CASPer (Computer-based Assessment for Sampling Personal characteristics) — Questions and Answers

Question 1: Which behavior MOST undermines team cohesion in a CASPer professional scenario?

Asking for help when you are struggling
Advocating for a minority viewpoint respectfully
Sharing credit for team successes
Taking sole credit for collaborative outcomes (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Taking sole credit for collaborative outcomes

Taking sole credit for shared work erodes trust and motivation within a team.

Question 2: You are given an opportunity to participate in a research study that would benefit your career but requires you to collect data in a way you consider ethically questionable. What do you do?

Decline to participate and, if appropriate, raise your ethical concern with the research ethics board (Correct answer)
Participate only if you can modify the data collection method without telling the principal investigator
Participate and overlook the ethical concern because the career benefit is significant
Participate but document your objections privately without raising them

Correct answer: Decline to participate and, if appropriate, raise your ethical concern with the research ethics board

Research ethics cannot be compromised for personal gain, and raising concerns through proper channels protects all participants.

Question 3: In CASPer, effective workload distribution in a team requires:

Letting members self-select tasks to avoid conflict
Assigning equal tasks to everyone regardless of skill or availability
Matching tasks to individual strengths while maintaining equitable effort (Correct answer)
Delegating all difficult tasks to the most capable member

Correct answer: Matching tasks to individual strengths while maintaining equitable effort

Aligning tasks with strengths optimizes performance while equitable effort distribution prevents burnout and resentment.

Question 4: A CASPer scenario presents a patient who cannot afford prescribed medications. An empathic and equitable response is to:

Explore pharmaceutical assistance programs, generic alternatives, and community resources (Correct answer)
Document non-compliance in the patient's chart
Dismiss the concern as outside your professional role
Tell the patient to follow the prescription and find a way to afford it

Correct answer: Explore pharmaceutical assistance programs, generic alternatives, and community resources

Proactive resource navigation addresses cost barriers and demonstrates commitment to equitable access to care.

Question 5: When a CASPer scenario involves an urgent problem with time pressure, effective critical thinking means:

Delegating the decision to avoid making an error under pressure
Prioritizing the most critical information quickly while acknowledging what remains uncertain (Correct answer)
Delaying until more information is available to ensure accuracy
Making the fastest decision to demonstrate decisiveness

Correct answer: Prioritizing the most critical information quickly while acknowledging what remains uncertain

Time-pressured critical thinking focuses on the most critical available information to reach the best possible decision within constraints.

Question 6: A medical student witnesses their supervising resident falsify a lab result in a patient's chart. The student is worried about repercussions. What should the student do?

Confront the resident directly and demand they correct the record
Report the incident to the program director or appropriate authority (Correct answer)
Say nothing since they are only a student with no authority
Correct the chart themselves without notifying anyone

Correct answer: Report the incident to the program director or appropriate authority

Falsifying medical records is a serious ethical and legal violation; all healthcare team members, including students, have a duty to report it through proper channels.

Question 7: Which of the following BEST defines equity in a CASPer healthcare context?

Ensuring everyone has access to the same services
Treating all patients identically regardless of their needs
Providing additional resources to those who need them to achieve equal health outcomes (Correct answer)
Prioritizing patients who have waited the longest

Correct answer: Providing additional resources to those who need them to achieve equal health outcomes

Equity means allocating resources based on need, not uniformity, to achieve fair and just outcomes for all patients.

Question 8: The CASPer exam is an online assessment used by which programs to assess applicants’ interpersonal skills?

Law schools
Medical schools and other health science programs (Correct answer)
Business schools
Engineering schools

Correct answer: Medical schools and other health science programs

The CASPer exam is an online assessment predominantly used by medical schools and other health science programs. This includes fields like dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, and veterinary medicine. Its purpose is to evaluate applicants' interpersonal skills and other non-cognitive attributes that are essential for success and ethical practice across various healthcare professions.

Question 9: In a CASPer scenario where a supervisor gives unclear instructions, the BEST action is to:

Guess and proceed to avoid looking incompetent
Wait indefinitely until clear instructions are provided
Ask a clarifying question before starting the task (Correct answer)
Complete the task your own way and hope it is correct

Correct answer: Ask a clarifying question before starting the task

Asking for clarification prevents wasted effort and demonstrates professional communication initiative.

Question 10: You are working in a community clinic and a patient asks you to falsify their work absence note. What should you do?

Falsify the note since the patient clearly needs the time off
Refuse without explanation and end the appointment
Explain why you cannot falsify documentation and explore legitimate options (Correct answer)
Report the patient to their employer

Correct answer: Explain why you cannot falsify documentation and explore legitimate options

Falsifying medical documents is illegal and unethical; offering legitimate alternatives maintains the therapeutic relationship.

