situational judgment test

Imagine being presented with complicated medical dilemmas and conflicts, only to have your reactions compared to physicians with way more experience than you. That’s pretty much how the AAMC PREview Professional Readiness Exam is going to work, and odds are, you’ll have to take it sometime over the summer if you want to apply to medical school in the 2022-2023 cycle. This article will serve as a comprehensive FAQ about everything you need to know surrounding the PREview exam, including timeline, logistics, test format, and the best preparation strategies.

In the 2020-2021 application cycle, the AAMC piloted its Situational Judgment Test (SJT) at two participating schools. And now, leading into the 2021-2022 cycle, the AAMC SJT has expanded to five schools. Even though it hasn’t been explicitly stated, we believe this is the beginning of the AAMC’s long-term goal to compete with the CASPer. Moving forward, nearly all applicants will be forced to take at least one SJT, and thousands will have to take both. So, how do the two SJTs compare? What do you need to know before taking them? 

It was recently announced that two medical schools - University of California Davis School of Medicine and University of Minnesota Medical School Twin Cities - will be participating in the AAMC’s pilot Situational Judgment Test (SJT). If you’re applying to either or both of these schools, you probably have a lot of questions: Is the pilot test mandatory? Will the test affect my admissions chances? What kinds of questions will be asked? We’re here to help get those questions answered!