Aidan Fitzpatrick OET Listening Script

Aidan Fitzpatrick OET Listening Script

OET Listening Subtest Part A - Extract 1

Dr. Seld: Hi Aiden, I'm Dr. Seld. Could you start by telling me about what's been going on with your vision?

Aiden: Sure, well I guess it must have started a while ago but I didn't really notice it properly until about two weeks ago, right? I was working in my garden and I noticed that I was having a hard time reading the instructions on the gardening products that I just bought. I normally stick to the one I've been using for years but I thought it'd be nice to try something different anyways. It kind of felt like everything was fuzzy around the edges and I just couldn't see the letters clearly.

Dr. Seld: Good. After talking to your daughter she mentioned that you've been using increasingly more light to read at night and even pulling things closer to you to read?

Aiden: I hadn't even noticed. So I went out and got some of those glasses they sell at the pharmacy and they helped, but my doctor said that it'd be better if I came to see an eye doctor. Well, they made things less blurred anyway. I guess my vision's still not crystal clear or anything when I use the glasses but I wasn't really expecting that. I still notice that I'm squinting to see things, it's mostly when I'm trying to read something close up like small writing. I'm better when things are at a distance. I don't know if it's related but I've also noticed a pretty persistent headache, ah I guess it's kind of at the sides of my head I suppose. It comes and goes but it's definitely worse when I'm having trouble seeing something. When it gets really bad I just take a fast-acting ibuprofen and that tends to sort it out.

Dr. Seld: Ever had any vision problems before?

Aiden: Uh, when I was little at some point in elementary school I think I had glasses but I'm sure I broke them and we just never got around to having them replaced. My brother has glasses uh that he's been wearing for years, I don't really know a whole lot about what's wrong with his eyes, maybe he's shortsighted.

Oh, but that reminds me, my brother thought I should mention that a couple of months or so ago I was pretty ill. I was suffering from sinusitis and anyway I left it pretty late to go and see the doctor about it, kind of thought that it would just sort itself out anyway. It lingered for a while so when I told my doctor he gave me some antibiotics and it cleared up pretty quickly after that, well for the most part although I still feel like I have a cold. Other than that I've been in really good health for the last few years. I take my health really seriously, I'm not sure if the doctor told you but I used to be quite overweight but I lost it all after a bit of a wakeup call some years back. I had what you guys call a um myocardial infarction, it was pretty scary and I was quite overweight at the time and really stressed out about my job. Since then I've made a real effort to look after myself properly.

Dr. Seld: I'm glad to hear it. So in terms of your blurred vision, what do you think might work for you?

Aiden: Well, I don't particularly like the idea of wearing glasses all the time but touching my eyes freaks me out so contact lenses are definitely not an option. I guess the best thing might be to just have glasses that I wear all the time so I don't keep forgetting to put them on when I'm out somewhere and not at home. I've actually never had an eye test so I should probably schedule one of those as the next step, I think.

Dr. Seld: That sounds reasonable. Um, let's do some tests to check out your eyes and go from there.

OET Listening Subtest Part A - Extract 2 

Dr. Smith: Hi Hillary, do come in and take a seat. I'm Dr. Smith, and I'm a senior obstetrician here. So Hillary, you've been referred to us by your midwife. I have her notes with me here, but could you tell me in your own words why you've been referred?

Hillary: Oh yeah, no problem. Um, I think I've been referred to you because the midwife said she found some glucose in my urine sample and was worried about diabetes, if I understand correctly. I could have diabetes during my pregnancy, but if I do, it's not likely to continue after giving birth?

Dr. Smith: Um, I've noticed that I'm craving sweets and cakes all the time at the moment, and I've just been letting myself eat whatever, so I've put on a bit of weight, and I don't think it's all just baby weight either. I've never had a problem with diabetes before, and I'm hoping it'll turn out to be something else. My aunt actually has Type 2 diabetes, but she's always eaten a lot of sugar, so I think that might be a factor. She just controls hers with diet now and doesn't have to take any medication.

Dr. Smith: Oh, okay, thanks for letting me know. I see from your notes that you're 24 weeks pregnant now. How has your pregnancy been up to now?

Hillary: I've been so lucky! I got the usual sickness early on, well, you know, stomach pain but not actually being sick. I think that's pretty common, and it's settled after the first trimester. Um, I've been taking some medication because I also had pretty horrible heartburn, right, and it seems to take care of the problem. And also, I've started to get a bit of back pain in the last week or so, I'd say it's like a throbbing feeling, but other than that, I've been pretty fortunate, I suppose. I've been gradually getting more and more tired since the start of my pregnancy. I've just put it down to the extra energy my baby needs, but it could also be because I haven't been sleeping very well.