Question 11: Which of the following best describes active listening in a CASPer context?

Only responding when you disagree
Maintaining eye contact, nodding, and paraphrasing what was said (Correct answer)
Preparing your response while the other person is speaking
Waiting silently until the other person finishes

Correct answer: Maintaining eye contact, nodding, and paraphrasing what was said

Active listening combines physical cues and verbal confirmation to demonstrate full engagement and understanding.

Question 12: Maintaining patient confidentiality in a CASPer scenario means:

Sharing patient information only with immediate family members
Informing supervisors of all patient details automatically
Discussing cases with colleagues in public spaces if no names are used
Disclosing patient information only when legally or ethically required (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Disclosing patient information only when legally or ethically required

Confidentiality is legally and ethically protected, with disclosure permitted only under specific defined circumstances.

Question 13: A CASPer scenario involves a peer who frequently dominates group conversations. To communicate your concern professionally, you should:

Tell the group to exclude them from discussions
Send a group email criticizing their behavior
Ignore the behavior and adapt
Speak with the peer privately using specific examples of the behavior (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Speak with the peer privately using specific examples of the behavior

Private, example-based conversations about behavior are more constructive and less humiliating than public or written criticism.

Question 14: When integrating a new team member in a CASPer scenario, effective collaboration includes:

Assigning them the most challenging tasks to accelerate learning
Providing orientation, mentorship, and a welcoming team environment (Correct answer)
Leaving them to figure out the team dynamics on their own
Withholding information to protect institutional knowledge

Correct answer: Providing orientation, mentorship, and a welcoming team environment

Structured orientation and mentorship integrates new members effectively and accelerates their contribution to the team.

Question 15: In a CASPer interprofessional healthcare scenario, a role conflict arises between two professions. The best approach is to:

Refer the conflict to a patient who can decide
Use the patient's best interest as the guiding principle for resolution (Correct answer)
Avoid the situation by limiting interprofessional interaction
Insist your profession's approach takes priority

Correct answer: Use the patient's best interest as the guiding principle for resolution

Centering the patient's best interest provides an objective basis for resolving professional role conflicts.

Question 16: In CASPer, what is the MOST important characteristic of an effective team player?

Avoiding any disagreement to maintain harmony
Completing only your assigned tasks and nothing more
Being willing to adapt your role to support the team's overall goal (Correct answer)
Dominating discussions to ensure quality outcomes

Correct answer: Being willing to adapt your role to support the team's overall goal

Flexibility and willingness to support broader team goals over individual roles is a hallmark of high-performing team members.

Question 17: In CASPer, cultural humility differs from cultural competency in that cultural humility:

Is a one-time training outcome
Assumes mastery of specific cultural knowledge
Is an ongoing practice of self-reflection and openness to learning from others (Correct answer)
Requires memorizing cultural norms for each patient group

Correct answer: Is an ongoing practice of self-reflection and openness to learning from others

Cultural humility is a lifelong process of learning and self-critique, not a fixed set of knowledge.

Question 18: In a CASPer video response about equity, which framing BEST demonstrates genuine understanding?

'Everyone deserves the same treatment, full stop.'
'Certain groups simply make choices that lead to worse outcomes.'
'Structural barriers create unequal starting points that require targeted responses to address.' (Correct answer)
'Fairness means not considering race or background in any professional decision.'

Correct answer: 'Structural barriers create unequal starting points that require targeted responses to address.'

Recognizing structural barriers as the root of inequity is more accurate and actionable than individual-focused or colorblind framing.

Question 19: In a CASPer group scenario, decision-making by consensus means:

The most senior person decides and others agree publicly
Decisions are delayed indefinitely until full agreement is reached
The majority votes and the minority must comply silently
All members discuss until they reach a decision everyone can support (Correct answer)

Correct answer: All members discuss until they reach a decision everyone can support

Consensus decision-making ensures all voices are heard and increases commitment to the outcome, though it requires more time.

Question 20: You are preparing a research abstract and realize a co-author included data points you believe are selectively chosen to exaggerate results. What should you do?

Submit the abstract since you did not choose the data yourself
Remove the suspicious data without telling the co-author
Raise the concern with the co-author directly and, if unresolved, consult a supervisor or research integrity office (Correct answer)
Add a disclaimer in the abstract that the data was chosen by another author

Correct answer: Raise the concern with the co-author directly and, if unresolved, consult a supervisor or research integrity office

All co-authors share responsibility for research integrity, requiring direct engagement and escalation if necessary.

Question 21: A CASPer scenario shows a team member who consistently misses deadlines. The best collaborative approach is to:

Have a supportive conversation to understand the barrier and offer solutions (Correct answer)
Complete their work for them without discussion
Escalate to a supervisor without speaking to them first
Exclude them from future projects

Correct answer: Have a supportive conversation to understand the barrier and offer solutions

Understanding the root cause of missed deadlines allows the team to provide meaningful support and maintain accountability.

