The UW has a “standardized patient” program that is used in the medical school, nursing school, and the school of social work, to provide students with opportunity to practice their skills with patient care. The program is hiring to increase their pool of standardized patient actors. As an instructor in the social work program, I can tell you that it can be very important and meaningful to students of color to have experience with standardized clients of color (and a diverse pool improves medical education!) and right now most of the standardized patients employed by UW are white. Standardized patients do not need to be professional actors.Those interested in virtual work can live anywhere in the US.
More information below:
Email with interest: janim@uw.edu
Standardized Patient Position Description:
A Standardized Patient is a person who has been coached to accurately and consistently recreate the history, personality, physical findings, and emotional structure and response pattern of an actual patient at a particular point in time.
The University of Washington employs Standardized Patients in the training and evaluation of health care professionals, including: medical, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, public health, and social work students. Standardized Patients are interviewed and examined by male and female health care students. Patients may be audio or videotaped during simulation.
Important attributes of a Standardized Patient include:
• Reliability and punctuality
• Commitment to the education of health professionals
• Lack of bias towards the healthcare system
• Ability to work with others in a respectful manner
• Good communication and interpersonal skills
Standardized Patient Minimum Qualifications:
• Demonstrate ability and willingness to work cooperatively with learners, faculty and administrators.
• Demonstrate ability to be instructed by an SP Educator and consistently simulate a case scenario in a standardized, accurate, and reliable manner.
• Demonstrate flexibility and reliability with scheduling and assignments.
• Be of legal status to work in the U.S.
Physical and Mental Requirements
Able to undergo multiple general physical exams (while wearing a hospital gown).
Able to climb onto and perform role while on an examination table or bench.
Able to remember and accurately reproduce all aspects of the trained role during student encounters.
Able to remember and accurately reproduce student performance for checklists and feedback forms following each encounter.
Standardized Patient Responsibilities:
The basic function of an SP is to simulate medical scenarios or cases with learners in teaching and/or assessment activities. Standardized patients will be instructed and trained by an assigned SP educator for a given project. During teaching or assessment activities SPs should expect that the learner may interview, counsel and/or physically examine them.
The duties shall include the following:
• Work in a professional manner when interacting with learners, faculty, supervisors and peers.
• Simulate all aspects of the scenario, including history of current problem, affect/behavior and physical findings during examination in a standardized, accurate, and reliable manner.
• Accurately and consistently complete checklists and other assessment or program materials as assigned.
• Help to monitor the simulation/testing environment, training materials, staff and other standardized patients for quality assurance and communicate with CSA Manager or trainers about simulation inconsistencies or potential issues.
• Serve as a proctor or monitor to assist students during teaching and examination sessions.
• Accept ongoing feedback from supervisor/trainer and incorporate into case simulation.
• Provide feedback to learners and colleagues in a constructive manner.
• Inform the program of changes to ongoing availability, and to contact information such as name, telephone, and address.
• Other duties as assigned.
• $20 per hour
