OET Vocabulary
IELTS, OET, or PTE: Which English Test Is Best for Healthcare Professionals?
Oct
When speaking with nurses or healthcare professionals aiming to work overseas, one of the most common questions I hear is:
“Honestly, I’m not sure which test I should take.”
Some people say:
“IELTS is easier to prepare for because there are so many materials!”
“I studied IELTS for two years and couldn’t pass, but I switched to PTE and passed in one go!”
“If you’re thinking about exams like NCLEX or OSCE, OET is the most relevant.”
Hearing such mixed advice, many test-takers end up choosing whichever test sounds easiest. But that can lead to frustration —
“I heard PTE was easier, but I still can’t pass after several attempts!”
Ultimately, your ideal test depends on your goals and current situation. In this article, I’ll share how to choose strategically based on my experience supporting international healthcare professionals.
If Your Goal Is Nurse Registration in an English-Speaking Country, Choose OET
To begin with, if your goal is full nurse registration (or a work visa) in an English-speaking country, OET is the best choice.
Here’s why:
- Strong correlation with NCLEX and OSCE
- Builds useful medical knowledge even if you continue working in your home country
- Easier to prepare for Writing and Speaking compared to other tests
The biggest reason is that OET is closely aligned with NCLEX and OSCE — the clinical and communication exams required after the language test.
What Is NCLEX?
NCLEX primarily assesses medical and clinical knowledge. Preparing for OET Reading and Listening helps you naturally build the same foundational knowledge required for NCLEX.
By contrast, IELTS covers a wide range of unrelated academic topics — from art to environmental science — meaning you’ll spend time learning vocabulary that won’t help you in your nursing career.
Even if you pass IELTS, you’d then have to start studying medical content from scratch, which can be exhausting.
What Is OSCE?
The OSCE is a hands-on clinical exam that involves role-playing with patients in simulated scenarios.
This overlaps strongly with OET Speaking, where you also perform role-plays in healthcare settings. Many expressions you learn for OET can be directly reused in the OSCE.
Considering that both NCLEX and OSCE follow OET in the registration process, focusing on OET first saves you time in the long run and builds directly transferable skills.
Easier Preparation for Writing and Speaking
Among the three major tests, OET is generally the most predictable.
In IELTS and PTE, Writing (especially IELTS) and Speaking are notoriously difficult. Achieving a consistent score often takes years — if ever.
This is because the topics are wide-ranging, and the expected structure isn’t clearly defined.
By contrast, OET questions follow established templates. Once you master the key structures and phrases, your performance becomes much more stable and measurable.
If You Want to Gain Overseas Experience First: Choose IELTS
If your plan is to gain some international experience before pursuing full registration — for instance, working in Singapore or the UAE — then IELTS is usually the better option.
Typical requirements:
- Singapore: IELTS Overall 5.5 or higher
- UAE: IELTS Overall 5.0 or higher
These are achievable even for beginners within about a year of focused study.
Getting into an English-speaking work environment early has several major advantages:
- Immersion in an English-speaking workplace
- Understanding whether you truly enjoy life abroad
- Developing cross-cultural and professional skills
Immersion Is the Fastest Teacher
In your home country, it’s difficult to significantly improve your speaking skills, even if you’re consistent with online lessons. Motivation often fades without real-life necessity.
However, when you live in an environment where English is the only language, you’ll be forced to adapt. You’ll start thinking, speaking, and even dreaming in English — without realizing it.
Once you reach a functional level of English, preparing for OET becomes far easier and faster. It’s a highly efficient way to progress toward your long-term goal.
Understanding Your Own Limits Early
Interestingly, I’ve had several students who passed OET after months of hard work, only to return home a year or two later.
They told me, “Life overseas wasn’t what I expected — it became more stressful than rewarding.”
This is quite common. The gap between expectation and reality can be emotionally draining.
That’s why I often advise even younger students to spend at least a week abroad first — to truly experience daily life before committing.
If the lifestyle or culture doesn’t suit you, it’s better to realize that sooner rather than later.
Even If You Don’t Stay Abroad, Your Skills Still Matter
With growing numbers of international patients, hospitals in many countries now require staff who can communicate in English.
This means that even without migrating, healthcare professionals with English skills are in high demand.
Many of our OET Bank students have become the “go-to” staff for international patients — gaining both recognition and responsibility at their hospitals.
Even if you eventually decide not to stay abroad, the experience and skills you gain through IELTS or OET preparation will remain a valuable professional asset.
What About PTE?
PTE is quite individual. Some test-takers find it easy and logical, while others struggle significantly.
The test’s heavy reliance on computer-based voice recognition makes results inconsistent for certain accents or speaking patterns.
Because of that, I plan to cover PTE in more depth in a separate article.
(For the record, I find the same pattern with TOEFL — it suits some learners very well, while others never quite click with it.)
If you have any questions about choosing your test or preparing for OET, feel free to reach out.
Thank you for reading to the end!
If you’re preparing for OET, consider exploring our practice resources at OET Bank.
We’re designed not just as mock tests, but as powerful review tools that make it easier to analyze weaknesses and focus on what’s needed to pass.
