# Online doctor appointments: pros and cons: IELTS Writing Task 2 samples Writing Task 2 - Health Many patients now speak to their doctor by video call instead of visiting a clinic. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this development? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words. Source: Sample answers and examiner notes are written by Testmigo. ## Band 6 sample Nowadays, many people talk with their doctor by video call on their phone or computer, instead of going to the clinic. This development has some advantages and also some disadvantages, which I will discuss in this essay. The first advantage is that it is very convenient. Patients do not need to travel to the hospital and wait for long time in the waiting room. They can talk to the doctor from their home or even from their office during lunch break. This is very useful for people who live in village far from the city, because for them going to hospital can take a whole day. Another advantage is that sick people do not spread there illness to other patients in the waiting room, for example if they have flu. However, there are also some disadvantages. The main disadvantage is that the doctor cannot touch or examine the patient. For example, if someone has pain in the stomach, the doctor need to check it with his hands, and he can not do this through a screen. So the doctor might make a wrong diagnose. Also, many old people do not know how to use the video call application, or they do not have a good internet. My grandmother, for example, always ask me to help her when she want to use her smartphone, so it is difficult for her to see doctor online. In conclusion, video call with doctor has advantages like saving time and helping people in far places, but it also has disadvantages like no physical examination and problems for elderly people. I think it is good for small health problems, but for serious illness patients should still go to the clinic and meet doctor face to face. **Examiner notes.** This Band 6 essay covers both advantages and disadvantages, and the stomach pain and grandmother examples are relevant. However, the infection point is only one sentence, and the conclusion largely repeats the body instead of drawing the ideas together. Errors such as "spread there illness", "make a wrong diagnose" and "she want to use" are noticeable but do not block meaning. For Band 7, the writer would develop each point more evenly, vary the linking beyond "The first advantage" and "Also", and control agreement and word forms. ## Band 7 sample Video consultations, in which patients speak to a doctor through a screen rather than in person, have become a routine part of healthcare in many countries. This essay will examine the main benefits and drawbacks of this change, and argue that it is most useful as a complement to traditional appointments. The clearest advantage is convenience. A patient who needs a repeat prescription or wants to discuss test results no longer has to take half a day off work, travel to a clinic and sit in a crowded waiting room; the whole appointment can take place from home in a few minutes. This is particularly valuable for people living in remote rural areas, where the nearest doctor may be hours away, and for those with disabilities or limited mobility. In addition, remote appointments reduces the risk of infections spreading between patients, which was one reason why they became widespread during the Covid-19 pandemic. On the other hand, there are significant limitations. A doctor cannot listen to a patient's chest, feel a swollen joint or take their blood pressure through a camera, so some conditions might be missed or diagnosed later than they should be. Subtle signs, such as a patient's pale skin or difficulty walking, may also be less obvious on a small screen. Furthermore, not everyone is able to use the technology. Many elderly patients, who often have the greatest medical needs, lack a suitable device, a reliable internet connection or the confidence to use video software. In conclusion, online consultations save time, improve access for isolated patients and limit the spread of disease, but they cannot replace a physical examination and may exclude older people. They should therefore be offered alongside face-to-face appointments, not instead of them. **Examiner notes.** This Band 7 essay covers both sides evenly and keeps a clear view throughout: video appointments are useful as "a complement to traditional appointments". Examples such as "a repeat prescription" and "feel a swollen joint" are specific, and the vocabulary is accurate. However, the infection point is mentioned rather than explained, and there is a minor agreement slip in "remote appointments reduces". A Band 8 essay would show the consequences of each point more fully, for example what happens when a missed sign leads to a second visit. The Band 8 and 9 samples are free with an account on the [topic page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/writing/topics/task-2/online-medical-consultations). ## Common questions ### How many words should I write? At least 150 words for Task 1 and 250 for Task 2. Writing a little more is fine; an answer under the minimum loses marks. ### Can I use these sample answers in my test? No. Memorised material is marked down and you will not get this exact question. Use the samples to see what each band does with the same task.