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100+ Free OET Medicine Practice Questions

Pass your Occupational English Test (Medicine) - Listening & Reading Sub-tests exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

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A Reading Part B guideline states a wound is showing signs of being 'erythematous and purulent'. What do these two terms together indicate?

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: OET Medicine Exam

OET Medicine is the healthcare English test doctors sit; its shared Listening and Reading sub-tests each have 42 questions across Parts A, B and C, are graded A-E on a 0-500 scale, and usually require Grade B (350) for registration.

Sample OET Medicine Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your OET Medicine exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1In OET Reading Part A, a doctor reads four short healthcare texts on a single topic and answers matching, short-answer and sentence-completion questions. What reading skill is Part A primarily designed to test?
A.Detailed analysis of the writer's hidden opinion and attitude
B.Expeditious reading: skimming and scanning quickly to locate specific information
C.Listening comprehension of a recorded consultation
D.Writing a referral letter summarising the four texts
Explanation: Reading Part A is the expeditious-reading task: candidates have only 15 minutes for 20 questions, so they must skim and scan the four texts to locate specific details rather than read every word. It mirrors the way clinicians rapidly check reference materials.
2A Reading Part A text booklet contains four texts labelled A, B, C and D about managing type 2 diabetes. A matching question asks: 'Which text tells you the recommended first-line oral medication?' Text B is headed 'Pharmacological treatment pathway' and lists metformin as the initial drug, while the others cover diet, monitoring and complications. Which text should you select?
A.Text A
B.Text C
C.Text B
D.Text D
Explanation: In Part A matching tasks you scan the headings and content to find where a specific piece of information lives. The text headed 'Pharmacological treatment pathway' is where medication choices such as first-line metformin would be located, so Text B is correct.
3A Reading Part A short-answer question reads: 'How often should blood pressure be re-checked after starting an ACE inhibitor?' The source text states: 'Recheck blood pressure 1-2 weeks after initiation and after each dose increase.' Following Part A rules, what should you write?
A.Every month indefinitely
B.Only if the patient feels unwell
C.After six months
D.1-2 weeks
Explanation: Part A short-answer responses must lift the exact word or short phrase from the text. The text gives '1-2 weeks after initiation', so the correct answer is '1-2 weeks'. Candidates must copy the form used in the text and avoid paraphrasing.
4A Reading Part A sentence-completion item reads: 'Patients on long-term corticosteroids should be assessed for ______ because of reduced bone density.' The text states corticosteroids increase the risk of osteoporosis. Which word completes the sentence using the text's form?
A.osteoporosis
B.hypertension
C.dehydration
D.tachycardia
Explanation: Sentence-completion answers in Part A are taken directly from the text. The text links long-term corticosteroids to reduced bone density and osteoporosis, so 'osteoporosis' correctly completes the clinical sentence.
5Reading Part A is strictly timed and materials are collected after a fixed period. How long do candidates have to answer all 20 Part A questions?
A.45 minutes
B.60 minutes
C.15 minutes
D.5 minutes
Explanation: Part A has a strict 15-minute limit for 20 questions, after which the materials are collected and candidates move to Parts B and C. The tight timing is why expeditious skimming and scanning are essential.
6A Part A text on wound care states: 'Clean the wound with sterile saline; do NOT use hydrogen peroxide on granulating tissue.' A short-answer question asks which solution should be used to clean the wound. What is the correct answer?
A.Hydrogen peroxide
B.Iodine tincture
C.Tap water
D.Sterile saline
Explanation: The text directly instructs cleaning with sterile saline and explicitly warns against hydrogen peroxide on granulating tissue. Part A answers must be lifted from the text, so 'sterile saline' is correct.
7A Part A matching question asks: 'Which text would you consult to find the maximum daily dose of paracetamol?' Among the four texts, Text D is a 'Medication dosage table'. Why is scanning headings the most efficient Part A strategy here?
A.The maximum dose is always in the first text by convention
B.Headings and table titles signal where dosage data is located without reading full prose
C.Dosage tables are never tested in Part A
D.You must read all four texts fully before answering any question
Explanation: Part A rewards locating information fast. Scanning headings and table titles directs you straight to the 'Medication dosage table' for a maximum daily dose, avoiding time-wasting full reading. This is the core expeditious-reading skill Part A assesses.
8A Part A text states: 'Refer urgently (within 2 weeks) any patient over 40 with unexplained rectal bleeding.' A sentence-completion item reads: 'Unexplained rectal bleeding in a patient over 40 warrants urgent referral within ______.' What completes it?
A.2 weeks
B.6 months
C.48 hours
D.1 year
Explanation: The text gives the urgent referral window as 'within 2 weeks', so the completion must lift that exact timeframe. Reproducing the source phrase accurately is essential in Part A sentence completion.
9In Reading Part A, do candidates need to read the four texts in full detail to answer the matching questions in the first set?
A.Yes; every text must be read word for word before answering
B.No; matching questions are based only on the text headings and never the content
C.Yes; but only Text A needs full reading
D.No; matching questions are answered by quickly locating which text covers a topic, not by reading in depth
Explanation: The matching questions are designed to be answered quickly by identifying which of the four texts contains the relevant topic. They also give an overview that helps with later short-answer items, so detailed reading is unnecessary at this stage.
10A Part A text on anaphylaxis management states: 'Administer intramuscular adrenaline 0.5 mg (0.5 mL of 1:1000) into the anterolateral thigh.' A short-answer question asks the route of adrenaline administration. What should you write?
A.Intravenous
B.Intramuscular
C.Subcutaneous
D.Oral
Explanation: The text specifies the intramuscular route into the anterolateral thigh for first-line anaphylaxis adrenaline. Part A answers are lifted from the text, so 'intramuscular' is correct.

