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OET: The 12 professions

12 professions in the OET

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What are the 12 professions in the OET exam?

12 professions

The 12 professions are dentistry, dietetics, medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, optometry, pharmacy, physiotherapy, podiatry, radiography, speech therapy and veterinary science.

OET Sub-tests profession specific

While the speaking and writing part of the exam are profession specific, the reading and listening papers are the same for all 12 professions and the texts or audio extracts can be based on any theme from the 12 professions.  

Even though you are not expected to have specific or specialised knowledge for the reading and listening papers, reading around the 12 professions can help you in a variety of ways in preparation for sitting the OET exam.

  • It will help you  understand the role of each profession, which can be helpful when you have to select relevant information for the reader in the writing paper. By understanding the scope of each profession, it is easier to understand what would and wouldn’t be relevant to the reader. 

  • It will help you when taking your reading and listening papers as you will be  dealing with unknown or unfamiliar topics and vocabulary.  

    You will also Build your vocabulary in context when reading around the 12 professions, making it easier to understand it when you come across these words in the exam.

  • Feeling prepared and confident that you are familiar with the 12 professions, can also help combat exam nerves when you sit your exam.. 

Top Tips

  • Build vocabulary around the 12 professions, starting with the ones that you feel less familiar with or have less vocabulary.  
  • When you are reading around the 12 professions, relate what you are learning back to the exam. For example, if you have read about a condition that you were less familiar with, after building vocabulary, try to use it for giving an explanation in speaking or find a podcast or talk to listen to about the same topic. 
  • Familiarise yourself with common conditions and vocabulary related to the 12 professions, and  you will feel much more confident and prepared for the exam.  

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