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Standardized Patients
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Standardized Patient Program
UW School of Medicine and Public Health
What is a Standardized Patient?
A standardized patient (SP) is a person who portrays a patient. SP’s perform role plays or use their own medical history for teaching and testing of clinical skills for health sciences learners. During interactions with a learner, the SP responds to questions by the student and, in some cases, undergoes specific physical examinations (P.E.). Each SP encounter is designed to teach or assess skills appropriate to the student’s level of training. The word ‘standardized’ means that the SP repeats his or her story in a consistent manner to numerous students.
What characteristics are you looking for in SP’s?
People who are interested in students and in learning, who are excellent listeners, and who can focus on the educational goals of the session make good SP’s. It isn’t necessary to have a medical background or vocabulary. In fact the SP Program strives to involve as many diverse people as possible. While it’s helpful if you have had some contact with doctors, pharmacists, physical therapists, and other health care providers, it is not essential. It’s also important for an SP to stay focused on the role play or material that has been provided. Finally, a flexible schedule is necessary in order to work as an SP.
Are the hours regular?
This is an intermittent, very part-time job. One month you might work 16 hours, the next month no hours. The schedule depends on many variables, one of which is ‘matching’ you to the cases requested by the faculty.
How much does it pay?
We pay $15.00 per hour for work and training time. *It may take up to one month to be paid for your work due to the UW payroll process.
Are SP’s ‘guinea pigs’?
No one will be trying out any treatments or medical procedures on you. You’ll be helping faculty with teaching and testing. If the session involves a physical exam, you’ll know about all the aspects in advance.
Why would a person want to be an SP?
It’s a chance to make a difference in educating future health care professionals. SP’s also typically like to learn about health. Often SP’s are very people-oriented and outgoing and enjoy getting to meet learners and faculty members. The sessions are always different because the learners are always different and are growing and evolving. It’s fun! There may be other benefits to being a SP. Recent literature suggests that people who work as SPs are more capable of benefiting from the health care system and are more satisfied with their own physicians.
Do the students do those ‘personal’ physical exams on SP’s?
There are no breast, pelvic, rectal, or testicular exams done.
How do I know what to say when medical students interview me?
You will be carefully trained. You will learn the complete medical history you are to portray, either yours, if you agree in advance, or a role play. As the SP, you may be able to tell the student details about your life such as your job, your family, and hobbies. You will be trained to portray the appropriate emotional state as the patient. For cases requiring a PE, you will be taught how to move as a patient would and to accurately simulate responses while being examined.
Do medical students know we are not real patients? Will I use my own name?
Yes. We aren’t trying to deceive anyone. Students are told to behave just as they would with real patients while doing histories and PEs. You can use your own first name if you choose.
Is being an SP like being a research subject? Is this a research project?
No, this is very different. Medical research subjects are thought of as people who take experimental drugs or are undergoing medically designed behavior changes such as diet or exercise programs and then have their reactions studied. We use SPs to simulate situations for the student(s) such as: meeting a patient for the first time, doing an interview about stopping smoking, giving bad news, explaining medications, conducting a routine medical history interview, and performing PE’s.
How is this different from acting?
This work has nothing to do with finding dramatic moments or playing to an audience. When working as an SP, it is important that you focus on the learning or assessment goals for the students.
Is it safe?
Yes. SPs review the cases before they are assigned and are never asked to participate in situations which may make them uncomfortable. There is no reason for anyone to do anything that might be harmful. The PEs are very basic and designed to not cause harm to the SP. Many encounters are videotaped and most interactions are observed by a faculty person as they happen.
What type of physical examinations (PEs) will the student perform?
The PEs are much like those performed in a doctor’s office. For example the student may: listen to your heart and lungs with a stethoscope; press on your abdomen to identify any tenderness or swelling; look into your eyes, ears, nose and throat; take your blood pressure; take your pulse; check your reflexes and assess your muscle strength. The student will not perform exams such as a genital, rectal or breast and will not take blood or other samples.
Will I need to take my clothes off?
For patient cases that require no PEs, SPs wear street clothes. If the students are expected to perform a physical examination you may be required to wear a hospital gown. You will never be asked to participate in a situation that makes you uncomfortable.
Why do you need SPs? I thought medical students learned on real patients.
Students do work with real patients in supervised clinical experiences. However, SPs provide a safe and controlled learning and testing environment to prepare students to see real patients. SP’s provide students with the same, consistent case each time, and as a result the faculty can be sure that the same skills are practiced by all students. Thus every student gets the chance to demonstrate their clinical skills in the same situation. It makes it a fair exam or learning experience for everyone.
Being an SP sounds easy. Anyone could do it.
Below is a list of expectations for our SPs. SPs should:
Be comfortable with their health and dealing with health professionals.
Be an excellent listener.
Be reliable and punctual.
Be nonjudgmental about students and faculty gender, race, religion, national origin, physical characteristics, etc.
Conduct themselves professionally, showing respect for all students, faculty members, and staff.
Consistently portray the role or scenario, as trained by staff.
Remember what the student who examined you did and then record it, if asked.
Have strong written and verbal communication skills.
Keep all information regarding the case, students and other patients confidential.
Want to contribute to the training process of excellent health care professionals.
Be willing to be videotaped for educational purposes.
I am interested in becoming a SP. What do I do next?
Contact Libbey at 263-6018 or by email at ejmeiste@wisc.edu at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health Clinical Teaching and Assessment Center to arrange a screening interview. We may not need your help immediately, but if you’re selected to be an SP, we will keep your name and contact information on file. Requests for SPs with specific characteristics (e.g. gender, age) and/or symptoms (e.g. diabetes, irregular heat beat, etc) arise at different times. We will contact you if we will be using a case that you can portray. Do not assume you are working unless you have been contacted and you have been trained for a session.
If you’re selected to be an SP, you will be hired as a part-time limited-term employee (LTE) and are required to complete state and federal tax and other forms and to show necessary identification.
Thanks for your interest in the Standardized Patient Program!
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