OET Computer-based test (CBT): All you need to know

Heard about the new OET test venue in Kuwait? Well yes. OET has opened its new OET test venue in Kuwait and it's not the pen and paper based mode of delivery. Instead, in Kuwait, OET has opened its first test center and OET will deliver its Test on Computer which is popularly called the OET Computer-based test (CBT)

Interested to learn more about it? Read on.

Occupational English Test (OET), a mandatory requirement for a medical practitioner, especially doctors and nurses, who wants to register themselves in a foreign country like the UK, Ireland or Australia and start their medical profession there, is popularly delivered via the paper and pen mode. The other mode of delivery of OET is the computer based test, which is OET Test on Computer. 

What is the format of the OET Computer based test?

In the OET Test on Computer, a candidate has to attend the OET Listening, OET Reading and OET Writing modules on a computer, which will mostly be conducted in a Prometric test venue. The OET Speaking module will be conducted over Zoom app as a video call. This simply means that a candidate will have to type out the answers on a computer screen in case of the listening, reading and writing modules of OET. This will be possible for a candidate who is quite familiar with the usage of computers and has sufficient speed to type long texts using a keyboard. The OET computer based test is preferred by most students who consider themselves to have bad handwriting. As handwriting, spellings and clarity in writing is detrimental when it comes to evaluation, be it OET Listening, OET Reading or OET Writing, a Test on Computer is a life saver for candidates with terrible handwriting.

Where is the OET computer based test accepted?

The OET Computer-based test (CBT) which is officially called as OET Test on Computer, is accepted by prominent medical registration bodies in countries like the UK, Ireland and Australia. It is mostly taken up by nurses and doctors who wish to work in an English-speaking country.

Why is the OET computer based test important?

The OET Test on Computer is highly relevant for candidates with a bad handwriting and typing out the answers will help them in neat presentation of answers. Also, for any medical practitioner looking to work in a foreign English-speaking country like the UK or Australia, the data entry skill enhancement becomes a major requirement in their job as most healthcare setup in such English-speaking countries would require their health practitioners to enter the details of their respective patients onto a centralised computer network. So preparing and practicing for the OET computer based test is definitely a skill enhancement activity too.