Common Pitfalls & CASPer Myths
It is important to be aware of common CASPer pitfalls and myths to ensure that you avoid these common errors. These include:
- Answering the question that you want to answer, rather than the question outlined in front of you
- Read the questions very carefully; answer the questions provided, not those that you have rehearsed answers for, or those that you have attempted previously
- ‘There are 3 questions/scenario’
- Whilst officially there are ‘3 question/scenario’ often questions can have two parts, making the tasks even more time consuming.
- ‘Spelling doesn’t matter’
- Whilst the official advice states that spelling and grammar is not formally assessed; each answer is manually assessed by a human marker. There are numerous studies which correlate good grammar and punctuation with credibility and as such, do not neglect the importance of this.
- ‘Don’t worry about finishing all 3 questions; you are being assessed as a whole question’
- In the written prompts, it is true that you are assessed as a whole scenario rather than an individual question mark; however, failing to complete one question in a scenario demonstrates poor time awareness. Failing to answer all parts of a scenario, can be significantly detrimental to your score.
- Observing Videos v Preparing Principles: Most candidates watch the video clips, noting the events that take place; questions on the other hand generally focus on the key principles and issues in the video rather than the actual events. When watching the video clips, make sure that you consider the core principles as well as four key factors, rather than the event occurrences.
- Critical Fails: As part of the CASPer exam, there are ‘critical fails’; this is where a candidate demonstrates unprofessional behaviour that would be unsuitable for a medical professional. Examiners are trained to highlight these and comment where appropriate. In order to avoid this, avoid using ‘I would…’ when addressing controversial topics. We appreciate the importance of recognising opposing views, and in these sensitive cases, make sure that you refer to these points as ‘one may argue….’ or ‘in contrast, it could be argued….’
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Scenario Types & Why This Matters:
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Personal Quality Based Scenarios: There are 8 CASPer core qualities that are regularly assessed
…………scenario = focus on………
………..scenario = focus on………..
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Balance Between Sitting on The Fence & Failing To Recognise Opposing Views
Often the first question in each scenario asks what action would you take? It is important to offer a balanced approach that neither ‘sits on the fence’ or offers an unbalanced decision based on limited information. The best way to navigate such questions is to provide different view-points eg. It may be argued that…….., however it may also be argued……….