Several medical schools require the CASPer test as part of their admissions process. This situational judgment is part of a multi-level assessment called Altus Suite. Along with the Snapshot interview and the Duet profile, CASPer is used by some medical schools to assess the applicants' non-cognitive skills. In order to have a realistic chance of admissions, you must prepare for CASper well in advance, using realistic simulations and expert feedback. This blog will provide a comprehensive list of all medical schools that require CASPer in both the US and Canada.

Disclaimer: CASPer stands for computer-based assessment for sampling personal characteristics and is claimed to be a trademark of McMaster & Altus. BeMo does not recommend, endorse nor affiliate with CASPer, Altus or McMaster and vice versa. BeMo only provides preparation services and practice tests. To take CASPer, contact Altus directly.


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Article Contents
6 min read

Medical Schools that Require CASPer: Why Medical Schools Require It Medical Schools that Require CASPer: The Benefits of CASPer Test Prep List of Medical Schools that Require CASPer How Does the CASPer Test Work? When Can I Take the CASPer Test? FAQs

Medical Schools that Require CASPer: Why Medical Schools Require It

The reason there are so many medical schools that require CASPer in both the US and Canada, or any situational-judgement test, such as the AAMC PREview, which is more commonly used in the US, is to try to level the playing field in terms of allowing for more non-traditional medical school applicants to get into medical school. But we at BeMo are not convinced. In fact, we believe, and have evidence to support, that SJTs creates more disparity rather than alleviating it, as this study argues.

One of the study’s main conclusions is that the CASPer exam and multiple-mini-interviews “do not appear to offer any significant advantage in promoting diversity or selecting intrinsically motivated applicants.” What’s more, this survey of medical students at McMaster found that SJT’s like CASPer and AAMC PREview, as well as the MMI format, “favour applicants from higher income households,” as they have the resources to prepare for these types of tests and interview formats.

Of course, there are many studies that say the opposite. One study found that “the CASPER test, an SJT, can potentially reduce demographic disparities in the admissions process.” But even though there are benefits to using the CASPer test in the admissions process, many premed students feel a little intimidated and unsure about the test itself. Many students and professionals are stumped when they face CASPer, since so little information is shared by the administrators of the test:

“For CASPer, there was pretty limited information available the year I took it…” – Dr. Monica Taneja, MD, University of Maryland School of Medicine

But how do you prepare for CASPer? What can you do to feel ready for this intimidating test? Let’s find out.

Medical Schools that Require CASPer: The Benefits of CASPer Test Prep

Premed students know how important MCAT scores are and the importance of having a high GPA, but the CASPer test is something that students still struggle with because of the secretive nature of its scoring, which has made premeds more wary of the admissions process. Many schools do not reveal how the CASPer test is used in their admissions processes, but our students have a hunch that it has tremendous effect on some admissions officers:

“3rd quartile CASPer likely screened me out from most medical schools this past cycle, especially as a 3rd year applicant. I don't think I took CASPer prep as seriously as I should have, and will work harder on it this cycle.” – Anushka G., BeMo student

However, the same study we cited above also found that preparation, both self-study and with certified CASPer test coaches, significantly improves not only your ability to take the test, but, perhaps more important, your confidence.

Confidence-building was something that helped Alina, who recently got into a medical school that requires CASPer. Like many premeds, Alina had little experience or knowledge of CASPer. “This is my first year ever writing CASPer,” she said, and Alina realized that she needed help understanding the various CASPer test question categories, such as “how to approach the occasional personal question that you get on CASPer.” But she also needed the confidence to take the test, which she got. Alina says the most helpful prep she received was with expert feedback, which she says “were really helpful because not only do you go through a CASPer scenario or two that you have completed but the expert will walk you through the scenario and tell you what you did well what you need to improve on.”

“[CASPer prep] was helpful not only in terms of improving my CASPer test taking abilities but also telling me, roughly, where I was at so that I had confidence (emphasis added) going into test day.” – Alina, BeMo student

Alina’s experience with expert feedback and personalized coaching and her eventual acceptance into medical school was reflected in the findings of the study we mentioned. It looked at the experience of 43 Canadian premeds who participated in a CASPer Preparation Program. These participants received step-by-step feedback and coaching, which helped 51% score in the highest percentile, and another 58% received an offer of admission from a medical school that requires CASPer. 

List of Medical Schools That Require CASPer in the US

***Note: unless otherwise indicated, all the schools listed below require only the completion of the CASPer test. We put a small note next to each of the schools that require the Duet assessment.

US MD Schools That Require CASPer

Learn how to prepare for CASPer and practice with some sample passages!

Osteopathic Medical Schools That Require CASPer

List of Medical Schools That Require CASPer in Canada

How Does the CASPer Test Work?

