Decoding the AAMC PREview Exam: A Guide to Excelling
The AAMC PREview™ exam is a standardized situational judgment test (SJT) designed to assess a prospective medical student's professional and personal characteristics, offering admissions committees a more holistic view of applicants beyond academic metrics. To excel on this exam, it is crucial to understand the core competencies it evaluates. Your goal is to demonstrate that you possess the qualities of a future physician who is not only knowledgeable but also compassionate, ethical, and a collaborative team player.
The exam presents you with a series of hypothetical scenarios that you might encounter as a medical student. For each scenario, you are asked to rate the effectiveness of several different responses on a four-point scale: "very ineffective," "ineffective," "effective," or "very effective." Your ratings are then compared to the consensus of a panel of medical educators.
The PREview exam is built around nine core professional competencies. Understanding these will be your compass for navigating the scenarios.
This competency assesses your motivation to help others and your sensitivity to their needs.
What to focus on: Responses that demonstrate a primary concern for the well-being of others, including patients, colleagues, and the community. Effective responses often involve taking initiative to help, showing altruism, and prioritizing the needs of others over your own convenience.
Example Scenario: You are a medical student in a busy clinic and notice a patient who seems distressed and confused in the waiting area.
Effective Responses: Proactively approaching the patient to offer assistance, patiently listening to their concerns, and connecting them with the appropriate resources or personnel.
Ineffective Responses: Ignoring the patient, assuming someone else will help, or providing a dismissive or rushed answer.
This looks at your ability to interact effectively with a diverse range of people.
What to focus on: Demonstrating an awareness of social cues, both verbal and non-verbal. Effective responses showcase your ability to communicate clearly, empathetically, and respectfully.
Example Scenario: A fellow student in your small group is consistently dominating conversations and dismissing the ideas of others.
Effective Responses: Finding a respectful way to ensure everyone has a chance to speak, perhaps by directly but politely inviting a quieter student to share their thoughts or by speaking to the dominant student privately about the importance of inclusive discussion.
Ineffective Responses: Publicly confronting the student in a hostile manner, remaining silent and allowing the behavior to continue, or gossiping about the student to others.
This evaluates your understanding and respect for cultural differences.
What to focus on: Showing an appreciation for diversity and a willingness to learn about and respect the beliefs and values of others. Effective responses involve being non-judgmental and adapting your approach to meet the unique needs of individuals from different backgrounds.
Example Scenario: A patient from a different cultural background is hesitant to follow a recommended treatment plan due to their cultural beliefs.
Effective Responses: Respectfully inquiring about their beliefs and concerns, seeking to understand their perspective, and collaborating with them to find a mutually agreeable and medically sound solution. This might involve consulting with a cultural liaison or offering alternative treatment options if appropriate.
Ineffective Responses: Dismissing their beliefs as irrelevant, pressuring them to comply without understanding their perspective, or making assumptions based on stereotypes.
This assesses your ability to work collaboratively with others toward a common goal.
What to focus on: Highlighting your capacity to be a supportive and contributing team member. Effective responses show you are willing to share responsibilities, communicate openly, and respect the contributions of others.
Example Scenario: Your research team is facing a tight deadline, and one member is struggling to complete their portion of the work.
Effective Responses: Offering to help the struggling team member, collaboratively re-evaluating the workload and deadlines, and maintaining open and supportive communication within the team.
Ineffective Responses: Blaming the team member for falling behind, completing your own work without regard for the team's overall progress, or complaining to the supervisor without first trying to address the issue within the team.
This competency examines your integrity and adherence to ethical principles.
What to focus on: Demonstrating honesty, integrity, and a commitment to doing the right thing, even when it is difficult. Effective responses show that you uphold professional standards and are accountable for your actions.
Example Scenario: You witness a classmate cheating on an exam.
Effective Responses: Adhering to the institution's honor code, which may involve reporting the incident to a proctor or professor. The most effective responses often involve a direct but private conversation with the classmate before escalating, if appropriate and safe to do so.
Ineffective Responses: Ignoring the cheating, confronting the classmate in a way that could escalate the situation, or participating in the academic dishonesty.
This looks at your sense of responsibility and commitment to your obligations.
What to focus on: Showing that you are accountable and can be trusted to follow through on your commitments. Effective responses demonstrate punctuality, preparedness, and a proactive approach to fulfilling your duties.
Example Scenario: You have committed to volunteering at a community health fair, but a conflicting, more desirable social event arises.
Effective Responses: Honoring your original commitment to the health fair. If an unavoidable conflict arises, the effective approach would be to inform the organizers as early as possible and, if possible, help find a replacement.
Ineffective Responses: Canceling at the last minute for a non-emergency, not showing up without any communication, or trying to do both and compromising your responsibilities at the health fair.
This assesses your ability to cope with stress and adapt to changing circumstances.
What to focus on: Demonstrating a capacity to remain calm and effective under pressure and to learn from setbacks. Effective responses show you are open to feedback and can adjust your approach when faced with challenges.
Example Scenario: You receive critical feedback from a supervising physician on a patient presentation.
Effective Responses: Listening attentively to the feedback, asking clarifying questions to ensure understanding, and developing a plan to improve your performance in the future.
Ineffective Responses: Becoming defensive or argumentative, dismissing the feedback, or letting the criticism negatively impact your confidence and future performance.
This evaluates your commitment to lifelong learning and self-improvement.
What to focus on: Showing a willingness to seek out and incorporate feedback to grow both personally and professionally. Effective responses demonstrate self-awareness and a proactive approach to learning.
Example Scenario: You are struggling to master a particular clinical skill.
Effective Responses: Actively seeking help from professors or more experienced students, dedicating extra time to practice, and being open to different learning strategies.
Ineffective Responses: Avoiding the skill, pretending to be proficient when you are not, or becoming discouraged and giving up.
This is a broad competency that overlaps with others and focuses on your ability to build rapport and manage relationships effectively.
What to focus on: Demonstrating empathy, active listening, and the ability to manage your own emotions while being sensitive to the emotions of others.
Example Scenario: A patient becomes angry and frustrated after a long wait time at the clinic.
Effective Responses: Acknowledging their frustration with empathy, actively listening to their concerns without becoming defensive, and communicating what you can do to help resolve the situation.
Ineffective Responses: Dismissing their feelings, becoming defensive or argumentative, or ignoring the patient's emotional state.
By familiarizing yourself with these core competencies and practicing how to apply them to various scenarios, you will be well-prepared to demonstrate the professional and personal qualities that medical schools are seeking in future physicians. Remember, the key is to consistently choose the responses that are patient-centered, collaborative, ethical, and demonstrate a commitment to your own growth and the well-being of others.
Ready to practice? Click the link below to try an official AAMC Preview Quiz!