PREview Capacity for Improvement 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is meant by capacity for improvement as assessed by the AAMC PREview exam?
- The ability to memorize facts quickly
- The willingness and ability to seek feedback, reflect on performance, and change behavior to develop professionally (Correct answer)
- Natural intelligence measured by test scores
- The ability to complete tasks without making errors
Correct answer: The willingness and ability to seek feedback, reflect on performance, and change behavior to develop professionally
Capacity for improvement involves actively seeking feedback, reflecting on performance, and making behavioral changes to grow professionally.
Question 2: After receiving critical feedback on a clinical presentation, a student revises their approach and improves significantly by the next presentation. This BEST demonstrates:
- An ability to avoid mistakes
- Capacity for improvement and willingness to act on feedback (Correct answer)
- Natural talent for clinical communication
- A favorable learning environment
Correct answer: Capacity for improvement and willingness to act on feedback
Acting on feedback and showing measurable improvement demonstrates the core of the capacity for improvement competency.
Question 3: Which of the following BEST reflects a low capacity for improvement?
- Asking for additional feedback after submitting work
- Dismissing critical feedback as irrelevant and repeating the same mistakes (Correct answer)
- Seeking mentorship to develop areas of weakness
- Acknowledging mistakes and creating a plan to address them
Correct answer: Dismissing critical feedback as irrelevant and repeating the same mistakes
Dismissing feedback and repeating errors shows an unwillingness to reflect and adapt, indicating low capacity for improvement.
Question 4: How does self-assessment contribute to professional development?
- It replaces the need for external feedback
- It helps professionals identify gaps in knowledge and skills to target for growth (Correct answer)
- It is only accurate when done formally by supervisors
- It tends to be overly negative and should be limited
Correct answer: It helps professionals identify gaps in knowledge and skills to target for growth
Accurate self-assessment enables targeted professional development by identifying genuine areas for growth.
Question 5: A student repeatedly makes the same documentation error after being corrected twice. What should the supervisor prioritize in the next feedback session?
- Expressing frustration with the student's performance
- Exploring why the error persists and collaborating on a specific remediation strategy (Correct answer)
- Noting the error in the student's evaluation without further discussion
- Having another student demonstrate the correct technique
Correct answer: Exploring why the error persists and collaborating on a specific remediation strategy
Exploring root causes of persistent errors and collaborating on a strategy addresses the underlying barrier to improvement.
Question 6: Which of the following is the FIRST step in the cycle of continuous professional improvement?
- Setting a goal to improve
- Identifying a specific area for growth through self-assessment or feedback (Correct answer)
- Implementing a new strategy
- Evaluating whether improvement occurred
Correct answer: Identifying a specific area for growth through self-assessment or feedback
The improvement cycle begins with clearly identifying what needs to improve, informed by self-assessment or external feedback.
PREview Capacity for Improvement 1
What is meant by capacity for improvement as assessed by the AAMC PREview exam?