Applying for the RACGP Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) Program is a significant step. Alongside eligibility, experience and the wider application process, the Casper test is designed to assess how you think through difficult interpersonal and professional situations. It is not a test of clinical knowledge, and it is certainly not about finding the “perfect” answer. It is about showing sound judgement when the situation is incomplete, uncomfortable or emotionally charged.

For AGPT applicants, Casper is an online situational judgement test delivered by Acuity Insights. It assesses areas that matter in general practice: communication, empathy, collaboration, ethics, fairness, self-awareness, resilience, problem-solving and motivation. These are not abstract traits. They are the skills used every day when managing a distressed patient, raising a concern about a colleague, dealing with a conflict in a team, or recognising the limits of your own knowledge.racgp

The good news is that Casper preparation is very learnable. You cannot memorise a script for every scenario, but you can build a reliable way of thinking and responding under pressure.

Understand What Casper Is Testing

Casper presents short real-world scenarios, using video or written prompts, and asks open-ended follow-up questions. The current format described by Acuity Insights includes 11 scenarios: four video-response scenarios and seven typed-response scenarios. The questions are often based on workplace, university, community or personal settings rather than medical consultations.acuityinsights

This matters because many applicants make the mistake of turning every answer into a clinical response. If a scenario involves a disagreement between colleagues, the strongest answer is rarely, “I would refer the person to a senior doctor.” Sometimes that may be appropriate, but Casper wants to see whether you can first understand the issue, gather facts, communicate respectfully and choose a proportionate response.

Think of the test as asking:

  • Can this person pause before judging?
  • Can they see more than one perspective?
  • Do they recognise safety, fairness and confidentiality concerns?
  • Can they communicate clearly without becoming harsh or passive?
  • Do they know when an issue should be escalated?
  • Can they reflect honestly on their own role in a problem?

Those are highly relevant qualities for a future GP registrar. General practice involves uncertainty, competing priorities and relationships built over time. Good clinical judgement includes good interpersonal judgement.

Know the Format Before Test Day

Acuity Insights states that Casper takes around 65 to 85 minutes, including optional breaks. In the video-response component, candidates answer two questions for each scenario and have one minute per recorded response. In the typed section, two questions are shown together and candidates have 3.5 minutes to respond to both.intercom+1

Time pressure changes the task. You need to think clearly, structure your answer quickly and avoid spending too long polishing the first response while neglecting the second.

The RACGP advises applicants to create an Acuity Insights account early. This gives access to the full practice assessment, as well as the ability to complete technical checks and submit any special consideration requests if needed.racgp

Before test day, make sure you have:

  • A reliable computer, camera, microphone and internet connection.
  • A quiet, private space with good lighting.
  • A clear understanding of the response format.
  • Practice answering under realistic time limits.
  • A plan for what to do if you feel stuck on a scenario.

Technical readiness will not raise a score by itself, but it prevents avoidable stress. If you are worrying about your microphone, camera angle or internet connection, you have less mental space available for the actual scenario.

Use a Simple Decision-Making Framework

When time is short, a framework stops your response from becoming vague or rambling. One useful approach is:

Pause, Clarify, Consider, Act, Follow up.

Pause

Avoid jumping straight to blame, confrontation or reporting. Show that you would remain calm and avoid assumptions.

For example, if you see a colleague behaving in a way that seems unprofessional, recognise that the situation may not be exactly as it first appears. Pausing does not mean ignoring the concern. It means responding thoughtfully rather than reactively.

Clarify

Identify what you would need to know before deciding what to do. You might speak privately with the person involved, clarify the facts, or ask open and non-accusatory questions.

Useful language includes:

  • “I would first try to understand what happened.”
  • “I would avoid making assumptions based on limited information.”
  • “I would speak with them privately and respectfully.”
  • “I would clarify whether there is an immediate risk to anyone.”

This demonstrates fairness and problem-solving. It also shows that you understand that one version of events is not always the whole story.

Consider

Think about the key stakeholders. Who could be affected? What are the possible harms? Are there confidentiality, safety, equity or professional boundaries involved?

In many Casper scenarios, there is a tension between values. You may need to balance honesty with kindness, confidentiality with safety, or loyalty to a colleague with responsibility to patients and the public.

A strong response acknowledges the tension rather than pretending it does not exist. For example: “I would respect my colleague’s privacy, but if there was a genuine risk to patient safety, I would need to take appropriate action.”

Act

State a practical, proportionate next step. Be specific enough to sound realistic, but do not overreact.

A low-level misunderstanding may call for a calm private conversation. Repeated bullying, discrimination, harassment, dishonesty or a patient-safety risk may require escalation through an appropriate pathway. The key word is proportionate.

Follow up

Many applicants forget this final step. Good professional judgement includes checking whether the issue has been resolved and whether further support is needed.

