Our mission is to support and improve the use of the standardized patients within the framework of medical education at UBC. We are committed to the idea that SP simulations are important because they help to consolidate interpersonal and clinical skills, deepen awareness of patients needs, and emphasize the importance of the human element in medical education.
What is a Standardized Patient?
Standardized Patients (SPs) are healthy individuals who are trained to simulate real patients in a realistic and reliable manner, according to the following criteria:
- The simulation may involve a physical examination or a patient history, or both.
- Multiple SPs can be used to portray the same patient case in a standardized way.
- SPs are carefully selected to match essential characteristics of the patient case being portrayed, including factors such as age, gender, and appearance.
- SPs are thoroughly trained to simulate every aspect of the patient case, from medical history and physical findings to body language and emotional characteristics.
- SPs are evaluated for performance before the actual simulation takes place.
For further information, please download our brochure.
How do Standardized Patients differ from Volunteer Patients?
SPs are trained to play a role, whereas Volunteer Patients (VPs) are people who volunteer to participate “as themselves.”
The UBC Standardized Patient Program recruits, trains, and supervises a pool of more than 500 SPs, who are used in projects ranging from teaching in small-group settings to large-scale structured clinical exams (OSCEs). These projects take place at all educational levels from the first through fourth years.
The program also provides SPs for the Medical Council of Canada Licensure exam (LMCCQEII) and the International Medical Graduate (IMG) Exam.
The program is primarily a resource for faculty in teaching and assessing students in the MD Undergraduate Program. Projects are undertaken in collaboration with course developers and course directors. Our work includes creating and reviewing cases, providing expertise on SP-related issues, and facilitating the use of SPs as a dynamic learning resource.
To become a Standardized Patient, click here.
To update your Standardized Patient information with us, click here.
For our contact information, click here.
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