About the OET Medicine Exam

The Occupational English Test (OET) is the leading English-language test for healthcare professionals, owned and administered since 2013 by Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment (CBLA), a venture between Cambridge English and Box Hill Institute. OET Medicine is the version sat by doctors, but the Listening and Reading sub-tests are shared across all twelve OET professions and use generic healthcare topics rather than profession-specific knowledge. The Reading sub-test has three parts: Part A is a strictly timed 15-minute expeditious-reading task with 20 matching, short-answer and sentence-completion items across four short texts; Part B contains six short workplace texts each with one 3-option multiple-choice question; and Part C has two 700-800-word texts each with eight 3-option MCQs on writer opinion and implied meaning. The Listening sub-test mirrors this with consultation note-completion in Part A and 3-option multiple-choice questions in Parts B and C, with every recording heard once only. Each sub-test is reported on a 0-500 scale and an A-E grade, and most healthcare regulators require Grade B (350) in all four sub-tests. This free practice bank focuses only on the multiple-choice-testable Listening and Reading components, framed toward medical and doctor contexts.

Questions

100 scored questions

Time Limit

Reading is 60 minutes (15 minutes for Part A, then 45 minutes for Parts B and C). Listening is approximately 40-50 minutes, with each recording played once only.

Passing Score

Each sub-test is graded A to E on a 0-500 scale; most medical regulators require Grade B (350) in every sub-test, which usually means at least 30 of the 42 marks in Listening and Reading.

Exam Fee

Approximately AU$587 for all four sub-tests (about US$455 for computer-based testing in the US); the same fee applies to OET on Computer, OET on Paper and OET@Home. (Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment (CBLA))

OET Medicine Exam Content Outline

14%

Reading Part A (Expeditious Reading)

Skimming and scanning four short healthcare texts; matching, short-answer and sentence-completion items completed in a strict 15 minutes.

7%

Reading Part B (Workplace Texts)

Six short workplace texts such as memos, emails and guidelines, each with one 3-option multiple-choice question on gist, detail or purpose.