Question 22: A CASPer prompt shows two team members in open conflict during a meeting. As a peer, your best action is to:

Take sides with whoever you agree with more
Ignore the conflict and hope it resolves itself
Report both members to a supervisor immediately
Suggest a brief recess and facilitate a calmer follow-up discussion (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Suggest a brief recess and facilitate a calmer follow-up discussion

Suggesting a pause de-escalates tension and creates space for more productive dialogue.

Question 23: A dying patient tells you in confidence that they want to donate their organs but their family is opposed. The patient has not completed an advance directive. What should guide the decision?

The family's wishes, since they are the legal decision-makers after death
Hospital policy, which defaults to family consent for organ donation
A court order to resolve the conflict
The patient's expressed wish, and encourage completion of an advance directive or donor registration (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The patient's expressed wish, and encourage completion of an advance directive or donor registration

A competent patient's expressed wish to donate organs should be honored; the physician should help the patient formalize this through registration or advance directive.

Question 24: In a CASPer scenario involving a patient with limited health literacy, an equitable approach includes:

Shortening the appointment to minimize confusion
Using plain language, visual aids, and checking for understanding (Correct answer)
Asking them to bring a family member to explain things for them
Using full medical terminology to respect their intelligence

Correct answer: Using plain language, visual aids, and checking for understanding

Plain language and comprehension checks are evidence-based strategies for reducing health disparities related to literacy.

Question 25: CASPer assessors look for professionalism partly because:

Technical skills alone predict success in professional programs
Professionalism is easier to evaluate than academic ability
Interpersonal and ethical competencies are critical to safe, effective practice (Correct answer)
Professional behavior is only important in leadership roles

Correct answer: Interpersonal and ethical competencies are critical to safe, effective practice

Research consistently shows that interpersonal and ethical competencies are as predictive of professional success as technical skill.

Question 26: A student realizes they are more impatient with patients from different cultural backgrounds. The most constructive response is to:

Assume the impatience is natural and unavoidable given cultural differences
Only disclose the bias if it directly leads to a medical error
Avoid those patients when possible to prevent harm
Recognize the bias, seek education about cultural differences, and monitor future interactions (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Recognize the bias, seek education about cultural differences, and monitor future interactions

Acknowledging bias and proactively addressing it through education and self-monitoring is the foundation of self-aware professional development.

Question 27: Which response demonstrates constructive disagreement in a CASPer team scenario?

'Your idea is completely wrong and will not work.'
'I will try your approach but I want it on record that I disagree.'
'Let's just go with whatever the group decides; it does not matter.'
'I see it differently — here is what concerns me about that approach and an alternative.' (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 'I see it differently — here is what concerns me about that approach and an alternative.'

Constructive disagreement acknowledges the other's perspective, explains concerns, and offers an alternative for discussion.

Question 28: Professional dress and presentation in a healthcare CASPer context reflect:

Respect for patients, colleagues, and the profession (Correct answer)
Personal expression that should override any institutional expectations
A superficial concern unrelated to competence
A requirement only for patient-facing roles

Correct answer: Respect for patients, colleagues, and the profession

Professional presentation signals respect and competence, contributing to patient trust and institutional culture.

Question 29: What is CASPer and why is it important in medical school admissions?

CASPer is a written test that evaluates a candidate's knowledge of medical science. It is becoming increasingly important in medical school admissions.
CASPer is a physical fitness test that measures a candidate's stamina and endurance. It is becoming increasingly important in medical school admissions.
CASPer is a test that evaluates a candidate's soft skills beyond grades and extracurricular activities. It is becoming increasingly important in medical school admissions. (Correct answer)
CASPer is an interview that assesses a candidate's communication skills. It is becoming increasingly important in medical school admissions.

Correct answer: CASPer is a test that evaluates a candidate's soft skills beyond grades and extracurricular activities. It is becoming increasingly important in medical school admissions.

CASPer is an online assessment that evaluates a candidate's soft skills, such as empathy, communication, and ethical decision-making, which are not typically measured by grades or extracurricular activities. It is increasingly important in medical school admissions because it provides a standardized way to assess these crucial non-cognitive attributes. These skills are vital for success in the demanding and patient-centered field of medicine, helping identify well-rounded applicants.

Question 30: Intersectionality, as it applies to a CASPer equity scenario, refers to:

The overlap between medical specialties
Scheduling conflicts in interprofessional teams
How multiple aspects of identity (race, gender, class) interact to shape unique experiences of discrimination (Correct answer)
The intersection of healthcare policy and clinical practice

Correct answer: How multiple aspects of identity (race, gender, class) interact to shape unique experiences of discrimination

Intersectionality recognizes that overlapping marginalized identities create compounded, unique experiences that cannot be addressed by examining each identity separately.

