CASPer: Situational Judgment Flashcards

You should act the part of a medical student in each scenario. On a four-point scale, you will be asked to score the effectiveness of each response. SCENARIO: You are trying to get a two-week volunteer position at a reputable neighborhood clinic. You discover the volunteer opportunity might interfere with your weekly compulsory lab when you obtain your course schedule. You cannot make up this lab because it is the only time it will be presented this semester. Your mark will be affected by how well you performed in the lab. Please rank the impact of each solution to this issue. For two weeks, skip your lab to participate in the volunteer opportunity.

Answer: Very Ineffective

Skipping a compulsory lab that cannot be made up and directly affects your grade sacrifices a core academic responsibility for an optional extracurricular, which is the worst possible trade-off — making this response Very Ineffective. A medical student's required coursework must take priority over a volunteer position, so abandoning the lab shows poor judgment about competing obligations.

You should act the part of a medical student in each scenario. On a four-point scale, you will be asked to score the effectiveness of each response. SCENARIO: You are trying to get a two-week volunteer position at a reputable neighborhood clinic. You discover the volunteer opportunity might interfere with your weekly compulsory lab when you obtain your course schedule. You cannot make up this lab because it is the only time it will be presented this semester. Your mark will be affected by how well you performed in the lab. Please rank the impact of each solution to this issue. Ask your lab instructor to come up with a plan that will let you attend both, if possible.

Answer: Ineffective

Asking the instructor for a special accommodation is more proactive than simply skipping the lab, but it is still Ineffective because the lab is offered only once and cannot be made up, so a realistic individual exception is unlikely. It also shifts a scheduling conflict that is your own responsibility onto the instructor rather than resolving it yourself.

You should act the part of a medical student in each scenario. On a four-point scale, you will be asked to score the effectiveness of each response. SCENARIO: You are trying to get a two-week volunteer position at a reputable neighborhood clinic. You discover the volunteer opportunity might interfere with your weekly compulsory lab when you obtain your course schedule. You cannot make up this lab because it is the only time it will be presented this semester. Your mark will be affected by how well you performed in the lab. Please rank the impact of each solution to this issue. Give up looking into the volunteer opportunity so that you can go to the necessary lab.

Answer: Effective

Choosing the compulsory, non-repeatable lab over an optional volunteer position is a responsible decision that protects your grade and honors your core academic commitment, making it Effective. It is not rated Very Effective only because giving up the opportunity entirely is somewhat passive — a stronger response would also explore whether the volunteer role could be rescheduled or pursued later.

You should act the part of a medical student in each scenario. On a four-point scale, you will be asked to score the effectiveness of each response. SCENARIO: In your clinical skills course, you are placed in a small group. One of the members of your group has recently had trouble with their homework. The group member frequently arrives late for meetings, creates subpar materials, and frequently requests reminders to complete responsibilities. A new task is given to your group. It is due in three weeks and will be graded on the basis of the group's overall performance. Please rank the impact of each solution to this issue. Tell the group member to talk to the professor about coming up with a strategy for managing their workload.

Answer: Effective

Encouraging the struggling member to consult the professor about managing their workload is a constructive, supportive step that addresses the root cause, so it is Effective. It is not the very best option because it offloads the problem to the professor rather than you personally offering direct support, but it still helps the member improve and protects the group.

You should act the part of a medical student in each scenario. On a four-point scale, you will be asked to score the effectiveness of each response. SCENARIO: In your clinical skills course, you are placed in a small group. One of the members of your group has recently had trouble with their homework. The group member frequently arrives late for meetings, creates subpar materials, and frequently requests reminders to complete responsibilities. A new task is given to your group. It is due in three weeks and will be graded on the basis of the group's overall performance. Please rank the impact of each solution to this issue. Ask the group member directly during your one-on-one meeting how you can support their contribution to the task.

Answer: Very Effective

Privately and empathetically asking the member how you can support their contribution is the most effective approach because it addresses the difficulty directly, preserves their dignity, and fosters collaboration, making it Very Effective. This shows strong teamwork and interpersonal skill — qualities valued in medicine — rather than blaming, ignoring, or removing the person.

You should act the part of a medical student in each scenario. On a four-point scale, you will be asked to score the effectiveness of each response. SCENARIO: In your clinical skills course, you are placed in a small group. One of the members of your group has recently had trouble with their homework. The group member frequently arrives late for meetings, creates subpar materials, and frequently requests reminders to complete responsibilities. A new task is given to your group. It is due in three weeks and will be graded on the basis of the group's overall performance. Please rank the impact of each solution to this issue. In a group meeting, distribute tasks equally among all participants while ensuring that expectations are clear.

Answer: Effective

Distributing tasks equally with clear expectations is a sound organizational practice that gives everyone a defined role and reduces confusion, so it is Effective. It is not Very Effective because it treats the struggling member like everyone else without directly addressing the specific reasons behind their lateness and subpar work.

You should act the part of a medical student in each scenario. On a four-point scale, you will be asked to score the effectiveness of each response. SCENARIO: In your clinical skills course, you are placed in a small group. One of the members of your group has recently had trouble with their homework. The group member frequently arrives late for meetings, creates subpar materials, and frequently requests reminders to complete responsibilities. A new task is given to your group. It is due in three weeks and will be graded on the basis of the group's overall performance. Please rank the impact of each solution to this issue. Request a new group assignment from the professor for the group member.

Answer: Very Ineffective

Requesting that the professor reassign the struggling member is Very Ineffective because it avoids the problem entirely instead of resolving it, and it signals an unwillingness to work through team challenges — a key professional skill in medicine. Removing a colleague rather than supporting them undermines collaboration and reflects poorly on your own conflict-management ability.