The candidate card
Setting
Veterinary clinic
Candidate
You are a veterinarian. Ms Carmen Ortega has brought in her children's 6-year-old neutered male rabbit, which has not eaten or passed droppings for about 18 hours. On examination the rabbit is quiet and hunched. Its abdomen feels firm and gassy, gut sounds are reduced, and you can see sharp spurs on the back (molar) teeth. You suspect gastrointestinal stasis, probably linked to dental disease, but a blockage has not yet been ruled out, and you want to admit the rabbit today. The nurse at the front desk has a written estimate ready for the first 24 hours of hospital care (pain relief, fluids, X-rays, warmth and monitoring); dental treatment is not included. Ms Ortega has told the receptionist she must leave in a few minutes to collect her children from school.
Task (interlocutor: owner)
- Find out briefly about the rabbit's recent eating, droppings, diet and behaviour
- Explain your findings and why gut stasis in rabbits is an emergency (risk of rapid deterioration)
- Explain the treatment you recommend in hospital (pain relief and fluids first, prompt X-rays to check for a blockage, assisted feeding only once a blockage is ruled out and he is stable; dental treatment discussed separately later)
- Persuade Ms Ortega to leave the rabbit at the clinic today, responding to her concerns about time
- Agree practical arrangements (consent and cost limit for initial care, contact details, when you will phone her with an update)
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
- Keep history-taking brief and focused, as she must leave soon: eating, droppings, diet and behaviour. Tell her you will be quick, which respects her time and prevents her feeling pressured.
- Lead with the finding that matters: he is unwell, and gut stasis in rabbits is an emergency because he can deteriorate quickly. Mention the teeth spurs, but do not claim certainty about cause or blockage.
- Explain treatment in sequence: pain relief and fluids first, prompt X-rays to look for a blockage, and assisted feeding only if a blockage is ruled out and he is stable. Say dental treatment is discussed later.
- Persuade by tying admission to her time problem: she does not need to stay, and you will phone. Acknowledge the children's attachment, and avoid dramatic predictions about outcome, which cannot be known yet.
- Finish with the essentials in order: consent, cost limit for initial care, contact details and when you will phone. Mention the estimate excludes dental treatment, and check she agrees before she leaves.
Phrases to adapt
Use your own words; these show the register, not lines to memorise.
- I know you are short of time, so I will be quick.
- He is quite unwell, and this can change quickly.
- You do not need to stay; we will look after him and phone you.
- Can you confirm the best number to reach you today?
Medical words in plain English
| Term | How you might say it to the patient |
|---|---|
| Gastrointestinal stasis | His gut has slowed or stopped moving, which can make a rabbit very sick quickly. |
| Blockage | Something physically stopping food moving through the gut, which the X-rays help check. |
| Molar spurs | Sharp points on his back teeth that may make eating painful. |
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 Veterinary Science role-play cards
- Quality-of-life discussion for an elderly dog Veterinary clinic
- Exercise restriction after cruciate ligament surgery Veterinary clinic
- Puppy vaccination and early socialisation Veterinary clinic
All sets: nurses, doctors, other professions. Your profession's guide: OET Veterinary Science.
Questions about this role-play
What if she says she cannot afford it?
Go through the written estimate for the first 24 hours and what it covers, and note that dental treatment is not included. Ask for a cost limit for initial care. Do not promise outcomes or hide costs; agree what she is comfortable with.
Why not feed him at home to help?
Explain that a blockage has not yet been ruled out, so assisted feeding comes only after X-rays show it is safe and he is stable. Ask her not to try feeding him before then, and say that is why hospital care is recommended.
How do I handle her needing to leave for the children?
Acknowledge it and keep your explanation short and clear. Offer to phone at a set time and ask what time suits her. Have the nurse complete consent and contact details quickly so she can leave with confidence.
Sources
Last checked 22 Oct 2026. Rules and prices change: confirm on the official page before you book or apply.
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