Question 31: During a CASPer video scenario, a colleague interrupts you repeatedly in a meeting. What is the best response?

Stay silent and let them speak over you
Interrupt them back to assert dominance
After the meeting, calmly address the behavior privately (Correct answer)
Complain to your supervisor immediately

Correct answer: After the meeting, calmly address the behavior privately

Addressing the behavior privately and calmly preserves the professional relationship and allows for honest dialogue.

Question 32: In a CASPer scenario, a colleague makes a racist comment. The most empathic and professional response is to:

Laugh along to avoid social tension
Ignore it and hope others did not hear
Address the comment calmly and explain its harmful impact (Correct answer)
Report to HR without speaking to the colleague first

Correct answer: Address the comment calmly and explain its harmful impact

Calmly naming the harm of discriminatory comments in the moment is more effective and immediate than reporting alone.

Question 33: Which response best demonstrates empathic communication in a CASPer healthcare scenario?

'I understand this must be very difficult for you — let's talk about your concerns.' (Correct answer)
'Many patients have this condition; it is not as serious as you think.'
'You need to follow the treatment plan exactly as prescribed.'
'I will forward your questions to the specialist.'

Correct answer: 'I understand this must be very difficult for you — let's talk about your concerns.'

Acknowledging the patient's emotional experience before problem-solving validates their feelings and builds trust.

Question 34: In a CASPer scenario where team members disagree on an approach, the most effective collaborative response is to:

Side with the most senior member to maintain hierarchy
Push your own view firmly until others agree
Let the group decide without sharing your own perspective
Facilitate a discussion where all perspectives are heard before deciding (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Facilitate a discussion where all perspectives are heard before deciding

Structured discussion that includes all voices leads to more informed decisions and stronger team buy-in.

Question 35: Which type of question is MOST useful when gathering information in a CASPer-style professional scenario?

Rhetorical questions
Closed yes/no questions
Open-ended questions (Correct answer)
Leading questions

Correct answer: Open-ended questions

Open-ended questions encourage elaboration and provide richer, more nuanced information.

Question 36: Non-verbal communication in CASPer video responses is important because:

It conveys empathy, attentiveness, and professionalism alongside your words (Correct answer)
It is scored separately from verbal content
It replaces the need for verbal explanation
Assessors only evaluate what you say, not how you say it

Correct answer: It conveys empathy, attentiveness, and professionalism alongside your words

Assessors evaluate the whole communication package, including body language, eye contact, and tone, as signals of interpersonal competence.

Question 37: Structural determinants of health, relevant to a CASPer equity scenario, include:

Individual lifestyle choices only
Patient adherence to treatment plans
Income, housing, education, and systemic racism (Correct answer)
Genetics and family history only

Correct answer: Income, housing, education, and systemic racism

Social determinants like income, housing, education, and systemic racism are among the most powerful drivers of health inequity.

Question 38: Empathy in a CASPer scenario differs from sympathy in that empathy:

Involves understanding and sharing the other person's perspective and feelings (Correct answer)
Focuses on your own emotional response to their situation
Requires a personal experience similar to the other person's
Involves feeling sorry for someone

Correct answer: Involves understanding and sharing the other person's perspective and feelings

Empathy involves actively working to understand another's perspective, while sympathy is a reaction focused on one's own emotional response.

Question 39: Implicit bias in a CASPer healthcare scenario can MOST directly harm patients by:

Making practitioners too cautious with all patients equally
Leading to differential quality of care based on race, gender, or socioeconomic status (Correct answer)
Causing practitioners to over-document clinical encounters
Increasing administrative burden for marginalized patients

Correct answer: Leading to differential quality of care based on race, gender, or socioeconomic status

Implicit bias leads to systemic disparities in diagnosis, treatment, and pain management across patient populations.

Question 40: When composing a CASPer typed response, you should:

Use professional language while being concise and direct (Correct answer)
Use casual language to appear approachable
Copy typical template phrases to save time
Write as long as possible to show thoroughness

Correct answer: Use professional language while being concise and direct

Professional, concise responses signal clear thinking and respect for the evaluator's time.

CASPer (Computer-based Assessment for Sampling Personal characteristics)

CASPer is a situational judgment test used in health professions admissions that evaluates 10 core behavioral competencies—including collaboration, communication, empathy, fairness, ethics, and professionalism—through 11 video and typed scenario responses.

Questions

75 min

Time Limit

75%

To Pass

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Exam Rules

You can skip questions and return to them later
Flag questions for review before submitting
No feedback shown until you submit the entire exam
Unanswered questions count as wrong — answer everything
10 pretest questions are mixed in and don't affect your score
Timer auto-submits when time runs out
Your progress is auto-saved every 30 seconds