What is a Situational Judgement Test?

Situational Judgement Tests (SJT) assess non-cognitive aptitudes such as empathy, integrity, teamwork and resilience. The tests use scenarios to assess implicit traits – the spontaneous evaluation of a situation – in a workplace setting. Applicants are presented with a situation accompanied by multiple choice responses. The RACS SJT tests specific domains of the RACS competencies and JDocs Framework, i.e. Professionalism and Ethics, Management and Leadership, Collaboration and Team work, Communications, and Health Advocacy. 

Why is RACS conducting the Situational Judgement Test pilot?

RACS is reviewing SET selection processes, including the range of selection tools.  As part of a process of continual improvement, the formats and weighting of these tools are being evaluated, to be reasonable and fair to all applicants.

In partnership with Monash University, RACS has designed a Situational Judgement Test (SJT) pilot research project with the view to include an SJT in the SET program application process. More than 30 surgeons have collaborated to develop scenarios for inclusion in the SJT pilot.

Please note, as this pilot is not part of the 2021 SET selection process, your results will have no bearing on 2021 SET selection. However, you must complete the SJT to proceed in the selection process.

Registration to participate in the mandated SJT pilot closes on 31 March 2021. An email with a link to complete the online registration form has been sent to the email you used to submit your SET registration. Please email us at SET.enquiries@surgeons.org if you have not received it.

You’ll take your Situational Judgement Test online from a location of your choice and you’ll be supervised remotely using the Monash University eAssessment and eVigilation platforms (racs.eassessment.monash.edu). A trained Monash University online supervisor will greet you once you login and continue to supervise you for the duration of your test. Your entire test session will be supervised and recorded using your computer’s webcam, microphone and speakers. You can speak directly to your online supervisor, if you have a query, at any time.

We’ll email you to confirm the date and time of your RACS Situational Judgement test.

There are four things you need to do to prepare for your test.

• Watch this guided video tour to learn how to connect with your online supervisor and how the eAssessment platform works.
• Prepare your device, network, internet browser and smartphone to optimise your test experience.
• Ensure your space is suitable and meets the test rules and conditions.
• Complete a practice session a couple of weeks before your actual test to make sure everything goes smoothly on the day of your test. We’ll send you details to set up a practice test session via email.

The eAssessment platform has a number of helpful features, including:

• a timer, to let you know how much time you have left
• a progress bar
• a way to easily identify and access unanswered questions
• an autosave every 30 seconds, to reduce the risk of any lost responses
• a personal notes section for each question – your notes aren't assessed as part of your test.

How online supervision works

A trained Monash staff member will check your identification documents, step you through the process of photographing your room, and supervise you through your camera, speakers and microphone for the duration of your test. Once you start your test, you won’t be aware of your supervisor, but you can talk to your supervisor at any time through web chat or by speaking directly into your camera/microphone. Only your supervisor will be able to see your computer screen and webcam during the test. Your entire session will be recorded, including video of you taking your test, screen capture, and any audio/chat interactions you have with your supervisor. At the end of your test, your supervisor will check in with you again.

Watch this video to get an idea of how online supervision will work.

On the day of the practice test and on the test day, you will need to use your RACS credentials to login. These are the email and password you used to submit your registration for SET selection.

If you have forgotten your email you can use the self-service portal on the College website.

If you have forgotten your password you can reset it at login.

Your information will be collected and used by Monash University to support RACS in administering your test and will be handled in accordance with Monash’s Data Protection and Privacy Procedure. 

Your personal information will be collected and processed by RACS in accordance with the RACS Privacy of Personal Information policy (PDF 148.59KB). RACS will only share with Monash University your name, RACS Id, contact details and test registration details for the purpose of administering the SJT.

Here’s the equipment you’ll need to sit your test:

• A desktop computer or laptop
• A smartphone 

Computer requirements

You’ll need a desktop computer or a laptop to sit your test. Chromebooks, tablets and mobile phones can’t be used for this test. To ensure the integrity of your test, you won’t be able to use dual monitors.

Your device must:

• have a webcam
• be connected to a power source during the test
• have the latest version of Chrome (used in Incognito mode) with pop-ups enabled (or pop-up blocker disabled). No other browser can be used.

Recommended minimum laptop specifications

We recommend that your laptop has the following minimum specifications.

	Windows	Mac
Processor	i5 2.2GHz /AMD A6 1.8Ghz	1.2GHz dual-core m3
Operating system	Windows 10	OS X 10.13
Memory	8GB	8GB
Hard drive	250GB SSD (solid state drive)	250GB SSD (solid state drive)
Display	14" screen with 1920 x 1080 screen resolution	13" screen with 1920 x 1080 screen resolution
Battery life	8 hours under normal use	8 hours under normal use
Wi-fi	802.11ac or better	802.11ac or better
Webcam	User facing, inbuilt microphone and speakers	User facing, inbuilt microphone and speakers

Setting up your browser

On the latest version of Chrome:

• enable pop-ups (or disable pop-up blocker)
• ensure system or application notifications are disabled so they don’t distract you during the test.

Chrome in Incognito mode must be used for your test.

