Abstract
OET vs IELTS: Finding the Most Appropriate Way to Test Language Skills for Medicine
Highlights
Language proficiency can be difficult to measure
The aim of this study was to evaluate the content of two English language tests: the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and the Occupational English Test (OET); and through the investigation of student opinions and their experiences of preparing for the two tests, this study aims to ascertain the suitability of each test, by evaluating how effectively each prepares the students for their career
Many participants expressed a significant amount of frustration and felt that they had not progressed satisfactorily considering the amount of time they had spent studying towards their IELTS exams
Summary
Language proficiency can be difficult to measure. In language assessment research, questions that relate to the kind of English we are testing, what is meant by standard English and, in an increasingly globalised world, questions that relate to the suitability of approaches to testing are areas of debate (Bachman & Purpura, 2008; Hall, 2014; Pennychook, 2007; Pilcher & Richards, 2017). IELTS was originally designed in the 1980s to assess the language proficiency of people who wished to study in academic or training contexts in countries where English is the first language (Ingram, 1995). For doctors wishing to gain registration to practise in the UK the requirement is an overall band score of 7.5, with a minimum of a band 7.0 in any of the four skills. For other healthcare professionals such as nurses, dentists and pharmacists, the score needed for registration purposes is high, with the overall band score requirement being between 7.0 and 7.5. Until the NMC and the GMC decided to accept OET, achieving high band scores in the academic module of IELTS had been the only way for healthcare professionals to demonstrate their language proficiency to professional bodies
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