Standardized Patients Spice Up Training Programs at Medical Schools

When it comes to effective training in any field, nothing works quite as well as hands-on training -- of course, hands-on training is easier to come by in some fields than others. New mechanics can take their time practicing on busted engines and all of the manufactured problems an instructor can dream up; meanwhile fledgling doctors are at the mercy of whatever ailments come in, and a rookie mistake or too much time lost can be a dangerous thing. According to an article from the Albuquerque Journal, however, "standardized patients" are rising in popularity as an effective way to train without having to wait for patients to roll in.

Standardized patients, or "SPs," are different from ordinary patients. Ranging from students and retirees to professional actors, they are all trained to role-play as real patients ripe for diagnosis by medical students in training. They memorize patient histories, which they relay along with key phrases meant to provide clues to their particular ailments, which the med students are tasked with identifying. Of course, the diagnosis is just the beginning: SPs themselves are tasked with noting whether the students "performed appropriate procedures, like checking their heart rate and inquiring about their sexual history. SPs also score students on communication skills, including how they open the discussion, build a relationship, gather information, understand the patient's perspective, share information, reach agreement on future plans and provide closure."

Many medical training schools across the country are making marked use of SPs. One such school is the University of New Mexico. According to Nancy Sinclair, director of assessment and learning at UNM's School of Medicine, students at the school start working with SPs from their first week of classes, in a foundations course where the hands-on contact "emphasizes patient care skills." From there, students at the school have 24 opportunities to practice their bedside manner with SPs throughout their college courses, on top of 27 graded tests using SPs as the subjects. A bonus: the encounters are recorded, so that students can review and learn from prior mistakes.

The first SP was used in 1963 in a USC classroom and was met with skepticism towards the method's effectiveness; by now, the answer is clear and SPs are in wide mainstream use. Though students admit that working with these "patients" can be nerve-wracking, they also attest to their helpfulness and the value of their reports. Says Dr. Angela Giampaolo, a resident at UNM, "It's always good to get feedback on what you're doing."