The Standardized Patient Program at Rosalind Franklin University

The Standardized Patient program, located in the Education and Evaluation Center, started in August 2003 and is considered to be one the most respected standardized patient programs in the nation. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (RFUMS), the only graduate Health Sciences University in the United States named after a woman scientist, welcomes applications for part time Standardized/Simulated Patients and Simulation Technicians.

Program Mission and Goals

RFUMS is located in the city of North Chicago, Illinois, a richly diverse community. Inclusiveness and diversity are integral to the Department of Healthcare Simulation’s mission to improve patient care and educational outcomes through simulation-based education and research. The goal of the Standardized Patient program is to create a safe and controlled environment where our students may learn the fine art of patient care.

What is a "Standardized Patient"?

As defined by Howard S. Barrows in 1987, "The Standardized Patient (SP) is a 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.

Educational Impact and Assessment

Standardized Patients can be effectively trained to reliably assess students' interviewing, physical examination and communication skills. This allows for assessment of large numbers of students within a reasonable period of time. Their assessments have been found to be as reliable as faculty observations of the same clinical encounter. During the course of their education, students will have multiple opportunities to practice this art with our standardized patients, receiving feedback on their clinical and communications skills from members of the faculty, their peers and the standardized patients themselves. As a result, when the time comes for our students to begin seeing real patients in clinics and hospitals, they feel more prepared and confident.

Standardized Patient Projects Offered

The Standardized Patient projects offered to all students include the following components:

• Formative learning workshops: These allow first year students the opportunity to practice and hone their history-taking and physical examination skills, as well as their communication skills and professionalism.
• Communication-specific workshops: These are for students in their clinical rotations focusing on important and challenging topics such as Patient Safety, Motivational Interviewing targeting behavior changes (e.g. smoking cessation, nutrition, exercise) and End of Life discussions.
• Summative, high-stakes exams: These assess the students' abilities in history-taking and physical examination skills, communication skills, professionalism, clinical decision making and documentation – preparing them for seeing actual patients in clinics and hospitals.

Community and Interprofessional Practice

RFUMS places a unique emphasis on interprofessional training and practice, serving five postgraduate health professions schools and colleges. We also participate in community service programs, running SP projects for students from local grammar schools and high schools who are interested in entering the health professions. For any additional questions, please contact Cory Krebsbach at [email protected] or Mary Launder at [email protected].