What is the AAMC PREview exam?
The AAMC PREview Professional Readiness Exam is a situational judgment test developed by the Association of American Medical Colleges. It measures pre-professional competencies that medical schools value: service orientation, social skills, cultural competence, teamwork, ethical responsibility, reliability, resilience, and capacity for improvement.
Unlike CASPer, PREview is developed and administered by the AAMC itself, the same organization that runs the MCAT and AMCAS. Scores can be sent directly through AMCAS to participating medical schools.
How it works
The exam presents you with hypothetical scenarios relevant to pre-medical and early medical settings. For each scenario, you are given several possible actions and asked to rate the effectiveness of each action on a scale (very ineffective to very effective). There are no open-ended typing sections; it is entirely rating-based.
The test takes approximately 75 minutes and includes about 24 scenarios with multiple response items per scenario. You receive a score between 1 and 9, with most test-takers scoring between 3 and 7.
Which schools use PREview?
A smaller number of schools currently use PREview compared to CASPer, but the list is growing as the AAMC expands the program. Check the AAMC’s official PREview page for the current list of participating schools. Some schools require it, while others consider it optional but recommended.
How to prepare
The AAMC offers a free practice exam on their website. We strongly recommend taking it before the real test. Beyond that:
Focus on understanding what each competency means in practice. When you see a scenario about a team member not doing their share of work, the test is evaluating your teamwork and ethical responsibility competencies simultaneously.
For each response option, think about the likely consequences of that action. Effective responses tend to be those that address the situation directly, respect everyone involved, and lead to constructive outcomes. Ineffective responses tend to be those that avoid the issue, escalate conflict unnecessarily, or violate trust.
Avoid extreme ratings unless the action is clearly excellent or clearly harmful. Many scenario responses fall in the middle, and the test evaluates your ability to make those nuanced distinctions.
PREview versus CASPer
PREviewAAMC
CASPerAcuity
Some schools require both. Check each school’s requirements individually before registering for either test.
Next steps
Visit the AAMC PREview page (free) to check whether your target schools participate, then take the free practice exam. Schedule your PREview early in the application cycle so scores are available when schools review your application.
Related pages
CASPer Guide
AMCAS Application Guide
Traditional Interview Preparation