What do physicians wishing to work in the UK need to know about IELTS?

You do need a strong score in each IELTS component

Those who seek to study medicine often already have a high-level of English proficiency. However, do not take it for granted that this means you can get the required score without preparation. Even native English speakers struggle to score top marks: 9.0, as would be expected, yet to do so, responses need to be error-free.

Most students are comfortable with their reading, listening and speaking skills, only to find the writing tasks are much trickier and require more work and classes to reach the correct level.

Timing can be important

For students wishing to study medicine, many take their IELTS test between January and March. This is because you will often receive an offer from a university at that time. Especially with a Master`s or other form of study, many will ask you to attend an interview in the summer. Therefore, taking the IELTS in the early part of the year helps students focus on the interview, making accomodation plans and other personal matters.

It also provides a time buffer in case you wish to take the test a second time in order to reach a higher score.

Academic IELTS preparation supports you when you study

Don’t underestimate the importance of a solid Academic IELTS preparation course. Much of what you learn for the test can also be applied when writing academic papers or write medical reports. It trains you to think critically, interpret topics logically and develop coherent verbal reasoning skills.