3 Referral-Writing Tips that Every OET Taker Needs to Know (Part 2)

3 Referral-Writing Tips that Every OET Taker Needs to Know (Part 2) In the OET writing sub-test, you’ll be tasked to write a medical letter. It can be anything from a letter of discharge for a patient to a letter of advice for a guardian. The most common type to appear in the exam, however, is the referral letter.

Before you take the test, it’s imperative that you know how to write referral letters that are:  Accurate  Comprehensive  well-structured  free of grammar errors

Enrolling in a program for OET review in Manila is one of the best ways to hone your referral-writing skills. Instructors can teach you what to expect from the task and how you’re going to be scored.

They can also give you pointers on how to enhance your writing style. Here are some of them.

 Use reporting verbs.

Reporting verbs refer to the verbs that you can use in place of the word “said.” They are usually more descriptive, making referral letters more detailed and interesting. Here are some useful reporting verbs. o

Stated

o

Mentioned

o

Explained

o

Revealed

o

Complained

o

demanded

Take note: you can’t just use any reporting verb that comes to mind. Your word choice must reflect the patient’s attitude or intentions.

 Cite patients to increase clarity.

There are two instances when it’s better to write what the patient or guardian said exactly: o

When they were able to give an apt description of their circumstance

o

When the explanation they provided is difficult to paraphrase

In these cases, use quotations marks to indicate what the patient or guardian shared. Here are some examples. o

Reyes refused surgery, stating that it was “not an option at the moment.”

o

Ana said she had a “mostly vegan” diet.

Keep these in mind when you tackle referral-writing tasks during your OET review center sessions.

 Utilize punctuation marks strategically.

Did you know that punctuation marks have varying levels of formality? Some are neutral and can be used in informal, semi-formal, and formal writing (e.g., periods and question marks). Others, like the colon and semi-colon, belong to formal types of writing.

Although they are often used in informal writing, brackets and parentheses actually fall under the neutral category. So, you can use them to add extra notes to your referral letter. If you want to maintain your letter’s formal writing style, however, don’t use brackets and parentheses. Use commas instead. Here are some examples. o

Cruz is prescribed Oseltamivir (75 mg twice daily) and Amoxicillin (500 mg thrice daily).

o

Cruz is prescribed Oseltamivir, 75 mg, taken twice daily, and Amoxicillin, 500 mg, taken thrice daily.

Take every appropriate opportunity to practice these tips during your training period. They will help you ace the writing sub-test and compose better referrals when you work abroad. Prepare with a top provider of OET review in Manila to find out more ways to enhance your exam performance.