Standardized Patient Program
The Standardized Patient Program provides teaching and
assessment learning opportunities for undergraduate, graduate,
and continuing medical education. The SP Program manages all
aspects of providing professionally trained patients, which
includes recruiting, training and scheduling. We currently
have standardized patients that range in age from 7 years old
to 82 years old. There are established, continuous quality
improvement initiatives embedded within the program for
observation and evaluation of the professional patients to
ensure quality, consistency, and reliability in completing
checklists, providing feedback, and performing roles. SPs are
valuable tools that are bridging the gap between lectures and
practical application. The SP Program can assist you in
choosing the most appropriate use for your course. The SP
Program is one of the largest programs within the State of
Texas and is viewed as a leader in SP methodology.
The SP Program has been under the leadership of Mrs. Marcy Hamburger, MS since 2009, but her experience with SPs for 20 years when she started her career with SPs at Baylor College of Medicine. She has held many responsibilities regarding the SP program, including being an SP herself once! Mrs. Hamburger received an MS in Guidance and Counseling at Long Island University in New York City after completing her BA in Marketing there as well. She has a passion for helping people develop their own skills to become great educators to our medical students. She also dedicates her time to help our faculty members here at McGovern medical school with many different projects. When Mrs. Hamburger isn’t working diligently with our SP program, she is very involved with her family, friends and the community, especially the Dr. Marnie Rose Foundation.
History of SPs
The first simulated patient was born in 1963 at the
University of Southern California in Los Angeles. The father
of this birth was Dr. Howard S. Barrows, a neurologist and
medical educator at the university. Dr. Barrows’ first
simulated patient was Rose McWilliams. She was used to teach
the normal neurological examination. After teaching the exam,
Dr. Barrows pondered how he would evaluate the students. He
needed a case that every single student would see in exactly
the same way. His first case was Patty Dugger, a paraplegic
woman with multiple sclerosis. This was the birth of a
standardized patient. Over the years, Dr. Barrows continued to
develop and expand the use of simulated patients in medical
education. Today, SP methodology has been adopted globally.
Current Sessions
Being centrally located within the Office of Educational
Programs located in the Dean’s office, the SP Program is
accessible to all courses and departments. The staff is
continually planning new projects and grant opportunities.
Below is a list of current projects and programs using SPs.
- Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP)
- Joint Admissions Medical Program (JAMP)
- Pre Entry Course
- 1st Year Doctoring 1 & 2 Course
- 1st & 2nd Year Male Genitourinary Examinations
- 1st & 2nd Year Female Breast and Pelvic Examinations
- 2nd Year Doctoring 3 Course
- 3rd Year Internal Medicine Clerkship Small Group Session (Breaking Bad News)
- 3rd Year Internal Medicine Clerkship Session
- 3rd Year Pediatric Clerkship Small Group Session
- 3rd Year Neurology Clerkship Session
- 3rd Year Psychiatry Clerkship Session
- 4th Year Comprehensive Clinical Competency Exam (CCCE)
- 4th Year Ambulatory Care Rotation
- Anesthesiology Residency
- Genetic Counseling
- Internal Medicine Residency Program
- Pediatrics Residency Program
- University of Texas Health Science Center Inter-Professional Education
Information for Prospective SPs
All applicants interested in the Standardized Patient
position must complete an application online at the UTHealth
Job Site. Once at this site, you need to click on the “search
current openings” link from the menu bar located on the left
hand side of the screen. Then, search for Standardized
Patient at Medical School Building for the SP position at the
Medical School.
Location
The Standardized Patient Program is located in the Surgical
and Clinical Skills Center (SCSC) in the basement of McGovern
Medical School, MSB B.120. The Clinical Skills Facility has 14
patient rooms, a large instructional classroom and a monitor
room that allows for full audio and visual supervision of the
activities in the patient rooms.
In addition, the Learning Resource Center has approximately
ten practice patient care rooms available for medical students
to practice clinical skills.
Resources
For more information regarding standardized patient education, please visit: Association of Standardized Patient Educators