Situational Judgement Tests (SJT)

What is a SJT?
Situational Judgement Tests (SJTs) are designed to assess individuals’ judgement regarding situations encountered in the workplace. Candidates are presented with a set of hypothetical work-based scenarios and asked to make judgements about possible responses. Candidates’ responses are evaluated against a pre-determined scoring key to provide a picture of their situational judgement in that particular context. SJT scenarios are based on extensive analysis of the job role, to ensure that test content reflects the most important situations in which to test candidates’ judgement. They are concerned with testing attitudes and ethical values rather than knowledge or clinical skills. The scoring matrix is now available

How effective are SJTs?
In the UK, SJTs are used nationally to select GP registrars and in other ‘high stakes’ selection. The research literature indicates that SJTs have significant validity in predicting job performance and can offer incremental validity over methods such as ability tests and personality questionnaires. SJTs typically relate to general experience and ability, rather than job-specific knowledge or experience, therefore may be fairer than other methods in contexts where candidates have little or no experience in the target job. SJTs are often favourably rated by candidates because they appear directly relevant to the job role. Further benefits of SJTs include being relatively easy and cost-effective to develop, administer and score.

How will SJTs be used?
The SJT will be taken by all UK, EU and non-EU applicants under invigilated conditions in the UK in the final year. There will be more than one assessment venue and date. As such there will be an element of overlap in the questions asked of each candidate to assure the equivalence of assessments. Answers are multiple-choice and marking is automated. The use of SJTs will be informed by outputs of the pilots. In particular, the SJT score will be weighted with the educational performance ranking score to provide a composite score that will be used in assigning applicants to Foundation Schools. Attempt the questions below:

What do SJT items look like? (taken from Patterson et al, 2009):

1. A 55-year-old woman with ischaemic heart disease has smoked 20 cigarettes per day for 40 years. She requests nicotine replacement patches. She has had these previously but has been inconsistent in their use and has often continued to smoke while using the patches.

Rank in order the following immediate actions in response to this situation (1 = most appropriate; 5 = least appropriate)

2. You are looking after Mrs Sandra Jones, who is being investigated in hospital. You are asked by her family not to inform Mrs Jones if the results confirm cancer.

Choose the THREE most appropriate actions to take in this situation

3. You are a second year foundation doctor (F2 or FY2) working in general practice. At the baby clinic the nurse gives you a syringe with fluid already drawn up, an immunization (MMR), to give to a baby. After the parent and child have gone home you realise that the syringe contained only the diluent; the ampoule of active powder is intact.

Rank in order the following actions in response to this situation (1= Most appropriate; 5= Least appropriate).

Scoring Matrix for SJTs

[ Year 5 index ]