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Medical Voices

Medical Voices

Medical Voices is a weekly medical English podcast that teaches the language of healthcare through realistic clinical role-play — built for internationally trained nurses and doctors preparing for OET, IELTS, and professional registration in English-speaking countries.


Each episode breaks down 10 essential clinical vocabulary terms, then puts them to work in a full doctor-patient or nurse-patient dialogue drawn from real UK clinical settings — GP consultations, hospital wards, pharmacy visits, specialist referrals, and more. Free PDF transcripts with the full vocabulary table and language notes are available for every episode.


We call our listeners the Med Nomads — every healthcare worker who has ever crossed a border with their stethoscope and their dreams. We exist for the nurse rebuilding her life in a new country. The IMG fighting imposter syndrome in a foreign hospital. The student who mastered medicine in one language only to practise in another.


We believe healthcare workers belong anywhere in the world, in any language. We make the language of medicine learnable, dignified, and free — so no Med Nomad ever feels like a stranger in the place they came to heal.


New episodes every Tuesday. Hosted by Nadia and Tom.


📄 Free video episodes and PDF transcripts: https://medicalvoices.health
🇫🇷 French-language version: "Voix Médicales Podcast" on YouTube

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⚕ This content is for language learning purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Medical content may occasionally contain inaccuracies.

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Episodes 19

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  • S1 · E19
    Tuesday · 17 min

    Falls Assessment: The Language of a Geriatric GP Follow-Up for OET Speaking & IELTS

    Mr. Fenwick had a single fall in his kitchen three weeks ago — and he's keen to downplay it so as not to worry his daughter. Dr. Chaudhry isn't about to let that happen. Nadia and Tom cover ten essential falls-assessment terms: fall, loss of balance, dizziness/lightheadedness, postural hypotension, mobility aid, home environment review, polypharmacy, bone density, activities of daily living (ADLs), and falls clinic. Each term is defined and demonstrated in a realistic GP follow-up — taking a structured falls history, screening for postural hypotension, opening a non-judgemental conversation about medications, and reviewing the home environment — followed by a slower repeat and a short quiz. A core episode for OET Speaking, relevant to both the doctor and nurse professions, and directly applicable to NMC OSCE geriatric-assessment stations. This episode also closes the chronic-disease arc that began at Episode 13. 📄 Free transcript PDF (vocabulary table, full script, language notes): https://medicalvoices.health/en/episodes/19 ▶️ Watch on YouTube. Episode 19 of Medical Voices. Support the show

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  • S1 · E18
    September 22 · 19 min

    Chest Pain in the ED: The Language of an Emergency Triage Assessment for OET Speaking & NMC OSCE

    Mr. Sullivan walks into the Emergency Department with chest pain that's never felt like this before — and Staff Nurse Pillai has only minutes to take a structured history, get him monitored, and start ruling out the dangerous causes. Nadia and Tom cover ten essential chest-pain triage terms: chest pain, onset, radiation, associated symptoms, shortness of breath, ECG, troponin, cardiac monitor, rule out, and pathway. Each term is defined and demonstrated in a realistic ED triage assessment — taking a structured history, explaining an ECG and troponin test in plain language, and holding the line on "I can't tell you yet" without ever losing warmth — followed by a slower repeat and a short quiz. The highest-priority OET medicine role-play on the channel and a direct NMC/AHPRA OSCE chest-pain station, taught line by line. 📄 Free transcript PDF (vocabulary table, full script, language notes): https://medicalvoices.health/en/episodes/18 ▶️ Watch on YouTube. Episode 18 of Medical Voices. Support the show

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  • S1 · E17
    September 17 · 18 min

    Hypertension Follow-Up: The Language of a Chronic-Disease Review for OET Speaking & IELTS

