The candidate card
Setting
General practice, UK
Candidate
You are a GP in this original independent practice scenario. Mr Ernie Haines, aged 42, has brought his six-year-old daughter after her teacher raised concerns about missed spoken instructions. The difficulties have been present for several months without recent deterioration; today's ear examination shows no obvious wax blockage or acute infection, but hearing has not been formally assessed. He believes she is deliberately ignoring adults, and you propose referral to children's audiology with review of the findings.
Task (interlocutor: relative)
- Find out about his daughter's responses to sound at home and school, the pattern over time and any ear symptoms
- Explain why hearing difficulty is one possible explanation and describe an age-appropriate hearing assessment without diagnosing a learning disability
- Respond to his belief that she is deliberately ignoring instructions and explore any concerns about testing
- Agree referral and results follow-up, practical communication changes while waiting and when to seek earlier medical assessment
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.
Prepare this card, then say it out loud.
Plan your opening and the tasks below. Keep these notes when you move to the AI role-play.
You are a GP in this original independent practice scenario. Mr Ernie Haines, aged 42, has brought his six-year-old daughter after her teacher raised concerns about missed spoken instructions. The difficulties have been present for several months without recent deterioration; today's ear examination shows no obvious wax blockage or acute infection, but hearing has not been formally assessed. He believes she is deliberately ignoring adults, and you propose referral to children's audiology with review of the findings.
Getting your plan ready…
Preparation is free without an account. AI conversation and marking need sign-in; your first role-play is free. Notes are saved on this device when available. This checklist is your plan, not a score.
How to approach this card
- Ask what he notices when she appears to ignore instructions and how he interprets those moments. He may feel frustrated or concerned about behaviour; explore this without assuming either emotion or endorsing deliberate disobedience.
- Compare examples from home and school before explaining the examination. Preserve the stated pattern of several months without recent deterioration; do not turn the teacher's concern into evidence of a new decline.
- Separate looking inside the ears from measuring hearing. No obvious wax blockage or acute infection was seen, but hearing remains unassessed; the common error is allowing the examination to sound like proof she hears normally.
- Present testing as a way to understand her responses, rather than settle a dispute about behaviour. Ask what concerns him about assessment, explain only the age-appropriate essentials, and avoid diagnosing hearing loss or a learning disability.
- Close by agreeing how findings will be reviewed and choosing communication adjustments he can try while waiting. If time is short, prioritise an actionable referral and support plan over debating whether her behaviour is intentional.
Model route: what a strong candidate might say
Example lines in a workable order for about 5 minutes: opening, key questions, the patient's concern, explaining, then the close. Use them to plan, not to memorise: the patient's replies are not scripted here, and your next line should follow what they actually say.
1. Opening
- “Hello, Mr Haines. I'm the GP, and it's good to meet you and your daughter. I understand her teacher raised some concerns.”
- “Could you tell me what has been happening?”
2. Key questions
- “How does she respond to sounds and instructions at home, and what have you noticed about school?”
- “How long has this been going on, and has it changed recently?”
- “Has she had earache, discharge from the ear or any other ear problems?”
- “What do you think is behind it?”
3. Handling the patient's concern
Likely concern: He is likely to believe she is deliberately ignoring adults and may be unsure about testing.
- “That's a natural conclusion when she doesn't respond, and it must be frustrating. We can't tell yet whether hearing is part of it, so I'd like it checked properly.”
- “Many parents have worries about tests for their child. Please tell me yours, and we can plan how to explain the visit to her.”
4. Explaining
- “Her ears look fine today, with no wax blockage or infection, but her hearing hasn't been formally tested. Hearing difficulty is one possible reason she misses instructions. It's not the only one, and I'm not suggesting a learning problem.”
- “Children's audiology uses hearing tests suited to her age. Afterwards we'll go through the findings together. How does that sound to you?”
5. Closing
- “So I'll refer her to children's audiology and we'll review the results together. Meanwhile, get her attention first, face her, speak clearly and keep background noise low.”
- “If you notice new ear symptoms, her hearing seems worse, or you're worried, come back sooner. Does that all make sense, and what questions do you have?”
Phrases to adapt
Use your own words; these show the register, not lines to memorise.
- What happens at home when an instruction seems to be missed?
- It sounds as though those moments have been difficult to interpret.
- What concerns you most about having her hearing checked?
- Would it help to discuss how to explain the visit to her?
Medical words in plain English
| Term | How you might say it to the patient |
|---|---|
| audiology | The service that checks hearing. |
| acute infection | An infection happening now. |
| hearing assessment | Tests to find out how well she hears sounds. |
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). 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
How can I describe the hearing appointment to a six-year-old?
Explain that she will listen to sounds and show when she hears them, perhaps through a simple game or button response. The audiologist will choose an approach suited to her. Avoid presenting it as an examination she must pass or promising a particular test. Children's hearing tests.
Which communication changes can I suggest without assuming a diagnosis?
Suggest getting her attention before speaking, facing her, reducing background noise and giving short instructions with time to respond. Check understanding by inviting her to show or explain the next step. Offer these as supportive adjustments, and ask whether similar changes could be discussed with her teacher.
When should her father seek assessment sooner?
In this UK scenario, request an urgent GP appointment or contact NHS 111 if she develops sudden hearing loss, her hearing worsens over days or weeks, or hearing difficulty occurs with earache or discharge. Do not wait for the audiology appointment. Call 999 for a life-threatening emergency, such as collapse with unresponsiveness or severe breathing difficulty. NHS hearing-test advice, NHS emergency advice. In Australia, the pathway differs: sudden hearing loss requires assessment at the nearest emergency department; call 000 for a life-threatening emergency. Australian hearing-loss guidance. Checked 4 November 2026.
How do I explain the hearing test without alarming him?
Describe it as a hearing check designed for her age that gives information, not a label. Ask what he imagines it involves before correcting anything, and offer to help him prepare her for the visit.
What if he insists she is simply being disobedient?
Don't debate her motives. Acknowledge how it feels, then say that checking her hearing helps everyone know how best to help. Offer the practical communication changes now, since they are useful whatever the cause.
Sources
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