What is the AAMC Preview Exam?
The AAMC Preview exam, formerly known as the AAMC Situational Judgement exam, assesses prospective students’ understanding of “effective professional behavior.” The test uses nine core competencies, which have been identified as critical for medical school success. As per its previous name, the exam remains a situational judgment test designed to provide medical schools with a more holistic view of an applicant’s medical school readiness.
The competencies tested are:
Cultural Awareness
Cultural Humility
Empathy and Compassion
Ethical Responsibility to Self and Others
Interpersonal Skills
Reliability and Dependability
Resilience and Adaptability
Teamwork and Collaboration
Commitment to Learning and Growth
How is the exam scored?
The exam is multiple choice. Students will receive descriptions of a “situation” and are then asked to judge possible behaviors in response to the situation as “very ineffective to very effective” on a four-point scale. The exam consists of 186 questions.
Test-takers will receive one overall score between 1 and 9 (highest). A higher score denotes that the test-taker’s responses were more frequently in line with the consensus of medical educators.
How is it different from CASPer?
Similar to CASPer, the test gauges situational judgment. However, the CASPer test is open-ended while the Preview exam is multiple choice. The AAMC Preview was also designed with medical students and professionals in mind and test-takers must verify a statement that they are taking the test solely with the intent of applying to an allopathic or osteopathic medical program. The CASPer test is more general in nature.
An applicant may need to take both the AAMC Preview and the CASPer test, depending upon the application requirements of the medical schools they are applying to.
When can I take the AAMC Preview exam?
The exam is administered from March through September 2024. Test-takers may sit for the exam twice in one year, and up to four times overall. Key registration dates are available here.
What schools require / recommend the AAMC Preview Exam?
These lists are continually being updated. We recommend checking the AAMC website for the latest. This post is up-to-date as of February 2024.
Schools requiring:
Mercer University School of Medicine
Saint Louis University School of Medicine
Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah
University of California, Davis, School of Medicine
University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine
University of Massachusetts T.H. Chan School of Medicine
Schools recommending:
Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans
Morehouse School of Medicine
Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
University of Alabama at Birmingham Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine
Schools requiring a Situational Judgment Test (the Preview will satisfy):
Rutgers, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
DO schools recommending:
Des Moines University Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program (you may submit your application with or without a Preview score)
Additional schools may collect Preview Exam scores in the 2024-2025 admissions cycle, not for the purposes of assessing applicants, but to collect data to determine if they will incorporate the Preview Exam into future application cycles. These research-only schools are identified within the AMCAS application.
Where can I find out more about the AAMC Preview Exam?
The AAMC provides a number of useful materials and resources online. Consider starting with the AAMC Preview Essentials and the Professional Readiness Exam Sample.