The Computer Based Sampling of Personal Characteristics, known as CASPer, is an online situational judgment test used to assess an applicant's soft skills including empathy, motivation, communication, and ethics. Although the test claims to assess these personal attributes, studies suggest otherwise and have shown that situational judgment tests cause bias. The test is often used as a screening method to help determine which applicant's should be invited to an in-person interview, so it's essential that students review CASPer test questions and know how to prepare for CASPer correctly. This should be followed by using realistic simulations followed by expert feedback. For example, BeMo's CASPer prep programs have been proven to increase applicants' practice CASPer score by 23%.

The CASPer test is not taken at test centers, instead, students can participate in the test from any location they choose, as long as they are alone and have access to a reliable internet connection. The test costs $85 USD, which includes distribution of your scores to 8 schools, plus another $5 to send the scores to each additional school. Students will be recorded for the duration of the test and will be presented with 14 different hypothetical ethical scenarios, divided into 2 sections: typed-based and video-recorded. These scenarios may be video-based or written and with each scenario, students will be asked two or three open-ended questions. For the typed-response section, students will have 5 minutes per scenario to type their responses to 3 questions. For the video-record section of CASPer, you will have 1 minute to video-record your responses to 2 open-ended questions. Here’s what our admissions expert Dr. Monica Taneja, MD, suggests in terms of using your time wisely in the CASPer test:

“You want to get your points down. No matter if you have 5 minutes or 1 minute, half to ¾ of your time should be spent on primary details and then the rest spent on embellishments as needed. I’d also encourage saving 30 seconds for a grammar check as avoiding large grammatical errors goes a long way.” – Dr. Monica Taneja, MD, University of Maryland School of Medicine 

The test takes roughly 90-110 minutes to complete with 2 optional test breaks. Each scenario of the test is scored by a different trained evaluator and scores will be sent automatically to selected programs approximately 2-3 weeks after completing the test. CASPer scores are not released to students.

When Can I Take the CASPer Test?

While there are many CASPer test dates available throughout the year, students should check each program's requirements closely. Some programs, such as undergraduate nursing, only have December– March test dates while most MD vs. DO programs have dates ranging from July – May of the following year.

FAQs

1. How many times can I take the CASPer?

You can take the CASPer once per admissions cycle. The results are valid for one admissions cycle, but if you’re applying in subsequent cycles, you will need to retake it.

2. How is the CASPer formatted?

CASPer has two sections: typed response and video response. In the former, test-takers will respond to 3 word-based scenarios and 5 video-based scenarios. In the latter section, test-takers will respond to two word-based scenarios and four video-based scenarios.

3. How do I prepare for CASPer?

Your CASPer test prep should consist of reviewing sample questions and expert responses. This way, you’ll get an idea of how to formulate a strong answer for the different types of questions you will be asked.

4. What types of questions will I be asked?

You will respond to three possible types of questions: situational, policy-based, and personal questions. For scenario questions. The purpose of asking a variety of questions is to enable you to demonstrate your values, ethical conduct, critical thinking skills, and suitability for the profession.

5. How long will the test take?

Typically, it will take between 90-110 minutes in total. You will have 5 minutes to respond to the three questions for each scenario. You will also be given a 10-minute break before the second section and a 5-minute break halfway through the second section of the test.

6. How soon will scores be sent to the schools I'm applying to?

Scores will be sent about 2-3 weeks after its rated. After that, the scores will be sent to schools automatically.

7. When should I take the CASPer?

You will have to refer to specific school application timelines. However, the latest date to complete the CASPer is generally late October.

8. What should I do if I'm having trouble preparing?

Don’t worry, you can always use a CASPer test prep course. One of the main benefits of these courses is that it helps you get familiar with the format and practice your answers using an expert strategy proven to help students get results. 

To your success,

Your friends at BeMo

BeMo Academic Consulting


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3 Comments

Boris

I am applying to med school for a second time, do I need to take CASPer test again or can I use one from the last year?

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BeMo Academic Consulting

Hi Boris! Thanks for your question. You will need to retake CASPer again if you are reapplying. 

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Lilly

Thanks for great info. Do you have blog post/info about Snapshot?

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BeMo Academic Consulting

Hello Lilly! We sure do. Please check it out here.

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JK

Do Dental Schools require CASPer and if yes is it different from one for Med Schools? How much before my test date should I start preparing for it?

Reply

BeMo Academic Consulting

Hi JK! Thanks for your question. Yes, some dental schools do require CASPer, but it is totally the same test for any professional application, such as education, social work, etc. Everyone's prep is individualistic, but generally speaking, we suggest giving yourself at least 8 weeks to prepare. 

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