19%

Reading Part C (Long Texts)

Two 700-800-word texts with eight 3-option MCQs each, testing writer attitude, opinion, implied meaning and vocabulary in context.

29%

Listening Part A (Consultation Notes)

Two recorded consultations; candidates complete case notes by capturing symptoms, history, medication and management details.

7%

Listening Part B (Workplace Extracts)

Six short workplace extracts such as handovers, each with one 3-option multiple-choice question on detail, purpose or attitude.

14%

Listening Part C (Presentations & Interviews)

Two longer extracts with six 3-option MCQs each on main ideas, speaker opinion, attitude and detailed meaning.

10%

Test Format, Scoring & Medical Vocabulary

Sub-test structure, the 0-500 scale and A-E grades, Grade B requirements, time-management strategy and common clinical vocabulary.

How to Pass the OET Medicine Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Each sub-test is graded A to E on a 0-500 scale; most medical regulators require Grade B (350) in every sub-test, which usually means at least 30 of the 42 marks in Listening and Reading.
  • Exam length: 100 questions
  • Time limit: Reading is 60 minutes (15 minutes for Part A, then 45 minutes for Parts B and C). Listening is approximately 40-50 minutes, with each recording played once only.
  • Exam fee: Approximately AU$587 for all four sub-tests (about US$455 for computer-based testing in the US); the same fee applies to OET on Computer, OET on Paper and OET@Home.

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

OET Medicine Study Tips from Top Performers

1Practise expeditious reading for Part A by skimming and scanning under a strict 15-minute timer so you can locate details fast without reading every word.
2In Reading and Listening Parts B and C, read the question and three options carefully and use the speaker's or writer's tone to eliminate options that do not match.
3For Listening Part A note-completion, train yourself to capture specific details, such as doses, dates and symptoms, the first time you hear them, since recordings play only once.
4Build healthcare vocabulary, including terms like dyspnoea, afebrile, prophylactic, contraindicated and comorbidity, to read clinical texts and follow consultations more quickly.
5Manage the shared Part B and C reading window by finishing Part B's six short texts in about ten minutes, leaving the rest for the dense Part C texts.
6Use official OET sample tests to rehearse the exact task formats and aim consistently for at least 30 of 42 marks, the typical Grade B benchmark.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is OET Medicine and who administers it?

OET Medicine is the Occupational English Test taken by doctors to prove their English for clinical work. It is administered by Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment (CBLA), a venture between Cambridge English and Box Hill Institute. The Listening and Reading sub-tests are shared across all OET professions.

How are the OET Listening and Reading sub-tests structured?

Each sub-test has 42 questions across three parts. Reading Part A has 20 matching, short-answer and sentence-completion items; Part B has six 3-option MCQs; and Part C has two long texts with eight 3-option MCQs each. Listening Part A has 24 note-completion items, Part B six MCQs and Part C twelve MCQs.

What score do doctors need to pass OET?

Most medical regulators require Grade B in every sub-test, equivalent to a scale score of 350. In Listening and Reading this typically means answering at least 30 of the 42 questions correctly, though grade boundaries are adjusted slightly for each test session.

How is OET scored and graded?

Each of the four sub-tests is reported separately on a 0-500 scale in ten-point increments and mapped to a letter grade from A (highest) to E (lowest). There is no single overall OET score, and many regulators allow no compensation between sub-tests.

How much does OET cost in 2026?

The standard 2026 fee for all four sub-tests is about AU$587, the globally consistent base price, equating to roughly US$455 for computer-based testing in the United States. The same fee applies to OET on Computer, OET on Paper and OET@Home.

Are the OET Listening and Reading tests specific to doctors?

No. The Listening and Reading sub-tests are common to all twelve OET professions and use generic healthcare topics so that no profession has a knowledge advantage. Only the Writing and Speaking sub-tests are profession-specific, and those are not multiple-choice.