OET to better international prospects for Indian doctors and nurses

NEW DELH: Indian doctors and nurses applying for positions in the United States can now validate their English language proficiency with Occupational English Test, or OET.

The OET is an international English language test custom made for healthcare professionals.

The test is recognised by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates and Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research, the Florida Board of Nursing and the Oregon State Board of Nursing, an official statement said on Thursday.

How OET helps

ECFMG Certification evaluates whether international medical graduates (IMGs) are ready to enter residency or fellowship programs in the US that are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, and to obtain a license to practise from a Medical Licensing Authority.

“ECFMG has identified pathways for meeting the clinical skills requirements for ECFMG Certification for IMGs seeking to enter accredited U.S. residencies or fellowships in 2021 as a result of the suspension of the Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS) component of the United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®) due to Covid19,” the statement said.

These pathways include assessment of English proficiency by OET.

OET’s approval by nursing regulators in the states of Florida and Oregon will be written into the respective states’ rules by the end of 2020; we will advise those interested in working in these states as soon as their OET results will be accepted.

Grades required

The grades required of IMGs for ECFMG Certification are a minimum score of 350 (Grade B) on each of the four measured components of the OET (Medicine): Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking.

Nurses applying to Oregon must achieve a minimum of 4 Grade Bs (minimum score of 350) and those nurses applying for licensure in Florida must achieve a minimum of 4 Grade C+s (minimum score of 300).

“With OET now recognised in the US as well as nine other countries, including the UK and Australia, it truly is the healthcare professional’s passport to an international career,” OET CEO Sujata Stead said in the statement.

IMGs can pre-register now to take the OET (Medicine) as early as August 2020. ECFMG will accept OET (Medicine) scores that meet the minimum passing requirements for tests taken on or after July 1, 2018.

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