Dr. Smith: Um, also sometimes the nausea stops me from making something healthy for dinner, which is annoying because I know I need to eat healthily. Uh, I take a prenatal though to make sure I'm getting the right nutrition.

Dr. Smith: Well, it seems like you're managing to deal with most of your symptoms well.

Hillary: Yeah, this is my first pregnancy, and to be honest, I didn't have a clue what to expect, but so far, so good. It's only this glucose thing that's got me worried. I imagine it's just a one-off, but I guess it's best to get it seen to, certainly. And I'm pleased you're here so we can get things sorted.

Dr. Smith: So, we'll need to book another appointment to carry out some tests. Okay, um, so when will I have to have this because I'm a bit busy at work at the minute?

Dr. Smith: Well, ideally as soon as possible. Can I ask what you do for a living?

Hillary: Mhm, I'm a high school teacher, and it's just getting to that time of year when the kids are gearing up for their exams, so I can't afford to be taking too much time off during the day. I'm actually a little bit stressed at the moment as well. I've had to do a lot more work over the past few weeks. I think it's just that time of year. I've been a teacher for four years now, so I'm starting to develop ways of coping with the madness.

Dr. Smith: Um, with that in mind, if our next appointment could be at 5ish or later, then that would be perfect.

Dr. Smith: Uh-huh, no problem, just make sure to let the receptionist know your preferences. When we find sugar in preliminary tests, we offer an oral glucose tolerance test, which is what we'll do when you come in next. Do you know what that involves?

Hillary: Um, well, I asked a few of my friends about their pregnancies, and my friend Beth said that she had the same thing and told me about that test. She said that she had to come into the hospital and drink a sugary drink and then have a blood test to tell if she had diabetes.

Part B 

Instructions: You will hear six different extracts in a healthcare setting. For questions 25 to 30, choose the answer (A, B, or C) which fits best according to what you hear. You will have time to read each question before you listen. Complete your answers as you listen.

Passage 25

• Speaker 1: Miss Tanaka, did you want to talk to me?
• Speaker 2: Yes. My father was recently diagnosed with dementia. It's not usually an issue, and his outbursts are brief. I just want to prepare you in case he gets aggressive.
• Doctor: I understand, Mr. Tanaka. Can your father become aggressive?
• Speaker 2: I think he gets frustrated because he can't remember things. It's scary for him. He wasn't like this before.
• Doctor: Thanks for letting me know.

Passage 26

• Midwife: Labor progresses differently for each woman. In some cases, we might need to consider an emergency cesarean section.
• Patient: What's a cesarean section?
• Midwife: It's a procedure performed under anesthesia so you won't feel pain. You'll be awake, but a screen will block the view. We make a small incision in your abdomen to deliver the baby and then stitch you up. It takes about 40 minutes, and your partner can be present.

Passage 27

• Doctor 1: We'll have many new patients in September when university students arrive.
• Doctor 2: We were swamped last year, weren't we?
• Doctor 1: Yes, it was chaotic. Should we hire temporary staff for the first few weeks?
• Doctor 2: Last year, Dr. Igu and Nurse Fletcher were on leave, which contributed to the workload.
• Doctor 1: We can't control staff illness, but we can ask them to avoid time off during those first weeks.

Passage 28

• Doctor: Good morning, Mr. Henderson. Dr. Ray recommended a flu shot before you're discharged.
• Patient: I'm allergic to latex and penicillin. I'm hesitant about the flu shot; the last one made me sick.
• Doctor: What kind of symptoms did you experience?
• Patient: Runny nose, headache, and a sore arm.
• Doctor: The flu shot can cause mild side effects, but it can't give you the flu.

Passage 29

• Doctor: Good morning, Mrs. Bower. I'll be stitching your cut. How did it happen?
• Patient: I was chopping tomatoes and accidentally slipped with the knife.
• Doctor: We'll numb the area before stitching. You shouldn't feel any pain during the procedure.
• Patient: How many stitches will I need, and will they scar?
• Doctor: I can't say for sure yet, but likely 4-5 stitches for 5-10 days. We'll do our best to minimize scarring.

Passage 30

• Doctor: There's no guarantee we can completely prevent scarring, but I'll use a technique to minimize it as much possible. (The doctor likely continues with the stitching procedure, injecting a local anesthetic to numb the area and meticulously suturing the wound closed). Once I'm finished, I'll clean the area and dress the wound with a bandage. I'll provide you with specific instructions on how to care for the stitches at home, including how often to change the dressing and when to return to have them removed.

Part C Extract One

Interviewer: Dr. Tad Hussein, you specialize in cystic fibrosis treatment. Can you tell us a bit more about the patients you care for?

