The candidate card
Setting
Community pharmacy
Candidate
You are a pharmacist. Mr Dindo Magbanua, aged 27, has asked to speak to you about a sore throat he has had for two days. He tells the pharmacy assistant he has a mild fever and wants antibiotics because he has an important job interview. He seems irritated about having to wait.
Task (interlocutor: patient)
- Find out about Mr Magbanua's symptoms and exactly which medicines he has already taken (products, strengths, amounts and times)
- Explain why antibiotics are unlikely to help his sore throat (cause, limited benefit, side effects and resistance)
- Respond to his frustration and his insistence on antibiotics
- Explain any concern about the medicines he has taken, arrange appropriate advice before further pain relief, and recommend safe symptom relief for his interview
- Agree on which warning signs mean emergency help, which mean an urgent same-day doctor review, and when to see a GP
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
- Acknowledge the wait and the interview pressure first; his irritation is likely tied to time and stakes. Then ask a few focused symptom questions so he can see you are moving quickly.
- Take the medicine history precisely: product names, strengths, amounts and times. The typical trap is accepting just some tablets. You need this to judge whether there is any concern and what pain relief is still appropriate.
- Explain that antibiotics are unlikely to help his throat, in terms that fit his goal: the cause, the limited benefit, side effects and resistance. Side effects before an interview would not serve him.
- If he keeps pushing, repeat your position calmly without adding new arguments. Raise any concern about what he has already taken and arrange advice before further pain relief, then suggest safe relief for interview day.
- Give clear tiers: call 000 for breathing difficulty, noisy breathing, inability to swallow saliva, drooling or rapid deterioration. Arrange same-day review for severe or one-sided throat pain, neck swelling, difficulty opening the mouth, dehydration or marked illness with fever. See the GP if symptoms worsen or do not improve over the next few days. Ask him to repeat the plan.
Phrases to adapt
Use your own words; these show the register, not lines to memorise.
- Sorry about the wait; I know today matters to you, so let's be quick.
- Can you show me what you've taken, and roughly when you took it?
- I want you at your best for the interview, and antibiotics won't get you there.
- I hear that you want something that works; here's what I can offer.
Medical words in plain English
| Term | How you might say it to the patient |
|---|---|
| antibiotic resistance | germs learning to survive the medicine, so it works less well when really needed |
| fever | a high temperature |
| sore throat | a painful, scratchy throat, usually from a germ that antibiotics do not treat |
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.
More Pharmacy role-play cards
- Codeine cough syrup request for a toddler Community pharmacy
- Stopping metformin because of stomach upset Community pharmacy
- Warfarin patient wanting ibuprofen for back pain Community pharmacy
All sets: nurses, doctors, other professions. Your profession's guide: OET Pharmacy.
Questions about this role-play
What if he demands a prescription from another doctor?
Do not argue about it. Acknowledge his wish for a fix, explain you would rather he get relief that works, and state the circumstances when he should see a doctor same day or urgently. Keep your tone even and respectful.
How do I raise a concern about the medicines he took?
Explain the concern without blame and check the exact products, strengths, amounts and times. If an overdose or duplicate paracetamol dose may have occurred, call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 now, before further pain relief; do not wait for symptoms. Call 000 if he collapses, is hard to wake or has breathing difficulty.
Do I give all three safety-netting tiers in detail?
Yes, briefly: call 000 for trouble breathing, inability to swallow saliva, drooling or rapid deterioration. Seek same-day review for severe or one-sided pain, neck swelling, difficulty opening the mouth, dehydration or marked illness with fever. See the GP if symptoms persist beyond a few days or worsen. Check that he knows which action to take.
Sources
Last checked 22 Oct 2026. Rules and prices change: confirm on the official page before you book or apply.
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