Problem: the commonest referrals feel too routine to practise — yet routine cases carry the same marks as rare ones, and interdisciplinary letters confuse writers about who needs what. Answer in brief: study one paragraph-by-paragraph worked model until its decisions are visible, then transfer the pattern to interdisciplinary cases by duplicating the question block per recipient. This guide walks a full model and the interdisciplinary method, and OET Writing for Optometrists — Course 3 trains specialist, interdisciplinary and modelled referrals across 13 topic sections.
The commonest referral, taken seriously
Cataract-with-comorbidity, diabetic surveillance change, glaucoma-suspect repeat fields — the everyday referrals that decide most marks. Their danger is autopilot: omitted pressures, missing field dates, unstated surveillance questions. Treat the commonest case with the full architecture (vision, measurements, risk, question) and it becomes the safest 200 words in the paper rather than the leakiest.
Paragraph-by-paragraph worked model
Fictional model, newly written — glaucoma-suspect repeat referral. P1: “Thank you for reviewing Mrs Osei, 58, with suspected open-angle glaucoma and borderline fields.” Person, suspicion, task — one line each. P2: pressures (22/21 mmHg, pachymetry-adjusted), discs (0.6/0.5 with notch right), fields (nasal step right, reliable indices), family history. P3: no symptoms, adherent to nothing yet (treatment-naive — stated, important), myopia −4.00. P4: “I would appreciate assessment with a view to diagnosis and pressure-lowering decisions; she will attend promptly.” Each paragraph’s job visible; each sentence deciding.
Study the full modelled library? The complete OET Writing for Optometrists — Course 3 works specialist referrals, interdisciplinary cases and paragraph-by-paragraph models across 13 topic sections with 54 lessons and mock tests. Explore the course →
Interdisciplinary referrals: one letter, two readers
Diabetes eye-plus-physician, stroke eye-plus-neurology, thyroid eye-plus-endocrinology: structure shared findings once, then give each recipient their own question block (“For ophthalmology: … For endocrinology: …”). Never force two specialties to share one question — shared questions serve neither. Order question blocks by clinical priority, and copy the patient-identification line once at the top, never per block.
Transfer drills
Take the worked model and re-target it three ways: same findings to a GP (surveillance question), to a surgeon (intervention question), to a physician (systemic-control question). Only P1 and P4 change; P2–P3 stay identical. The drill proves the architecture’s power: findings fixed, questions fluid — exactly how examiners vary cases.
FAQs
How do I know which specialty leads?
Threat decides: vision-threatening findings lead ophthalmology; systemic drivers lead the physician. State the lead in P1 (“primarily for ophthalmology, copied for diabetes optimisation”).
Should interdisciplinary letters be longer?
Slightly — two question blocks cost words — but shared findings must appear once. Compress P2–P3 harder to fund the second question.
What is in the course?
Thirteen topic sections on the commonest specialist referrals, interdisciplinary cases and paragraph-by-paragraph worked models, with 54 lessons and 5 complete mock tests.
The matching course
OET Writing for Optometrists — Course 3 completes the optometry series: the commonest referrals mastered, interdisciplinary letters structured, models studied paragraph by paragraph — 13 topic sections, 54 lessons, 5 mock tests. For routine cases that never leak, finish here.
Sources and note
- OET Writing format per the official OET site: oet.com — Writing. Values above are illustrative fiction; follow local protocols in practice and current OET guidance for the exam.
- Course details verified from its public staging page (read-only): 13 topic sections, 54 lessons, 5 mock tests.
- Model lines are newly written and fictional; other valid structures exist.
Put this into practice
Compare these course outlines and choose the practice that matches your next goal.