    Mrs. Holloway has bought her own blood pressure monitor and been checking daily since her diagnosis a few months ago — and today Dr. Ahmed wants to know exactly how she's been taking those readings. Nadia and Tom cover ten essential hypertension follow-up terms: blood pressure/BP reading, hypertension, home BP monitoring, systolic/diastolic, lifestyle modification, salt intake, cardiovascular risk, compliance/adherence, white-coat effect, and lifestyle review. Each term is defined and demonstrated in a realistic chronic-disease review — checking home monitoring technique, revisiting lifestyle measures, and explaining cardiovascular risk in plain language — followed by a slower repeat and a short quiz. A core episode for OET Speaking, relevant to both the nurse and doctor professions, and directly applicable to NMC OSCE chronic-disease review stations. 📄 Free transcript PDF (vocabulary table, full script, language notes): https://medicalvoices.health/en/episodes/17 ▶️ Watch on YouTube. Episode 17 of Medical Voices. Support the show

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  • S1 · E16
    September 15 · 19 min

    Antenatal Booking Visit: The Language of Your First Midwife Appointment for OET Speaking

    It's Sophie's first pregnancy, and her first booking visit — and she's just found out the appointment doesn't include a scan at all. Midwife Miguel Santos is about to explain exactly what does happen instead. Nadia and Tom cover ten essential antenatal booking terms: antenatal (prenatal), booking visit, due date (EDD), last menstrual period (LMP), folic acid, screening test, booking bloods, midwife, ultrasound scan, and birth plan. Each term is defined and demonstrated in a realistic, two-way booking appointment — taking an obstetric history, explaining booking bloods and screening tests, and covering early-pregnancy lifestyle advice — followed by a slower repeat and a short quiz. Maternity vocabulary is one of the biggest gaps in medical English learning and one of the highest-anxiety OET Speaking role-play scenarios, making this a genuinely high-value episode for OET candidates and for IELTS healthcare communication tasks. 📄 Free transcript PDF (vocabulary table, full script, language notes): https://medicalvoices.health/en/episodes/16 ▶️ Watch on YouTube. Episode 16 of Medical Voices. Support the show

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  • S1 · E15
    September 10 · 13 min

    Asthma & Inhaler Technique: The Language of an Annual Asthma Review for OET Speaking & IELTS

    Ryan hasn't had an asthma review in two years, and his inhaler technique has quietly drifted without him noticing. Practice Nurse Ngozi Eze is about to find out exactly where it's gone wrong. Nadia and Tom cover ten essential asthma review terms: asthma, wheeze, shortness of breath, trigger, inhaler, reliever/preventer, spacer, peak flow, asthma attack, and action plan. Each term is defined and demonstrated in a realistic annual asthma review — talking through triggers, checking the reliever/preventer system, and walking step by step through inhaler technique — followed by a slower repeat and a short quiz. Asthma review is a top-5 published OET nursing role-play and a direct NMC OSCE station, and "asthma" itself is reportedly the most commonly mispronounced word in clinical English — making this as much a pronunciation showcase as a vocabulary one, and a high-value cluster for IELTS healthcare candidates at 6.0+. 📄 Free transcript PDF (vocabulary table, full script, language notes): https://medicalvoices.health/en/episodes/15 ▶️ Watch on YouTube. Episode 15 of Medical Voices. Support the show

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  • S1 · E14
    September 8 · 15 min

    Wound Care: The Language of a Dressing Change for OET Speaking & NMC OSCE

    Mrs. Davies is back at Elmwood Surgery for a scheduled dressing change — and this time it's Practice Nurse Marco Reyes checking the wound, not the doctor. Nadia and Tom cover ten essential wound care terms: wound, dressing, stitches/sutures, staples, sterile technique, granulation tissue, exudate, healing well, sign of infection, and removal date. Each term is defined and demonstrated in a realistic practice-nurse dressing review — checking the wound, redressing it, and giving clear safety-netting on the signs of infection to watch for — followed by a slower repeat and a short quiz. Wound care is a direct NMC OSCE station and a recurring OET Speaking scenario for nursing candidates, with secondary relevance for IELTS Academic descriptive and procedural language. 📄 Free transcript PDF (vocabulary table, full script, language notes): https://medicalvoices.health/en/episodes/14 ▶️ Watch on YouTube. Support the show

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  • S1 · E13
    September 3 · 19 min

    Diabetes Diagnosis: The Language of a GP Results Appointment for OET Speaking & IELTS

