Medicina: una persona abrumada por un diagnóstico de diabetes

Publicado 2026-10-02

Antes de añadir más explicaciones, pregunta qué es lo que más preocupa a la persona que acaba de recibir un diagnóstico. Utiliza la tarjeta y las indicaciones del interlocutor en inglés. El ejemplo se centra en escuchar antes de dar más información.

Prepárate tres minutos y habla durante cinco. Este es un ejercicio original, no una tarjeta oficial de OET ni consejo médico.

Medicine · 3 minutes preparation · 5 minutes speaking

Candidate card

You are a doctor in a general practice clinic.

Your patient has recently been told they have type 2 diabetes. The care team has already discussed an initial management plan and next appointment, but the patient has asked to speak again because they feel overwhelmed.

  • Ask what the patient understood from the first conversation
  • Explore the concern behind their question before explaining the plan
  • Respond respectfully to any self-blame without assigning fault
  • Explain the purpose of the agreed next steps in everyday language without inventing treatment details
  • Check what the patient wants clarified before the next appointment
Study partner brief and patient questions

You are the patient returning to discuss a new diagnosis.

  • You are worried that the diagnosis means you did something wrong
  • Several people have given you information, and you cannot remember what to focus on first
  • Start with a short question; reveal the self-blame only if the doctor makes room for it
  • Become more engaged if the doctor explains one point at a time and checks your understanding
  • You want to leave knowing which question to ask at your next appointment

Patient questions for solo practice

  1. Did I cause this myself?
  2. Everyone has told me something different. What should I focus on first?
  3. What should I ask when I come back for the next appointment?

Practicar esta situación con temporizador

A teaching example: make room for the patient

Illustrative response: “You have diabetes. You need to make changes and follow the plan.”

A more useful response: “It sounds as if this news has been a lot to take in. What is worrying you most right now? We can go through the plan one part at a time and make sure you know what to ask at your next appointment.”

The first version moves straight to instructions and misses the patient's possible self-blame. The second asks, listens and offers a manageable next step. It is an example written for this site, not a learner's answer, Alexandra's quotation or a scored response.

Listen to your own attempt

  • Did you let the patient tell you what the diagnosis means to them?
  • Did you explain one point at a time in ordinary language?
  • Did you check which question remains for the next visit?