The candidate card
Setting
Community clinic
Candidate
You are a general practitioner. Ms Rosalind Ormerod, aged 30, has brought her healthy 6-month-old son for his scheduled 6-month immunisations. He had his earlier immunisations on time. She has read online and in parent forums that vaccines 'overload' a baby's immune system and now wants to delay all vaccines until he is older.
Task (interlocutor: parent)
- Find out about Ms Ormerod's concerns and what she has read (previous reactions, sources of information)
- Explain in simple terms how vaccines work with a baby's immune system and why the 'overload' idea is not correct
- Explain why vaccinating on time matters and what side effects are common and rare
- Reassure her about her worries and respect her right to decide
- Agree a plan for today (vaccination or a follow-up appointment soon, aftercare, reliable information)
In the test you get 3 minutes to read the card and plan, then about 5 minutes to talk. This card is original, written for this site; the interlocutor's card is not shown.
How to approach this card
- Begin by asking what she has read and where, and whether the earlier immunisations caused any reaction. Her answers show whether this is fear of a specific event or general anxiety, and keep you from lecturing.
- Respond to the overload idea directly but simply. Say that a baby's immune system deals with a great many things every day, and that vaccines are designed to teach it safely. Avoid statistics or technical immunology.
- Explain why timing matters, then be balanced about side effects: say what is common and mild, and what is rare, while being honest that rare reactions exist. Over-reassurance can cost you her trust.
- Show that you respect her right to decide before asking for a decision. Do not pressure or threaten, and avoid labelling the websites she used as wrong. She is more likely to listen if she feels the choice remains hers.
- If time is short, secure her main worry, the correction of the overload idea and a firm plan. Offer vaccination today or a soon-booked follow-up, explain aftercare, and give reliable information she can read afterwards.
Phrases to adapt
Use your own words; these show the register, not lines to memorise.
- It is clear you are trying to do the best for your son. What have you been reading?
- A lot of conflicting information is out there, which makes this decision hard.
- The decision is yours, and I would like you to have the facts first.
- Would you like to go ahead today, or meet again soon after you have read more?
Medical words in plain English
| Term | How you might say it to the patient |
|---|---|
| immune system | The body's natural defence that fights germs. A baby's is working from birth. |
| immunisation | Giving a vaccine so the body learns to protect itself against a particular illness. |
| adverse reaction | An unwanted effect after a vaccine, most often mild, and rarely more serious. |
How this card is marked
Two assessors mark the recording on nine criteria: intelligibility, fluency, appropriateness of language and resources of grammar and expression (each 0–6), then relationship building, understanding and incorporating the patient's perspective, providing structure, information gathering and information giving (each 0–3). Grade B usually means 5 on each language criterion and 2 on each clinical one. See the AI Speaking practice guide for what each criterion looks for.
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All sets: nurses, doctors, other professions. Your profession's guide: OET Medicine.
Questions about this role-play
What if she still wants to delay everything?
Respect her right to decide, but make sure she understands what delay means for her son's protection. Document the discussion, offer a prompt follow-up appointment and reliable information, and leave the door open. Do not make the appointment conditional on agreeing.
How do I discuss side effects without scaring her?
Describe the common effects as short-lived and expected, and explain the rare ones honestly and briefly. Add what to do afterwards, and when to contact the clinic. Avoid making up percentages that the card does not give.
Should I tell her the websites are wrong?
Avoid attacking her sources. Ask what stood out, acknowledge any real point, and correct the overload claim specifically. Then recommend a trusted health source she can read at home so she has an alternative, not just a rebuttal.
Sources
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