    Mr. Graham Pearce is back for his blood test results — and Dr. Khan is about to tell him, plainly and without hedging, that it's Type 2 diabetes. Nadia and Tom cover ten essential diabetes-counselling terms: Type 2 diabetes, blood sugar, HbA1c, fasting glucose, lifestyle changes, carbohydrates, physical activity, diabetic eye check, diabetic foot check, and annual review. Each term is defined and demonstrated in a realistic GP results consultation — confirming the diagnosis, explaining what the numbers mean in plain English, and building a lifestyle-first plan around Graham's working life — followed by a slower repeat and a short quiz. Diabetes counselling is the single most-published OET topic across both nursing and medicine subtests, and this vocabulary cluster is equally valuable for IELTS healthcare candidates at 6.0+. 📄 Free transcript PDF (vocabulary table, full script, language notes): https://medicalvoices.health/en/episodes/13 ▶️ Watch on YouTube. Episode 13 of Medical Voices. Support the show

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  • S1 · E12
    September 1 · 19 min

    Mental Health Assessment: The Language of a Primary Care Consultation for OET Speaking & IELTS

    Emma's son is doing just fine — but she isn't quite herself. She's booked twenty minutes to talk about how she's been feeling, and Mental Health Practitioner Femi Adeyemi is about to show what a genuinely validating assessment sounds like. Nadia and Tom cover ten essential mental health assessment terms: low mood, anxiety, sleep disturbance, appetite changes, concentration, coping strategies, talking therapy, self-referral, wellbeing, and follow-up plan. Each term is defined and demonstrated in a realistic primary care mental health assessment — covering mood, sleep, appetite, and coping, and closing with a self-referral and a concrete plan — followed by a slower repeat and a short quiz. Mental health is one of the topics OET Speaking examiners most often cite for lost register and empathy marks, and a high-value vocabulary cluster for IELTS healthcare candidates at 6.0+. 📄 Free transcript PDF (vocabulary table, full script, language notes): https://medicalvoices.health/en/episodes/12 ▶️ Watch on YouTube. Episode 12 of Medical Voices — and if you're catching us here on the podcast feed, welcome, new episodes land every week. Support the show

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  • S1 · E11
    August 27 · 19 min

    Telephone Triage: The Language of an NHS 111 Call for OET Speaking & IELTS

    It's 9 PM and the GP surgery is closed. Nadia calls NHS 111 about her son Jamie, who won't respond properly — and the call handler on the other end has only her voice to work with. Nadia and Tom cover ten essential telephone triage terms: disposition, clinical concern, severity, responsiveness, worsening, callback number, out-of-hours, urgent care, self-care, and escalation. Each term is defined and demonstrated in a realistic telephone triage call — assessing responsiveness, weighing clinical concern, and reaching a disposition decision — followed by a slower repeat and a short quiz. One of the most directly testable scenarios in OET Speaking, since telephone role-plays strip away body language and rely on linguistic precision alone, and a high-value vocabulary cluster for IELTS healthcare candidates at 6.0+. 📄 Free transcript PDF (vocabulary table, full script, language notes): https://medicalvoices.health/en/episodes/11 ▶️ Watch on YouTube. Episode 11 of Medical Voices. Support the show

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  • S1 · E10
    August 25 · 22 min

    Paediatric Consultation: Talking to Parents About a Child's Health for OET & IELTS

    A different kind of consultation: a parent, a four-year-old, and a GP who has to reassure without minimizing. Nadia and Tom take you into a paediatric GP appointment. Mrs. Carter brings her son Oliver to see Dr. Okafor, reporting he's been off his food, running a temperature, and pulling at his ear. Ten vocabulary terms covered: paediatric, symptoms, fever, cough (productive vs. dry), earache, examination, reassurance, antipyretic, safety-netting, and red flags. Each term is defined and demonstrated in the consultation — including how the GP adjusts technique and language for a young child on a parent's lap — followed by a slower repeat and a short quiz. This episode highlights safety-netting, one of the highest-scoring closing moves in OET Speaking, and the three-way register switch between child-directed language, parent reassurance, and clinical documentation. 📄 Free transcript PDF (vocabulary table, full script, language notes): https://medicalvoices.health/en/episodes/10 ▶️ Watch on YouTube. Episode 10 of Medical Voices. Support the show

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  • S1 · E9
    August 20 · 21 min

