As an aspiring physician, you already know the critical science and anatomy skills that medical students must master. But did you know about the other skills and attributes that are just as important for tomorrow’s doctors? The AAMC PREview™ professional readiness exam, formerly called the AAMC Situational Judgment Test, is an important new tool that will provide a standardized and objective way for medical schools to assess certain core competencies critical to the practice of medicine. PREview provides medical schools with a more complete view of each applicant by assessing skills such as resilience, service orientation, ethics, cultural competence, and teamwork. The exam is based on years of research conducted by the AAMC, in partnership with many U.S. medical schools. This research demonstrates that PREview predicts how students will demonstrate these competencies in their related coursework, as well as how faculty rate their performance.
Below are five important details for premed students and their advisors to know about the AAMC PREview exam:
1. The AAMC PREview exam was designed with ALL applicants in mind. The exam takes approximately 75 minutes to complete and offers the convenience of testing at a location of your choosing (such as your home or a local library) while maintaining a high level of security with live, remote human proctoring. This also means that you will be able to contact someone in a timely manner and receive immediate support, to minimize disruptions to exam completion. Examinees who require accommodations can request them via the PREview Accommodations Application. Remember, submit accommodation requests early enough to receive a response prior to sitting for the exam.
2. There is a fee associated with taking the exam. After careful consideration, there will be a $100 flat fee for examinees who take the PREview exam, which includes unlimited score distribution to participating schools. The fee structure will provide a significant value for most medical school applicants who typically apply to eight or more schools. Additionally, examinees who are approved to receive benefits from the AAMC Fee Assistance Program will have this fee waived. Read more about the AAMC Fee Assistance Program requirements and eligibility.
3. Desktop or Laptop ✅ Phone or Tablet ❌ The AAMC PREview exam can only be taken on a desktop or laptop. It cannot be completed on your cell phone or tablet. Please verify that your device meets the workspace and computer requirements prior to taking the exam. We also recommend downloading the ProctorU Extension to access your live, remote exam proctor prior to your scheduled exam date.
4. The AAMC collaborated with medical educators to develop the scoring key for the PREview exam. The AAMC collaborated with medical educators, including faculty, admissions officers, and student and diversity affairs officers to develop the scoring for the PREview exam. Your PREview score is based on how closely your effectiveness ratings for the responses align with medical educators’ ratings. Full credit is awarded for a response if your rating matches the medical educators’ rating. Partial credit is awarded if your rating is close to the medical educators’ rating. Your PREview score will appear on your score report as a single number between 1 and 9, along with your percentile rank comparing your scores to other examinees who also completed the exam.
5. The number of schools including AAMC PREview in their admissions processes continues to grow. Review the list of current AAMC PREviewTM Participating Medical Schools. Consider why you should take the exam and learn about free resources to assist as you prepare. To provide the best care for patients, it will be critical for the next generation of doctors to provide compassionate care that nurtures the whole patient, collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary medical teams, and navigate emotional, cultural, and ethical challenges in the workplace. Medical schools are seeking students who meet specific academic requirements while also demonstrating a shared commitment to the institution’s mission and values. By completing the AAMC PREview exam, you will have an opportunity to further demonstrate your pre-professional competencies, specifically those that medical schools have identified as important for success.
We encourage you to review the Prepare for the AAMC PREview exam page as you prepare for the AAMC PREview exam. These resources include a practice exam, Examinee Preparation Guide, and an Essentials Guide. Be sure to check this page often as we will be making updates to our PREview prep materials.