Practice workbook
CASPer Social Media Scenarios: 5 Practice Prompts and Answers
CASPer social media scenarios put an ordinary online moment in front of you, such as an unprofessional post, an embarrassing video, a cruel group chat or misinformation in a family thread, and ask what you would do. Strong answers protect the people who could be harmed, start with the least public step that works, and say when you would escalate. Below are five original practice scenarios with weak and stronger sample answers.
Why social media appears in CASPer-style scenarios
CASPer is built from everyday situations, and many of today's everyday conflicts happen online. Acuity's About Casper page says CASPer lets you demonstrate skills such as communication, ethics, fairness, empathy and self-awareness. A social media scenario can test several of these at once: whether you respect privacy, whether you treat people fairly when they are not in the room, and whether you can correct someone without humiliating them.
For future health professionals, the stakes are real. The American Medical Association's ethics opinion on social media says medical students and physicians cannot realistically separate their personal and professional personas online, should respect patient privacy, and should not publish patient information without appropriate consent. You do not need to quote any code in your answer, but knowing that standard helps you see why a joking post from a placement is a serious problem.
CASPer does not have a social media section, and the scenarios on this page are practice labels. Acuity's scoring explanation says raters judge the substance of your reasoning, so the method matters more than the topic.
A four-step method for online scenarios
- Find the harm. Who could be hurt: a patient, a classmate, a minor, a customer, you? Privacy and safety usually come first.
- Check what you know. Did you see it yourself? Is it still up? Has it spread? Facts decide how urgent it is.
- Take the least public step that works. A private message, a request to remove a post or a calm comment usually beats a public call-out.
- Say when you would escalate. Identifiable patient information, threats, harassment that continues or risk to a minor justify involving a supervisor, instructor or manager.
This mirrors how strong answers handle confidentiality and conflict offline. For related practice, see CASPer confidentiality questions and professionalism questions.
1. A classmate's post from a clinical placement
Original practice prompt
A classmate in your health program posts a story on social media from their placement. It shows the hallway of a clinic and a joking caption about a 'difficult' patient. No name is visible, but the room number and part of a whiteboard are.
- What, if anything, would you do? Explain your reasoning.
- Imagine that the classmate deleted the post an hour later, before you saw it, and another classmate tells you about it. How, if at all, would this change your response?
Compare sample answers for 1. a classmate's post from a clinical placement
A response to improve
I would report them to the program right away because posting about patients is a serious violation and they need to face consequences.
Stronger sample answers
Question 1: I would message my classmate privately and soon, because the post could still be identifying even without a name: a room number and whiteboard details may be enough for someone at the clinic to recognise the patient. I would tell them what I noticed, explain why it worried me, and ask them to take it down. I would assume they did not think it through rather than that they meant harm. If the post stayed up, or if it clearly identified the patient, I would tell our placement supervisor, because protecting the patient matters more than avoiding an awkward conversation.
Question 2: Since it is already down, the immediate risk is smaller, but I would still talk to my classmate, because the habit could happen again. I would avoid spreading the story further. I would also ask the classmate who told me whether anyone had saved or shared it, because a screenshot would bring the privacy risk back and the supervisor might need to know.
Why this reasoning is stronger
The strong answer starts with the patient's privacy, chooses a proportionate first step and says exactly when escalation becomes necessary. The weak answer jumps to punishment without checking facts or giving the classmate a chance to fix it.
Another defensible position: Going straight to the supervisor is also defensible if the post clearly identifies a patient, because the clinic may need to act quickly. Explain that urgency in your answer.
Change one fact: The patient's full name is visible in the post. What would you do differently?
3. Harassment in a group chat
Original practice prompt
In your class group chat, several students start mocking a classmate who asked a question in lecture. They share a screenshot of the student's profile photo with insulting comments. The student is not in the chat.
- What would you do in this situation?
- Imagine that one of the people posting the comments is your close friend. How, if at all, does that change what you do?
Compare sample answers for 3. harassment in a group chat
A response to improve
I would not get involved because it is not my business and the student will never see it anyway.
Stronger sample answers
Question 1: I would post a short, calm message in the chat, such as 'Let's not do this, they just asked a question we probably all had.' That sets a norm without attacking anyone. I would also message one or two classmates privately who I think would back me, because one comment is easier to ignore than several. If the comments continued or the screenshot spread outside the chat, I would let the chat admin or the course instructor know, because it could become harassment that affects the student's ability to participate.
Question 2: It makes it harder, but it does not change what is right. I would message my friend privately first, because they are more likely to listen to me one on one and less likely to feel publicly shamed. I would tell them how it looks from the student's side. If they kept going, I would still say something in the chat, because protecting the friendship should not mean letting someone else be humiliated.
Why this reasoning is stronger
The sample takes the harm seriously even though the student cannot see it, uses the lowest-conflict effective step and plans escalation. The follow-up tests whether loyalty overrides fairness; the strong answer uses the friendship as a tool rather than an excuse.
