Which medical schools require Casper? How do you know if you have to take the test? How is Casper scored? Read on to learn the answers to these questions, along with many other Casper test FAQs.
The Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics, commonly referred to as Casper, is a recent addition to medical school applications. Since most of your primary application centers around your hard skills, grades, and personal background, Casper was created to test an applicant’s soft skills, such as empathy, ethical decision-making, and communication.
Let’s get to the most common questions about this unique test.
Find answers to the following questions below:
Casper is one of two components within Acuity Insights.
Casper (Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics) is a computer-based situational judgment test that assesses your interpersonal skills, empathy, ethics, and collaboration.
The Casper tests people based on the following nine competencies:
Casper consists of 11 scenarios. The test is divided into two response sections—a video response section with four scenarios and a typed response section with seven scenarios.
The scenarios are all a blend of SJTs (Situational Judgment Tests) and behavioral descriptor questions. The scenarios usually don’t take place in a medical setting. You could be in a one-on-one meeting with your boss, grocery shopping, at a party with friends, and so on.
Generally, the questions seek to understand how an applicant would behave ethically and empathetically in morally ambiguous scenarios. There’s a lot more to being a doctor than acing all of your science courses.
Doctors must be able to effectively communicate with their patients and uphold a strict code of ethics at all times—something an admissions committee can’t determine from a stellar MCAT score or personal statement. Hence, the Casper test was born.
Casper was developed in 2010 by Harold Reiter and Kelly Dore at McMaster University’s Program for Educational Research and Development (PERD) in Canada.
Only 27 US medical schools require applicants to take Casper, along with a few schools in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Qatar.
How is Casper scored? There are 11 scenarios in the Casper test, and each one is scored by a different rater.
Raters aren’t given any of your personal information. They don’t know what you look like or where you’re from, and they aren’t provided with your answers to the other sections. The only thing a rater sees is your typed or recorded reply to the specific scenario they’re scoring.
Raters are not provided with an answer key. They are given general information about the central concepts and ideas key to the section, but little more. It’s, therefore, essential to understand that Casper isn’t made up of right or wrong answers.
The test is divided into two response sections—a video response section (four scenarios) and a typed response section (seven scenarios). Both sections ask two questions. Your score is based on your overall performance. If you run out of time and aren’t able to answer each question, but your previous responses are professional and comprehensive, you may not incur a penalty.
The Casper test takes 65-85 minutes to complete, including two short breaks. There is a video response section and a typed response section with a total of 11 scenarios.
While the Casper test is used by dozens of schools in the US and beyond, it is not a requirement for every program. In order to determine if you need to take Casper, check the requirements of the specific programs you’re interested in attending.
This is a complete list of medical schools that require Casper in the US.
You first need to register your Acuity Insights account.
To reserve your test:
Make sure you register for the test at least 3 days in advance. You will also need a government-issued ID, a valid email address, a working webcam, and a working microphone.
Casper costs $85 USD and includes the distribution of results to 7 programs. An additional $18 USD is charged for each additional program you need to send your scores to. The fees you pay when you reserve your Casper test cover all applicable parts, including Duet.
The Casper test is taken online, so you do not need to go anywhere to take the test. All you need is a computer, a reliable internet connection, and a working webcam and microphone.
You can only take Casper once per application cycle. If your medical school application is unsuccessful, you will need to take Casper again when you reapply.
You need a government-issued ID, a valid email address, a working webcam, and a working microphone to register for a Casper test. You will also need your student and application numbers, as well as a payment method.
The Casper test is broken into two distinct sections. The first is the video response section, composed of four scenarios, some video-based and some word-based. In this section, you answer your questions one by one with a live recorded video response.
You are given 30 seconds to reflect on the scenario, then 10 seconds to read the first question, followed by one minute to answer via video. After 1 minute, your video is automatically uploaded for review. Your second question will appear, and you will have another minute to answer the question. You are unable to go back and change your answer or review your submission, which is why it’s so important to go into the Casper test prepared.
The second section of the Casper test is the typed response section, which consists of 7 scenarios. In this section, you will answer two questions with a typed response. You have 3.5 minutes to type your answers to both questions.
Acuity Insights (formerly Altus Suite) added a video component after receiving complaints from test takers that Casper was essentially a speed-typing test.
A video response section was added to the Casper test starting with the 2022/2023 application cycle. The Casper test requires test takers to provide live-recorded video responses to questions.
No, the programs you apply to will not see your video responses. Your video responses are only viewed by trained Casper raters.
Raters are trained not to penalize spelling and grammar errors, but don’t think of this as a free-for-all. The rater still needs to be able to comprehend each element of your answer, and if your poor spelling gets in the way of the rater’s comprehension, they will not be able to give you a good score. Raters will accept bullet points or complete sentences.
The Casper test has two breaks. The first break is 10 minutes and comes at the end of the video response section, before you begin the typed response section. There’s another 5-minute break in the middle of the typed response section.
Breaks are a critical opportunity for you to collect your thoughts, refocus, and replenish yourself. Use your breaks to reset your posture, drink water, stretch, and do a breathing exercise.
The goal of Casper is to see who you are beyond your hard skills and grades, so it’s not exactly a test you can study for in the conventional sense.
It’s generally best to answer questions from the most ethical and fair standpoint possible, ensuring the people in the scenario are represented equally. It’s also essential to abide by the law. Anything in your response that could be construed as unethical, illegal, unprofessional, or dangerous is an automatic red flag.
Prepare in advance by answering practice questions, taking practice tests, developing your reading comprehension, studying up on issues in healthcare, and recording yourself answering questions within the one-minute time limit.
You need to record yourself practicing answering questions in the one-minute video response format. Get comfortable answering questions comprehensively and confidently within this time frame.
How long you need to spend preparing depends on how confident you feel with your typing and reading comprehension skills, as well as how comfortable you are answering questions by video response. Unfortunately, there’s not a magic number of hours that will guarantee a strong score. Utilize practice questions and tests to your advantage. We encourage you to prepare as long as you need to feel relaxed and confident on the big day.
Review our 15 Casper preparation strategies.
Yes! Med School Insiders has a brand-new Casper course that leverages cutting-edge AI technology and in-depth video tutorials. It’s the most comprehensive prep resource for Casper out there.
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The course includes unlimited practice problems, which means you’ll have endless opportunities to refine your skills, adapt to various scenarios, and truly understand the nuances of the Casper exam.
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