SP FAQs
A Standardized Patient, also known as an SP, is an individual specially trained to act as a patient for the instruction, practice, and assessment of physical examination and communication skills of students who are preparing to become healthcare providers. An SP is a significant resource for teaching and evaluating clinical skills.
Dr. Howard Barrows, Neurologist, explains the SP position as 鈥淎 person who has been carefully coached to simulate an actual patient so accurately that the simulation cannot be detected by a skilled clinician. In performing the simulation, the SP presents the gestalt of the patient being simulated; not just the history, but the body language, the physical findings, and the emotional and personality characteristics as well.鈥�
- The first role of an SP is to realistically simulate a real patient in a clinical situation. Some SPs simply provide students with an opportunity to practice physical examinations and interviewing skills with 鈥渞eal people鈥�. Other SPs are trained in the details of an actual case to include the history, personality, and abnormal physical findings that a patient may have. SPs are a highly realistic and effective learning and assessment tool to help the learner develop interview skills and physical examination techniques.
- The second role of an SP is to accurately document what occurred in the session with the learner on the checklists they are trained to complete. They will evaluate the learner鈥檚 examination and communication skills in a supportive and informative way. An SP may also be called upon to provide verbal feedback to the learners.