Change one fact: The student finds out about the screenshots and asks you whether you were part of the chat. What do you say?
4. A relative shares health misinformation
Original practice prompt
Your aunt, who knows you are applying to a health program, shares a post in a family group claiming that a common vaccine causes a serious illness. Several relatives react with worried comments.
- How would you respond, and why?
- Imagine that your aunt replies that you are 'just repeating what the government says'. How would you continue the conversation?
Compare sample answers for 4. a relative shares health misinformation
A response to improve
I would reply in the group with links proving her wrong, because misinformation is dangerous and people need to know the facts.
Stronger sample answers
Question 1: I would reply privately to my aunt first instead of correcting her in front of the family, because people tend to dig in when they feel embarrassed. I would ask what worried her about the post, acknowledge that wanting to protect the family is a good instinct and share one clear, reliable source, such as a public health agency's page. I would be honest that I am a student, not an expert, and suggest that anyone with concerns talk to their own doctor or pharmacist. In the group, I might post a short, neutral note pointing to the same source so worried relatives see it.
Question 2: I would not argue about who to trust, because that rarely changes anyone's mind. I would ask what would help her feel more confident, and offer to look at the evidence together or go with her to ask her pharmacist. If she still disagreed, I would leave it respectfully, because preserving the relationship keeps the door open for later. My goal is not to win, but to make sure the family can make an informed choice.
Why this reasoning is stronger
The strong answer balances accuracy, respect and humility about being a student. It chooses a private, non-shaming approach and points to qualified professionals rather than giving advice the applicant is not qualified to give.
Change one fact: A cousin says she is cancelling her child's vaccine appointment because of the post. What would you do?
5. A bad online review of your workplace
Original practice prompt
You work part time at a pharmacy. A customer leaves a public online review naming you and claiming you were rude. You remember the interaction differently: you had politely refused to give out medication without a valid prescription.
- How would you handle the review?
- Imagine that your manager asks you to reply publicly to defend yourself. Would you do it? Explain why or why not.
Compare sample answers for 5. a bad online review of your workplace
A response to improve
I would reply to the review explaining that the customer was lying and that they tried to get medication illegally.
Stronger sample answers
Question 1: I would not respond publicly myself. I would tell my manager about the review and the interaction right away, including what was said and why I refused, so the pharmacy can decide how to respond. I would also think honestly about whether my tone could have come across as rude, because a correct decision can still be communicated badly. If so, I would ask my manager for feedback on how to explain refusals more gently next time.
Question 2: I would explain to my manager why I am hesitant: replying with any details about the customer's request could reveal private health information and break confidentiality, even if the customer started it. I would suggest that the pharmacy post a general, polite reply, for example inviting the customer to contact the manager directly, without discussing the situation. If my manager still insisted, I would ask whether the pharmacy has a policy on responding to reviews, because the business should decide this, not an individual employee.
Why this reasoning is stronger
The strong answer protects the customer's privacy even though the customer was unfair, reflects on the applicant's own tone and uses the employer's process. Defending yourself publicly feels natural but risks a confidentiality breach.
Change one fact: The review includes a threat against you. How does your response change?
Self-review checklist
Answer each scenario in 3.5 minutes, the typed time in Acuity's format guide, then check:
- Did I identify who could be harmed, including people not in the conversation?
- Did I check the facts before acting, such as whether the post is still up or identifies someone?
- Was my first step proportionate and private where possible?
- Did I say clearly what would make me escalate, and to whom?
- Did I avoid assuming the worst about the person who posted?
- In the follow-up, did I respond to the new fact rather than repeating my first answer?
If your answers keep defaulting to “report it”, practise explaining the step before reporting. If they default to “not my business”, practise naming the harm. The follow-up questions guide covers how to handle the second, changed-facts question.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does CASPer ask about social media?+
CASPer scenarios are everyday situations, and some may involve online posts, group chats or videos. There is no separate social media section. Treat these scenarios like any other: identify the harm, check the facts, choose a proportionate step and explain when you would escalate.
Should I always report an unprofessional post?+
Not always as a first step. A private conversation is often more effective and fair. Escalate when there is identifiable patient information, a threat, ongoing harassment or risk to someone vulnerable, and say so in your answer.
Is it okay to say I would comment publicly?+
A short, calm public comment can set a norm, for example in a group chat. Avoid public shaming or arguing, which usually makes people defensive and can spread the harm further.
What do raters look for in these answers?+
Acuity says raters assess the substance of your response, including your thought process and judgment. Showing that you weighed privacy, fairness and the other person's perspective is more important than reaching one specific decision.
Sources and scope
Checked October 23, 2026 against Acuity's About Casper page, scoring explanation and format guide, and the AMA Code of Medical Ethics opinion on professionalism in the use of social media. All scenarios and sample answers are original CasperCoach editorial material, not official CASPer content or rated responses. Professional rules differ by program and jurisdiction. CasperCoach is independent of Acuity Insights.