The candidate card
Setting
Radiology/imaging department - CT waiting area
Candidate
You are a radiographer working in the CT department. Mr Tafadzwa Karimi, aged 64, is an outpatient booked for a contrast-enhanced CT scan of the abdomen, requested by his GP. He has been waiting for nearly two hours because several emergency patients had to be scanned first, and nobody has updated him. He has come to the desk, angry, saying he will leave if he is not scanned now. He is next on the list and should be scanned in about 20 minutes. Routine contrast safety screening will be completed with him separately before the injection, and department policy is that outpatients stay for 30 minutes after a contrast injection for observation before the cannula is removed and they go home.
Task (interlocutor: patient)
- Acknowledge Mr Karimi's frustration and find out what is worrying him most about the delay
- Explain why the delay has happened (urgent patients prioritised, no details about other patients) and apologise that he was not kept informed
- Explain when his scan is likely to happen and briefly what it will involve (including the observation period afterwards)
- Persuade him to stay for the scan (importance for his GP's assessment, rebooking would delay results)
- Agree a plan for the rest of his visit, including how you will keep him updated
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
- Lead with the apology for not keeping him informed, then ask what worries him most about the wait. Anger often hides practical concerns such as parking, work, hunger or fear about the result, so find out.
- Explain the delay in general terms: urgent patients were scanned first, and you cannot give details about them. Avoid defensive phrases such as that is just how it works.
- Give a realistic timeframe of about 20 minutes, not a guarantee. Then briefly cover the scan, noting that the contrast injection is preceded by routine safety screening and followed by a 30-minute observation period before he goes home.
- Persuade him to stay by linking the scan to his GP's assessment, and note that rebooking would delay results. Say it is his choice, so he does not feel trapped.
- Agree what he does until then and how you will update him, for example checking back with him at set times. Keep the promise realistic, as other emergencies may arise.
Phrases to adapt
Use your own words; these show the register, not lines to memorise.
- I am sorry nobody updated you. That should have happened.
- What is the most difficult part of the wait for you?
- Urgent cases come first, and I cannot share details about them.
- I will come and tell you if anything changes.
Medical words in plain English
| Term | How you might say it to the patient |
|---|---|
| Contrast | A special dye injected into a vein to make parts of the scan clearer. |
| Cannula | A thin plastic tube placed in a vein for the injection. |
| Observation period | A short wait after the injection so we can make sure you are well before you leave. |
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 Radiography role-play cards
- Possible pregnancy before a lumbar spine X-ray Radiology/imaging department - private screening room next to the general X-ray reception
- MRI postponed because of an unidentified pacemaker Radiology/imaging department - MRI safety screening area
- Anxiety about entering the MRI scanner Radiology/imaging department - MRI suite
All sets: nurses, doctors, other professions. Your profession's guide: OET Radiography.
Questions about this role-play
How do I explain the delay without sharing other patients' details?
Say that people with urgent, life-threatening problems had to be scanned first and that you cannot discuss them. This is honest and respects their privacy, and the same priority would apply to him if he were unwell.
Should I promise a scan time?
Say it should be in about 20 minutes, not exactly 20. Emergencies can interrupt. Offer to update him if the time changes. An honest estimate with a plan to inform him will build more trust than a guarantee you cannot keep.
When do I mention the 30-minute observation?
Mention it when you describe the scan, as part of what the visit involves, so that he can plan his time. Do this after acknowledging his frustration, so it does not sound like another delay.
Sources
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