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Welcome to the Mt. Sinai Skills and Simulation Center (MSSSC) Standardized Patient (SP) Program information page! Please review the information about our program below.
An SP is a person trained to portray a patient scenario, or an actual patient using their own history and physical exam findings, for the instruction, assessment or practice of communication and/or examining skills of a health care provider. In the health and medical sciences, SPs are used to provide a safe and supportive environment conducive for learning of for standardized assessment".
From: Association of Standardized Patient Educators (ASPE) website.
Written by: Gayle Gliva-McConvey, BA
Director, Theresa A. Thomas Professional Skills Center
Eastern Virginia Medical School
Chair, standards of Practice Committee
Our SPs come from a variety of backgrounds, including retired teachers and lawyers. To become an SP at MSSSC, no acting experience is required. Only a handful of our SPs are professional actors.
The MSSSC's main method of communication is email. The SP coordinators will send out a "role call" email for a program up to one month in advance. The schedule is completed based on a "first come, first serve" basis, as well as consideration for the amount of work given lately. Confirmation of program participation is sent out via email. Work as an SP at MSSSC can be sporadic and averages at most, ten hours per month.
As an SP at MSSSC, you are considered a "study participant" and are paid at an hourly rate. This status does not allow for benefits. You will be paid for training and performance hours. A check will be mailed to your main address after a program ends.
Gowns: For our programs with a physical exam component, SPs are required to wear a hospital gown. Female SPs are permitted to wear jogging shorts and a sports bra underneath their gowns. Male SPs are permitted to wear jogging shorts underneath their gowns.
Video recording: Most of our simulated patient encounters are recorded for quality assurance purposes. In addition, the recordings are often used for learners' self-reflective writing assignments.
Non-invasive physical exams: Some of our programs have a physical exam component. However, none of the exams are invasive. Examples of exams that might take place are cardiopulmonary, abdominal or neurological. SPs are not required to participate in programs with physical exams.
If you are interested in becoming an SP, you'll need to fill out and submit the SP Application [pdf]. We will contact you to schedule your SP orientation here at the MSSSC. Orientations are 2 hours long and are scheduled quarterly at the discretion of the program coordinators. You are not compensated for orientation only for training and performances.
If you are interested in becoming an SP, fill out and submit the SP Application [pdf].