OET Common Medical Conditions and Lay Terms?

Sometimes, it becomes essential for the healthcare professionals to explain medical conditions in lay terms. Certainly, patients do not know the scientific terminology or the scientific phrases. They would expect you to provide the information in simple words.

Check out the following medical conditions and the lay terms that can be used in order to explain things in a perfect way. 
 

• Acute cerebrovascular event - Stroke
• Acute - New, Sudden, Recent
• Antibiotic - Drug that kills bacteria and other germs 
• Cardiac - Connected to heart 
• Benign - Not malignant (no serious consequences)
• BID - Twice a day
• Dysfunction - State of improper function
• Cessation - Stopping
• CHD - Coronary heart disease
• Idiopathic - of unknown cause
• Occlusion - Obstruction 
• Parenteral - Given by injection 
• Carcinogenic - Cancer causing agent
• Fibrillation - Irregular beat of the heart or irregular beat of the muscle 
• Blood Profile - A series of blood tests prescribed for the patient. 
• Bone Mass - Generally, it is the amount of calcium in a given amount of bone or it can be other materials in the given amount of bone as well.
• CT (CAT) Scan - Computerized series of x-rays
• Culture Test - A culture test for infection or organisms that could cause infection
• Bradyarrhythmias - Irregular heartbeats 
• Bradycardia - Slow heartbeat  
• Cerebral Trauma - Damage to the brain
• Hypertension - High blood pressure 
• Hypercalcemia - High blood calcium level
• Hyperkalemia - High blood potassium level 
• QD - Daily 
• QID - 4 times a day  

Use of Medical Terminology in OET Reading Sub-Test and Listening Sub-Test 

In the OET reading sub-test you will find plenty of medical terms. So, it is important that you should have a good understanding of the medical terminology otherwise you will not be able to understand the given excerpts, passages, etc. You can refer to some medical dictionaries and learn more about the terminology.  

But, in your OET listening sub-test, the use of medical phrases or the word-groups will be limited. The language used by the speakers will be common. Often, medical terminology is also explained by the speakers. 

Use of Medical Conditions and the Lay Terms in OET writing and Speaking Sub-Tests

In your OET writing sub-test, you may come across medical terms or phrases in the given case notes. And while writing the letter, it is very important that you should use the terms carefully. Sometimes, candidates make mistakes. They try to explain the medical conditions as well and this is regarded as diversion. This will impact the score greatly. So, remember, you do not have to expand the abbreviations or the medical conditions.

Remember, you will have to use the terms to express information as precisely as you can. 
Do not say, it was prescribed 4 times a day. You can simply write, QID. That is the standard way of writing. 
  
But, in your OET speaking sub-test, it is always recommended that you should make use of lay terms. Do not assume that the interviewer can understand your medical terminology. Of course, interviewers are experts but it is role-play. So, follow the rules of the role-play. Consider your interviewer to be your patient or the client and explain the things as needed using simple and plain English. 

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