    Post-Op Recovery: The Language of a Surgical Ward for OET Nursing & IELTS

    Mr. Davies is one day post-op on a surgical ward — and Staff Nurse Santos walks through everything he needs to know before the morning round is over. Nadia and Tom cover ten essential post-operative terms: post-operative, surgical ward, recovery, pain score, mobilisation, wound site, analgesia, observations, bowel function, and discharge criteria. Each term is defined and demonstrated in a realistic day-one nursing assessment — pain score, wound check, observations, and the conditions Mr. Davies needs to meet before he can go home — followed by a slower repeat and a short quiz. One of the most directly testable scenarios in OET Speaking for the nurse profession, and a high-value vocabulary cluster for IELTS healthcare candidates at 6.0+. 📄 Free transcript PDF (vocabulary table, full script, language notes): https://medicalvoices.health/en/episodes/9 ▶️ Watch on YouTube. Episode 9 of Medical Voices. Support the show

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  • S1 · E8
    August 18 · 21 min

    Referred to a Specialist: The GP Referral Letter for OET Writing & Speaking

    A new patient, a new practice, and one of the most examinable scenarios in medical English: the GP referral. Nadia and Tom introduce Mrs. Helen Walker, newly registered at Hartfield Medical Centre, presenting with palpitations and mild breathlessness. Dr. Sharma takes her presenting complaint, orders an ECG, and decides she needs a specialist opinion. Ten vocabulary terms covered: palpitations, presenting complaint, specialist, outpatient appointment, ECG, referral letter, urgency, clinical summary, investigations, and follow-up. Each term is defined and demonstrated in the consultation, followed by a slower repeat and a short quiz. This is one of the most useful episodes in the whole series for OET Writing Task B, where referral letter structure is directly tested, alongside strong OET Speaking and IELTS relevance. 📄 Free transcript PDF (vocabulary table, full script, language notes): https://medicalvoices.health/en/episodes/8 ▶️ Watch on YouTube. Episode 8 of Medical Voices. Support the show

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  • S1 · E7
    August 13 · 26 min

    Allergies & Medications: The Medication Review for OET & IELTS

    Mr. Davies sits down with Dr. Bennett at Elmwood Surgery for a full medication review — the conversation that closes out his GP arc. Nadia and Tom cover the vocabulary of a medication review: medication review, allergy, side effect, dosage, adherence, drug interaction, repeat prescription, generic medication, discontinue, and review appointment. Each term is defined with a natural example, then demonstrated in a realistic GP-patient exchange, followed by a slower repeat and a short quiz. Medication and allergy vocabulary appears in nearly every OET Speaking role-play, regardless of profession, making this one of the highest-utility episodes in the series for exam preparation. 📄 Free transcript PDF (vocabulary table, full script, language notes): https://medicalvoices.health/en/episodes/7 ▶️ Watch on YouTube. Episode 7 of Medical Voices. Support the show

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  • S1 · E6
    August 11 · 21 min

    Understanding Your Results: MRI Findings & Discharge Summary for OET & IELTS

    Mr. Davies is back to hear his results — and how a doctor delivers complex medical information without causing alarm. Nadia and Tom cover the vocabulary of a results consultation: discharge summary, MRI, results, structural abnormality, diagnosis, tension-type headache, chronic, follow-up plan, reassurance, and review appointment. Each term is defined and demonstrated as Dr. Patel walks Mr. Davies through his MRI findings — moving from clinical term to plain language before giving any detail — followed by a slower repeat and a short comprehension quiz. This episode is especially strong for OET Speaking's "giving information" criterion — explaining complex results in plain, reassuring language is directly examinable — and builds core IELTS healthcare-context vocabulary. 📄 Free transcript PDF (vocabulary table, full script, language notes): https://medicalvoices.health/en/episodes/6 ▶️ Watch on YouTube. Episode 6 of Medical Voices. Support the show

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  • S1 · E5
    August 6 · 20 min

