CASPer is an online exam that gives you difficult situations and wants to know how you would respond and why you would respond that way. Use a CASPer practice test below to start preparing.
CASPer is a situational judgment test (SJT). The main goal of the exam is to learn your behavioral tendencies and how you would respond in specific scenarios.
CASPer Practice Questions
Use the word-based scenario questions below to practice for your upcoming exam.
Word-Based Scenario 1:
You are the physician on duty in a local emergency room. An unkempt-looking, middle-aged woman dressed in oversized sweatpants and a ratty sweatshirt walks in complaining about back pain. While taking her history for treatment, the lady keeps insisting that the only thing that will relieve her pain is a strong painkiller. A nurse pulls you aside and quietly tells you that this lady frequents the hospital and gets prescribed painkillers.
- What is going through your mind right now?
- What should you do in this situation?
- How will you handle the patient if she keeps insisting on getting prescribed painkillers?
Word-Based Scenario 2:
No matter which career path we choose in life, we will always end up having a conflict or disagreement with someone in the workplace.
- Describe a time when you came to conflict with a colleague and how you handled it.
- If the conflict was with a superior or authority figure, how would your reaction differ?
- Is it ever appropriate to keep quiet and not speak up against a superior even though you are certain they are making a “wrong choice”?
Word-Based Scenario 3:
Imagine you are a healthcare professional working in a busy emergency room. You have just received two patients: a middle-aged woman with a chronic illness who requires immediate attention for a potentially life-threatening condition, and a young man who has suffered a serious injury due to a car accident and also needs urgent care. The resources available are limited, and you can only attend to one patient at a time.
- How would you prioritize and manage the situation?
- How would you balance the immediate needs of the patients with the potential long-term consequences of your actions?
- How would you communicate your reasoning to the patients and their families?
Other CASPer Test Prep
Here are some additional resources you can use to practice for the CASPer exam.
| Resource | Provider |
|---|---|
| CASPer Test Situations | Quizlet |
| CASPer Test Flashcards | Quizlet |
| CASPer Prep | Quizlet |
What is the CASPer Exam?
CASPer stands for Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics. This exam is meant to test your situational judgment.
The CASPer exam is used a lot by medical schools and residency programs to screen potential candidates.
CASPer Exam Overview
2 Sections:
- Video Response Section
- Word-Based Scenarios (2)
- Video-Based Scenarios (4)
- Typed Response Section
- Word-Based Scenarios (3)
- Video-Based Scenarios (5)
You can expect the exam to take between 90 and 110 minutes.
The CASPer exam consists of 2 sections. The first section is the video response section and the second section is the typed response section.Both sections have word-based scenarios and video-based scenarios.
On the video response section (section 1), each scenario has 2 open-ended questions and you will have 1 minute to record each response.
On the typed response section (section 2), each scenario has 3 open-ended questions and you will have 5 minutes to respond to all 3 questions.
Duet Assessment
Some programs may require you to take the Duet Assessment along with the CASPer.
The Duet Assessment attempts to find what you value and compare it with the value of the program you are applying to. You will see a prompt (in your account) to take this assessment if it is required of you.
There are no right or wrong answers on this assessment, so no need to study.
What Does CASPer Measure?
The exam was designed to measure the following 10 attributes:
- Collaboration
- Communication
- Empathy
- Equity
- Ethics
- Motivation
- Problem-Solving
- Professionalism
- Resilience
- Self Awareness
Those 10 attributes will be measured via the situational judgment questions you will be asked to answer.
How is the CASPer Scored?
Each response is scored on a scale from 1 to 9. The fifteen scenarios are graded by a separate scorer to help get multiple unique impressions of you instead of one in-depth look at your answers.
The raters use a likert scale (ranging from 1-9), with 1 being poor and 9 being excellent.
You will not receive your specific scores. You will receive your quartile rank. The quartiles break down like this:
- 0-24th Percentile: First Quartile
- 25-49th Percentile: Second Quartile
- 50-74th Percentile: Third Quartile
- 75-100th Percentile: Fourth Quartile
You will want to score in the fourth quartile. Your quartile results are only based on the typed response section (section 2).
Schools will receive both your CASPer scores and your percentile rank.
Studying for the CASPer Exam
The best way to prepare for the CASPer exam is to look at CASPer test examples. The more CASPer test questions that you can expose yourself to before taking the exam, the better your familiarity with the exam will be.
Aside from taking a CASPer practice test, it can be helpful to make sure your typing speed and accuracy are up to snuff (at least 40 words per minute) since you will have to type most of your answers.
Some other tips include:
- Taking time to reflect on challenging personal and professional experiences may help you have well-developed answers.
- You may also want to look into current medical ethics since you will likely experience questions about ethics and morals.
- Utilize online flashcards or make your own to work through common medical scenarios.
Know that you may be asked a question that causes you to feel anxious because you aren’t sure how to answer. Take a breath, refocus, and answer as honestly as possible. The most important thing is giving the scorers an accurate look at who you are as a person.
CASPer Test Dates
You can schedule your exam by visiting this page. You will be asked the following questions when selecting your test date:
- Country
- Programs You Are Applying To
- School You Are Applying To
- Date and Time
When selecting your date and time, you will be asked to pay a fee (varies depending on your program and school). All fees cover the CASPer and Duet assessments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does CASPer have a practice test?
There is no official practice test for the CASPer exam. However, there are practice resources available online both in text versions and in video versions to help you practice for all parts of the exam.
What is a good CASPer score?
Only schools will see your CASPer scores. The only thing you will see is your percentile score.
You will want to score in the fourth quartile (75-100th percentile).
What programs administer the CASPer exam?
The CASPer exam is mostly administered by medical schools and residency programs.
Why is the CASPer exam administered?
The CASPer exam is administered to get a deeper look into you as a person and how you would behave in certain situations.
The exam helps organizations and programs “vet” potential candidates before admitting them into their program.
Who administers the CASPer exam?
The CASPer exam is administered by Acuity Insights.
Is the CASPer test hard?
The CASPer test will be challenging. This is a test different from others that you may take to get into a medical school.
This test questions your morals and your reactions. You will be forced to think and may come across questions that you don’t know how to answer. That’s normal.
