Despite having solid clinical English, many Indian pharmacists feel that OET Reading and Listening are far tougher than Writing and Speaking. Studies involving candidates from Kerala indicate that Reading is the most difficult subtest, with Listening coming next, mainly because of tight time limits, highly technical passages, and speech with unfamiliar accents. This article explores the reasons behind this pattern and what it suggests for how candidates should prepare and how training programmes can better support them.
The OET Context for Indian Pharmacists
The Occupational English Test (OET) has become a widely accepted or preferred English-language qualification for pharmacists seeking to migrate to Australia, the UK, New Zealand, and Ireland. Unlike general English exams, OET is designed for specific professional purposes, so every task is built around real healthcare situations and uses medical vocabulary, professional standards, and workplace-style communication. For Indian pharmacists, this means they are expected to show not only good general English but also the ability to communicate effectively within the pharmacy profession. While many candidates possess strong clinical expertise, they often have limited experience with the formal, information-heavy texts and the professional listening materials that form part of the OET.
Why Reading is Often the Most Challenging Subtest
Data from Indian and Kerala-based pharmacists shows that the Reading subtest is the most challenging part of OET. Several reasons explain this. In Part A and Part B, candidates encounter pharmacy guidelines, drug information sheets, safety alerts, and clinical protocols: long, dense passages with complicated sentence structures and specialised terminology. While many Indian pharmacists can discuss medicines confidently in everyday conversation, they often struggle to speedily locate key details in lengthy technical texts or to interpret subtle instructions and warnings.
Time pressure further worsens the problem. The Reading section has fixed limits: 15 minutes for Part A and 45 minutes overall for Part B. Many candidates read every word carefully instead of using skimming and scanning techniques, which causes them to lose time on tough questions and then rush through the remaining items. This clash between how they normally read clinical material and how the exam expects them to read creates anxiety and reduces scores. Many also practise with general English reading materials rather than pharmacy-specific texts, and they rarely simulate the true OET format under strict time limits. Without focused, exam-like practice, the gap between their strong clinical knowledge and their actual test performance stays wide.
Why Listening is Also Very Difficult
Listening is widely seen as the second most difficult OET subtest. The test uses authentic recordings of healthcare conversations where speakers use a range of English accents and natural, flowing speech. Many Indian pharmacists are more accustomed to Indian English or the formal, carefully spoken English heard in classrooms, so they struggle to follow fast, informal exchanges with less familiar accents. The listening tasks are also demanding, including gap-fill note completion and multiple-choice questions based on real workplace situations. Candidates frequently miss important details because they try to understand every single word rather than focusing on the main points and key information.
Why Writing and Speaking Feel Less Challenging
Indian pharmacists often find the Writing and Speaking subtests less daunting because they align closely with their everyday work. In OET Speaking, candidates’ complete role-plays such as explaining how to use a medicine or giving advice on over-the-counter products—tasks that mirror real consultations they already perform. This role-play style feels more like a genuine patient interaction than a traditional exam question. For Writing, many pharmacists already have experience drafting prescriptions, patient information notes, or professional correspondence, and they are accustomed to arranging information in a clear, logical order, which supports better coherence in their responses.
Systemic and Educational Factors
In addition to personal weaknesses in language skills, wider systemic issues make the test harder. Many pharmacy courses in India focus heavily on technical content and written examinations, giving little attention to professional English communication in realistic workplace situations. Candidates from smaller towns often depend on old or generic study materials, which do not reflect the actual OET tasks and misguide their preparation. At the same time, OET is frequently a compulsory requirement for migration, creating intense pressure that can interfere with time management and reduce the ability to understand and respond effectively during the exam.
What Can Be Done
Candidates need to concentrate on OET-style Reading and Listening tasks built around pharmacy situations, practise under strict time limits, and master specific exam techniques. Coaches and training institutions should design ESP-based programmes that include pharmacy-focused content, offer regular mock tests, and explicitly teach test strategies. Policy makers, in turn, should back the development of local training centres and promote collaboration between pharmacy colleges and language institutes.
Indian pharmacists are not lacking in clinical English; rather, they struggle with exam-specific Reading and Listening skills, especially under time pressure and when faced with unfamiliar accents. Well-targeted, pharmacy-oriented preparation can greatly narrow this gap and enable more candidates to reach the scores required for international career opportunities.