Network requirements

Your internet download and upload speeds need to be at least 2Mbps. You can test your internet speed by running an online speedtest. 

If you’re conducting your test in your work environment, check there are no scheduled network or system maintenance outages during your scheduled test time, otherwise you’ll need to arrange access to a stable internet connection.

If your internet connection drops out during your test, don’t panic – your test responses are automatically saved every 30 seconds!

If you’re unable to reconnect to your online exam session, call the Monash University eSolutions Service Desk on +61 3 9905 4300) – we'll do our best to get you reconnected as soon as possible. We log all calls to the Service Desk, in case this is required later. 

If you experience difficulties during your test, see getting help and support. 

Smartphones

You’ll need a fully charged smartphone with the following features to complete the required room scan prior to starting your test:

• a working camera
• a QR code app
• Wi-Fi enabled or data connectivity.

Recommended smartphone specifications

We recommend that your mobile device has the following specifications to ensure you’re able to photograph your test environment.

	Android	iOS
Operating system version	4.1 or above (released July 2012)	11.0 or above (released September 2017)
Compatible browser	Chrome 55+ (released middle of 2016)	Safari version 13+ (released September 2019)
QR code scanner	Inbuilt or QR code app (ensure the scanner or app is enabled)

 

Chrome settings	Safari settings
In Chrome, tap Site Settings. Adjust the following settings: Cookies: allow cookies Camera: enabled Motion sensors: enabled JavaScript: enabled. In Chrome, tap Settings and enable notifications. Ensure the cache is cleared.	Tap Settings > Safari. Adjust the following settings: Block All Cookies: off Camera: allow Block Pop-ups: on. Tap Advanced > JavaScript: on.

You’ll need to provide exam conditions in the space where you’ll be sitting your test. This means conditions that are very similar to what you’d expect in an exam venue. These will be verified by your online supervisor on the day.

You’ll need a quiet private room with a door. You must be the only person in the room. We suggest that you let others in your location know that you’re sitting your test and require a private quiet space for the duration of the test. Put a sign on your door asking people to come back later and turn your voicemail on. The room must have good lighting, but light must not shine directly onto your webcam.

Before the test:

• remove all study materials from the room
• ensure there are no stickers, notes or writing on your computer device
• if you have dual monitors, remove one of the monitors: you’re only allowed to use one monitor in the test
• ensure nothing is on the floor under your desk.

During the test:

• the door must be closed
• no one is allowed to enter your room
• background noise must be kept to a minimum.

• Once you click Join Supervisor, video recording of your session will start.
• You must stay in sight of your webcam throughout the test. You can’t leave the room during your test unless there is an emergency. The session will continue to be recorded while you’re out of the room.
• You must present your government-issued photo ID (e.g. your passport) to the supervisor when requested so they can verify your identity.
• During the test, you must not have in your possession any book, notes, paper, calculator, smart watch/device, writing on any part of your body, or any other material which hasn’t been authorised for the test. Possession of unauthorised materials, or attempting to cheat or cheating in an exam, will be considered as misconduct and may jeopardise your ability to proceed in the selection process. 
• After completing your room scan, you must switch off your phone and place it out of arm’s reach. Once you’ve finished your test you should review your answers before clicking the Submit all and finish button. You’ll no longer have access to your exam once you’ve submitted it.

Items you can have in your test space

Here’s what you're allowed to take into your test. Only the items listed in the table below are permitted. We'll regard any material or item on your desk, chair, or person to be in your possession. Possession of unauthorised materials in this test will be considered as misconduct and may jeopardise your ability to proceed in the selection process. 

Item
Bag	Your personal belongings are allowed to be in the room, but they must not be in reach during your exam.
Cap, hooded top	You can wear a cap or hooded top, but you may be asked to remove it as part of your online supervision so we can verify your identity. Your online supervisor may ask you to remove your hood at any time.
Clock	There is an inbuilt timer on your eExam screen that will count down the time you have left.
Face masks	As per advice from your local public health authorities you may need to wear your own face mask while sitting your assessment, e.g. if you're in a public space, such as your workplace.
Food and drink	Yes, food and drink are allowed in your private exam space.
Smartphones	You can have your smartphone in your exam but you must switch it off and it must be out of arm’s reach. Your online supervisor will tell you when you're allowed to access your phone.
Headphones	Headphones with a built-in microphone are optional for supervised eExams. They must be used only for communicating with your online supervisor. You’re not allowed to listen to music, audio files or speak with anyone other than your online supervisor during your exam.

Accessing your test on the day

Log into the eAssessment platform at the scheduled start time for your test.

Your test responses automatically save every 30 seconds, so if your local internet connection drops out during your test, you won’t lose work you’ve already done.

If you experience any difficulties on the day of your test (technical or otherwise), contact the Monash University IT Service Desk on +61 3 9905 4300 – we'll do our best to get you reconnected as soon as possible. We log all calls to the Service Desk, in case this is required later. 

We value your feedback

After you’ve submitted your test you’ll be required to complete a mandatory feedback form. Navigate back to your test landing page and click Provide feedback. We may share your responses with relevant staff.

 

The information on this page is available in the Situational Judgement Test Information Booklet (PDF 312.25KB).