The AAMC has always helped U.S. medical schools educate a physician workforce equipped to meet the health needs of our communities. Now, we are working together to ensure the next generation of physicians is even more prepared for the challenges they will face.
To provide even better care for patients, the next generation of doctors must understand far more than chemistry and human anatomy. They will need to provide compassionate care that nurtures their patients' minds and bodies; collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary medical teams; and navigate emotional, cultural, and ethical challenges with resilience.
After a decade of research and several successful administrations, the AAMC PREview® exam is open to ALL medical schools. A growing number of medical schools have added the PREview exam to enhance their holistic admissions process. Contact the PREview team, preview@aamc.org, to register or learn more.
About the AAMC PREview® Professional Readiness Exam
The PREview exam is a standardized test that presents a series of hypothetical scenarios students may encounter in medical school and asks examinees to evaluate the effectiveness of a series of behavioral responses to each scenario.
Examinees’ responses provide insight into their knowledge of effective and ineffective behaviors across essential professional competencies for entering medical students:
- Interpersonal Skills.
- Cultural Awareness.
- Cultural Humility.
- Empathy and Compassion.
- Teamwork and Collaboration.
- Ethical Responsibility to Self and Others.
- Resilience and Adaptability.
- Reliability and Dependability.
- Commitment to Learning and Growth.
PREview Exam Goals
The PREview exam is designed to enhance the medical school admissions process by providing an assessment of professional competencies that medical students need to demonstrate to be successful in medical school, in residency training, and as physicians.
When included in pre-interview screening, the PREview exam:
- Enhances holistic review in a high-volume context earlier in the application screening process.
- Provides a meaningful complement to academic metrics.
- Supports consistent evaluation and comparison of applicants’ pre-professional competence.
- Broadens the experiential, skills, and demographic diversity of the applicants considered for interview.
How Is the PREview Exam Developed and Scored?
The PREview exam is community-driven, expert-developed, and evidence-based. Every decision for the PREview program, from the design of the exam to its administration, is:
- Driven by the needs of the medical school community.
- Developed by our testing and assessment experts within the AAMC, our partnering contractors, and our technical advisory committee of nationally recognized testing experts.
- Based on research evidence on the PREview exam.
The AAMC takes a thoughtful, intentional approach to test development in accordance with testing best practices, legal and professional guidelines, and shared concerns with the medical school community. We engage a diverse group of medical school faculty and staff to review draft content and develop the scoring key. Engaging subject matter experts ensures the exam meaningfully and fairly measures pre-professional competencies and is scored to align with medical schools’ expectations and standards for future medical students.
Incorporating the PREview Exam Into Your Admissions Processes
The PREview exam is open to ALL medical schools beginning in the 2025 application cycle. Test dates will be held March to September 2024, and registration will open in January 2024.
Email the PREview team today (preview@aamc.org) to get started.