Dr. Tad Hussein: Absolutely. People with cystic fibrosis have much higher salt levels in their bodies compared to healthy individuals, which leads to thicker mucus buildup. Treatment is usually lengthy and repetitive, often requiring long hospital stays. Since symptoms appear early in life, many of my patients are young people. These frequent hospital visits can be frustrating for them. In fact, studies show that around 80% of hospitalized cystic fibrosis patients experience at least some level of depression.

Interviewer: What about young patients who aren't hospitalized? What challenges do they face with treatment?

Dr. Tad Hussein: These patients may need to take up to 30 pills a day to manage their cystic fibrosis. It's understandable that teenagers and young adults who desire freedom and independence might struggle with this regimen, especially if they think they can skip it without consequence. One of the biggest difficulties is that if they stop taking their medication or doing their daily breathing treatments, their condition won't worsen immediately. Instead, it will gradually become more severe until they contract a serious infection that puts their life at risk.

Interviewer: How do you approach treatment for cystic fibrosis patients?

Dr. Tad Hussein: We've found distraction therapy to be very helpful. We're fortunate to have received virtual reality (VR) headsets after successful treatment trials using them. These headsets transport patients to outdoor settings that often correspond to the activities they need to do with us, like breathing exercises on a stationary bike. The VR displays a virtual outdoor bike ride, and patients find it easier to pretend they're somewhere else during treatment. It's also easier for us to administer treatments when they're relaxed and not focused on the immediate procedure.

Interviewer: Can you share some examples of positive changes you've seen in your patients as a result of these methods?

Dr. Tad Hussein: One example is a 24-year-old man with cystic fibrosis who was hospitalized while waiting for a lung transplant. He initially found treatment very difficult. Preoccupied with his transplant need and feeling powerless, he often resisted treatment. We started using VR with him as soon as we got them, and while it took him a while to get on board, it made a significant difference. He stopped hindering his treatment and even started looking forward to it. He's even begun helping us brainstorm ways to improve the patient experience, like better social interaction options.

Interviewer: Are there any other advancements on the horizon for treating cystic fibrosis?

Dr. Tad Hussein: There's a new drug called Orcami that's been in the news recently. It improves water and salt balance in the body, reducing the thick mucus that causes illness and respiratory problems. Even more exciting is the possibility of gene therapy, where the genetic mutation causing cystic fibrosis is replaced with a healthy gene. This could effectively cure the condition, significantly extend the lives of many people, and eliminate the need for lengthy hospital stays.

Extract Two: Dr. Hubert Johnson on Improving Efficiency in Healthcare

Dr. Hubert Johnson: Hello everyone, I'm Dr. Hubert Johnson. Today, I'll be discussing my experiences in healthcare related to a challenge that affects all healthcare professionals: improving efficiency.

There seems to be a common assumption that healthcare practices will struggle with inefficiency. However, we've found that this very expectation can actually decrease efficiency and cause even longer delays.

For instance, a recent survey showed that 30% of patients who arrived late for appointments assumed the previous appointment would run long. Patients expect to wait, and to some extent, we healthcare providers expect them to wait as well. So, the first step towards improvement is addressing the attitudes of both patients and healthcare professionals.

Let me share an example of inefficiency I observed at a practice I visited recently. This practice didn't offer online appointment booking; patients could only call or come in person to schedule appointments. They only had two receptionists working mornings, and they typically scheduled 80 appointments per day. Patients needing appointments besides follow-ups had to call on the same day.

Can you imagine the chaos in the first few hours? The receptionists were overwhelmed with calls and walk-ins trying to schedule appointments. Naturally, patients who witnessed this morning rush assumed they'd be delayed by at least 10 minutes unless they had the first appointment slot. As a result, they arrived late for their own appointments.

This highlights the importance of how you present your practice to patients. If they believe you're always running late, guess what? They'll likely run late too.

There's also a step before appointment booking that we healthcare professionals often forget. Patients need to decide their issue is significant enough to warrant an appointment.

Ten years ago, my practice struggled with inefficiency. I worked long hours to accommodate everyone, frustrated by unnecessary appointments. So, I started offering weekly evening presentations on self-care. Many patients came for simple issues they could manage at home. These hour-long presentations resulted in seven fewer unnecessary appointments per week.

Today, technology allows us to upload instructional videos to our practice website and email them to patients. Technology can be a helpful tool, but it's important to remember that not everyone is comfortable using it. We need to ensure options exist for those who can't or don't want to use technology. Providing more options, rather than replacing old ones, is often the best approach to improve efficiency.

We'll now discuss a practice that used technology in a surprising way...