    Vital Signs & Assessment: Triage Vocabulary for OET & IELTS

    Mr. Davies is assessed on arrival to the ward — and every number the nurse records tells part of the story. Nadia and Tom cover the vocabulary of a triage and assessment: vital signs, triage, temperature, pulse, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, blood pressure, baseline observations, assessment, and escalation. Each term is defined and demonstrated in a natural nurse-patient assessment, followed by a slower repeat and a short comprehension quiz. Vital signs vocabulary comes up in nearly every OET Speaking nurse role-play, and this episode also builds core IELTS healthcare-context listening skills. 📄 Free transcript PDF (vocabulary table, full script, language notes): https://medicalvoices.health/en/episodes/5 Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/MIV82nAdZDc Episode 5 of Medical Voices. Support the show

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  • S1 · E4
    August 3 · 18 min

    Hospital Admission: Taking a Full Medical History for OET & IELTS

    Mr. Davies arrives at hospital admissions — and a nurse takes him through a complete medical history before he's settled onto the ward. Nadia and Tom cover the vocabulary of a hospital admission: admission, medical history, referral letter, investigations, surgical ward, informed consent, presenting complaint, past medical history, current medications, and patient details. Each term is defined and demonstrated in a realistic nurse-patient admission interview, followed by a slower repeat of the key exchanges and a short quiz. A foundational episode for OET Speaking (nurse profession) and a core vocabulary set for IELTS healthcare-context listening and speaking. 📄 Free transcript PDF (vocabulary table, full script, language notes): https://medicalvoices.health/en/episodes/4 Watch on YouTube. Episode 4 of Medical Voices. Support the show

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  • S1 · E3
    July 30 · 29 min

    Describing Symptoms: Onset, Duration & Severity for OET & IELTS

    Mr. Davies is back at the GP clinic — this time to describe how he's really feeling, in detail. Nadia and Tom cover the vocabulary of a symptom-focused consultation: symptoms, onset, duration, severity, pain scale, associated symptoms, aggravating factors, relieving factors, diagnosis, and follow-up consultation. Each term is defined with a natural example, then demonstrated in a full doctor-patient exchange, followed by a slower repeat and a short comprehension quiz. Describing symptoms accurately and being understood in return is one of the most heavily tested skills in OET Speaking, and a core vocabulary cluster for IELTS healthcare contexts. 📄 Free transcript PDF (vocabulary table, full script, language notes): https://medicalvoices.health/en/episodes/3 Watch on YouTube. Episode 3 of Medical Voices. Support the show

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  • S1 · E1
    July 30 · 18 min

    First GP Appointment: Core Medical Vocabulary for OET & IELTS

    A complete UK GP consultation, from chief complaint to follow-up plan — spoken naturally, then broken down term by term. Nadia and Tom walk through a realistic first GP appointment, covering 10 essential clinical vocabulary terms: chief complaint, medical history, vital signs, blood pressure, allergy, symptoms, prescription, follow-up, over-the-counter, and referral. Each term gets a clear definition and an example drawn straight from the dialogue, followed by a full-speed role-play and a short comprehension quiz. This episode is built for OET Speaking preparation, IELTS healthcare-context vocabulary, and any internationally trained nurse or doctor preparing to work in an English-speaking clinical setting. 📄 Free transcript PDF (vocabulary table, full script, language notes): https://medicalvoices.health/en/episodes/1 Watch on YouTube. 🇫🇷 French-language version: Voix Médicales Podcast Episode 1 of Medical Voices. Support the show

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  • S1 · E2
    July 30 · 24 min

    At the Pharmacy: Prescriptions & Medication Vocabulary for OET & IELTS

    Mr. Davies collects a prescription — and the pharmacist walks through exactly what he needs to know before he leaves the counter. Nadia and Tom cover the vocabulary of a community pharmacy visit: prescription, pharmacist, dosage, directions, side effect, over-the-counter, generic medication, repeat prescription, medication label, and collection. Each term is defined and demonstrated in a natural pharmacist-patient exchange, followed by a slower repeat of the key lines and a short quiz to check understanding. A high-value episode for OET Speaking (pharmacist and nurse role-plays both draw on this scenario) and for IELTS healthcare vocabulary at the intermediate level. 📄 Free transcript PDF (vocabulary table, full script, language notes): https://medicalvoices.health/en/episodes/2 🇫🇷 French-language version: Voix Médicales Podcast Episode 2 of Medical Voices. Support the show

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