You might say: “After the conversation, I would follow up to ensure the concern had been addressed and seek guidance if it continued.” This conveys responsibility without sounding punitive.

Make Your Answers Specific

Generic answers are one of the biggest reasons Casper responses can sound weak. Statements such as “I would be professional,” “I would show empathy,” or “I would report it” are not enough on their own.

Instead, show what professionalism or empathy would look like in that moment.

Rather than writing, “I would be empathetic,” try:

“I would acknowledge that the person may be stressed or embarrassed, listen without interrupting and ask how they would prefer the issue to be addressed.”

Rather than writing, “I would report the incident,” try:

“If there was a credible concern about safety or serious misconduct, I would document the relevant facts and raise it through the appropriate supervisor or reporting process.”

Specific language demonstrates that you can turn values into action.

That said, avoid trying to sound overly formal. Casper responses do not need legalistic wording or lengthy policy discussions. Clear, human and sensible communication is usually stronger than impressive-sounding jargon.

Show Empathy Without Avoiding Accountability

Empathy does not mean excusing harmful behaviour. It means trying to understand the person’s perspective while still protecting others and maintaining standards.

This balance is particularly important for RACGP AGPT applicants. General practice requires compassion for patients, families, colleagues and communities, but it also requires boundaries and accountability.

For example, if a colleague repeatedly arrives late and leaves work for others to complete, a one-sided response may sound weak:

  • “They might be going through a hard time, so I would leave it alone.”
  • “They are irresponsible, so I would immediately report them.”

A more balanced response would recognise that there may be a reason for the behaviour, speak with the person privately first where appropriate, explain the impact on the team and patients, and escalate if the issue persists or creates a safety concern.

That is the kind of balanced judgement Casper is looking for.

Practise Under Realistic Conditions

The official Acuity Insights practice test is the best place to start because it helps you become comfortable with the platform, question style and time limits. Acuity Insights recommends taking the full 11-scenario practice assessment available through your account.acuityinsights

Do not simply complete it once and move on. Use your performance to identify patterns.

After each practice scenario, ask yourself:

  • Did I identify the main issue?
  • Did I consider more than one viewpoint?
  • Did I mention safety, fairness or confidentiality when relevant?
  • Did I make assumptions too quickly?
  • Did I give a practical next step?
  • Did I explain when I would seek support or escalate?
  • Did I answer every part of the question?

For typed responses, practise writing short answers with a clear structure. You do not need long paragraphs. In fact, shorter, organised answers are often easier to complete under time pressure.

For video responses, record yourself occasionally. Watch the recording once, not to criticise your appearance, but to assess clarity. Are you speaking too fast? Are you repeating yourself? Do you sound thoughtful and respectful? Are you actually answering the question?

The aim is not to become robotic. The aim is to make your natural reasoning easier for the assessor to see.

Avoid Common CASPer Mistakes

Several habits can lower the quality of an otherwise sensible response.

Assuming the Worst

Do not label someone dishonest, lazy, discriminatory or unsafe unless the scenario provides enough evidence. Start by clarifying facts.

Ignoring Immediate Harm

While you should not overreact, do not minimise safety concerns. If someone is at risk, address the immediate danger first.

Being Too Passive

Avoid answers that only say you would “stay out of it.” If something affects safety, wellbeing, fairness or professionalism, thoughtful action is usually required.

Escalating Everything Immediately

Not every awkward interaction requires a formal complaint. Show that you understand graduated responses: private discussion where appropriate, supervisor guidance when needed, and formal escalation for serious or ongoing concerns.

Forgetting the Second Question

In timed typed responses, applicants sometimes produce a strong answer to question one and leave question two rushed or incomplete. Allocate your time deliberately.

Giving a Scripted Answer

Raters are looking for genuine judgement, not a memorised speech. Use a structure, but adapt it to the details of each scenario.

Build Confidence Through Reflection

Your Casper score is not a judgement of your worth as a doctor or future GP. It is one part of a competitive selection process, designed to provide insight into professional and interpersonal reasoning. The assessment uses trained human raters, and responses are evaluated through a structured scoring process.acuityinsights

The most effective preparation is not cramming. It is repeated, honest reflection. Notice how you respond when a scenario feels unfair, ambiguous or emotionally uncomfortable. Do you rush to solve it? Do you avoid conflict? Do you assume you know what happened? Those instincts are useful to understand because they influence your written and spoken responses.

A strong Casper answer usually sounds like someone who is calm, fair, reflective and willing to act. It shows concern for people, but it also shows the courage to raise issues when needed.

For RACGP AGPT applicants, that is a valuable mindset well beyond the test. It is the mindset that supports safe, respectful and community-focused general practice.

What part of Casper preparation feels most challenging for you right now: generating ideas quickly, structuring timed answers, or knowing when to escalate an issue?

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