teachers. We will notify you when the materials are available for purchase.

      Cheers
      Benchmark Support Team

      1. Good day!

        i would like to ask if how much do you charge for OET Writing correction? Thanks you.
        Looking forward to hear from you

  1. Hi by profession I m a dr I need letter correction for medicine after payment u will provide task than I have to write or task will arrange by me?
    In how many days we will have done these 8 letters?

  2. I have booked exams for May 18. Need help in writing. Is it possible to score b in just 15 days? If yes pls help. This will be my 3rd attempt. I have scored c in writing all the time. Don’t know where I’m lacking. Need some serious help.

  3. My name is Rosamma I am planning to writing oet second time, if I write the letter will you be able to correct it ?

  4. Hi my name is Baljit I want to improve my OET writing as i have given 3 writing test but got always c or c+. I need B or B+ please help me to get the B score in writing.

  5. Hi my name is rinto,I have appeared for OET twice and got 3BS ( Only C for writing).i am planning to write in next couple of weeks .please advise me what to do

  6. Hi ….I am Jiya..I am a nurse by profession,If u don’t mind could you please help me out to clear my doubt that, If I pay for one time how long I can submit the letters for correction.Please do reply.

  7. can i have more sample of referral letter. i was confused with the given example of my coach. she doesn’t want me to use “in addition” she also does’nt give us a guide on how to write. if we will ask her, she also asked us back the question we asked. Better to rvw here than to anybody, paying too much for4-5days only

  8. I would like to ask about the discount for a group registration. we are more than ten applicants OET CDO batch october 7-11, 2019., thank u

  9. Hi I’m Sathish
    I want complete OET study materials
    And Guide for OET
    Reading,Writing,Listening,Speaking
    And upto 2019 edition 14,862 questions
    Pls contact +91 9629869633

  10. Thankyou so much benchmark terms for uploading samples with proper explanation. Its really helpful for me.
    Thankyou once again.

  11. Thanks so much for the lecture and explanations on oet writing. please help me in construction of the main body.l can now write the introduction of the letter with the explanation you gave. thanks

  12. Respected Authority, i have a keen interest to subscribe your services but would like to know how long a subscription will remain valid?

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