Although some might perceive them as an additional hurdle to admission, Situational Judgment Tests (SJTs) are becoming an increasingly common part of the health professions school admissions process. Designed to assess qualities such as professionalism, ethical decision-making, empathy, communication, and on-the-spot problem solving, SJTs give schools insight into how applicants might navigate real-world challenges in healthcare settings. Three major SJT platforms are commonly used in medical/dental/PA school admissions: Casper, AAMC PREview Professional Readiness Exam, and Kira Talent. All of these SJTs are administered virtually and designed to provide a holistic view of your candidacy. You don’t necessarily have to study for these tests, but you might want to get used to the format. Here is a general overview of what you need to know about each:
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Casper (Acuity Insights)
Casper, developed by Acuity Insights, is an open response SJT used by many medical schools and other health professions programs in the US and beyond.
Format
The Casper test is specific to the type of program. The test is remotely proctored. The format/cost may change slightly each year. In 2026, it includes a total of 11 video-based and word-based scenarios drawn from real-world dilemmas. For each scenario, you typically respond to two open-ended questions.
You may be asked to:
- Record video responses (with limited time to reflect and answer), or
- Type written responses within a strict time limit
Since the timing is tight, there isn’t any time for revising the answers.
Scoring
Each question is scored by a unique trained rater. Scorers focus on the reasoning behind your response—why you chose a particular action—rather than grammar or minor errors. The final score ranges from 1–9 and are accompanied by a percentile ranking. Casper scores are valid for one application cycle, and you are not allowed to retake the test in a given admission cycle.
AAMC PREview
The AAMC PREview Professional Readiness has only been around for a few years. Unlike Casper’s open responses, AAMC PREview uses a multiple-choice format and is thus a closed response SJT. Similar to Casper, AAMC is remotely proctored live as you take the test. This SJT is only required for MD admission for select medical schools, while a few other are still evaluating its utility for their admission decisions.
Format
PREview presents hypothetical dilemmas based on real-life healthcare or educational settings. You will rate the effectiveness of various response options based on what would be considered ethically and professionally appropriate behavior.
Typically, there are 186 questions. Some practice exams are available. We also highly recommend reviewing the nine AAMC pre-professional competencies beforehand as a way to prepare for the test.
Scoring
Similar to Casper, you receive a single score from 1–9. Your score reflects how closely your ratings align with consensus judgments from medical educators. Scores are released approximately one month after your test date and are uploaded directly to your AMCAS application. PREview scores are valid for life, and you can retake the test once in a given cycle with a lifetime maximum of four attempts.
Kira Talent
Kira Talent is an asynchronous interview platform used by some health professions schools as part of their secondary application process. These assessments often serve as an initial screening tool, helping admissions committees assess interpersonal skills, communication style, and professionalism before offering full interviews.
Format
Kira Talent interviews are often similar to Casper, but the questions are school-specific and customized. Applicants respond to timed video and/or written prompts, and the questions can be traditional type (why X school), behavioral (have you ever had a conflict with a teammate), or situational judgment based. Because it is integrated into a school’s secondary application, there is no separate registration or standalone testing fee.
Best Practices
The best way to ace a Kira Talent interview is to first identify the type of question asked. For behavioral type questions, use the STAR (Specific Situation, Task, Action and Result) format. For open-ended questions, structure your answer into an introduction (summarizing the question and your approach), body (supporting evidence) and conclusion (takeaways). For multipart questions, make sure you focus on 2-3 key elements and elaborate on them. You may want to do a little bit of research on the school beforehand.
Tips for Success
- Practice with sample questions and become comfortable with the format and strict time limits.
- Refine your answer clarity, pacing, and professionalism.
- Choose a quiet, well-lit space with reliable internet connection.
- Dress professionally and approach the test as you would an interview.
- Demonstrate compassion, curiosity, ethical reasoning, and self-awareness to present your strongest, most authentic self.
- In terms of timing, we recommend taking Casper and/or PREview during June/July of the application cycle. Kira Talent assessments should be completed based on the timeline provided by the schools.
- If you are applying this cycle, do plan to attend the SJT workshop. Registration details are available through the medical/dental school applicant Canvas course.
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