The candidate card
Setting
Podiatry clinic (community high-risk foot service)
Candidate
You are a podiatrist in a community high-risk foot service. Mr Sipho Hamdan, aged 58, is a self-employed builder with type 2 diabetes and peripheral neuropathy. He has a small, painless ulcer under the first metatarsal head of his right foot that has not healed after 4 weeks of dressings. Today there are no signs of infection. You want him to start wearing a knee-high offloading walker boot, but he says it will stop him working and driving his work van.
Task (interlocutor: patient)
- Find out about Mr Hamdan's work, daily activity and footwear, and his concerns about the boot
- Explain in simple terms why a painless ulcer is still serious (loss of feeling, pressure, risk of infection)
- Explain how the boot helps the ulcer heal and how it should be worn (at all times when standing or walking)
- Persuade him to wear the boot, addressing his worries about income and driving
- Agree a plan, including warning signs that need urgent attention, and arrange follow-up
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
- Start by asking what a normal working day involves, then what he fears the boot will cost him. His objection is likely about income and the van, so let him finish before you explain anything.
- Explain the ulcer through what he can relate to: because he cannot feel it, he keeps walking on it, and pressure stops it healing. Present infection as a possible consequence, not a threat, and ask him to say it back.
- Link the boot to his job: it takes pressure off the spot that is not healing. Be clear it is worn whenever he stands or walks, because wearing it only part of the time reduces the benefit.
- Treat driving as a practical problem to solve together. Ask which jobs and trips matter most and what is workable. Do not promise he can drive safely in the boot unless that is confirmed.
- If time is short, prioritise his concerns, why a painless ulcer matters, and a clear plan. Close with one agreed list of warning signs, who to contact urgently, and a booked review.
Phrases to adapt
Use your own words; these show the register, not lines to memorise.
- Tell me what a normal working day looks like for you.
- It is a big ask when your work depends on being on your feet.
- Because you cannot feel it, the foot gives you no warning.
- Let us work out together how to keep you working safely.
Medical words in plain English
| Term | How you might say it to the patient |
|---|---|
| Peripheral neuropathy | Nerve damage in the feet, so you cannot feel pain, pressure or injury properly. |
| Offloading | Taking pressure off the sore spot so the skin has a chance to heal. |
| Metatarsal head | The bony ball of the foot just behind the big toe. |
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 Podiatry role-play cards
- Ingrown toenail – partial nail avulsion for a teenager Podiatry clinic
- Aged care resident – overgrown nails and heel redness Aged care facility
- Peripheral neuropathy – unsafe hot foot soaks Home visit
All sets: nurses, doctors, other professions. Your profession's guide: OET Podiatry.
Questions about this role-play
How do I handle the driving objection without making promises I cannot keep?
Acknowledge it as a real problem and ask what he needs to drive for. Say you will look at what is workable with him and the team. Avoid saying driving in the boot is fine unless the card or your service confirms it.
He says the ulcer does not hurt, so why bother. What should I say?
Agree that no pain feels reassuring, then explain that pain is the body's alarm and his is switched off. Without it he cannot tell when the foot is being damaged, so the boot has to do the protecting.
What if he still refuses the boot?
Do not argue. Explore what exactly is stopping him, offer to revisit specific work problems, and keep the door open with a short-interval review. Record that he understands the risks. Aim for agreement to a trial period rather than all or nothing.
Sources
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