Prospective Standardized Patients

Have you ever experienced an unfortunate or miserable encounter with a physician or healthcare professional? You probably feel there is nothing you can do to improve or change the situation. Being a Standardized Patient provides a unique opportunity to be involved in shaping the medical education of tomorrow’s physicians.

Standardized Patients partner with faculty to help teach students the importance of connecting with their patients in order to help the patient feel safe in sharing the information that the physician needs to know. Communication is a large part of patient care.

We currently have more than 90 Standardized Patients of all ages in the program to portray cases with issues such as back pain, abdominal pain, depression, and at-risk behaviors. Others include emotionally charged cases such as domestic abuse and death of a child.

Due to the increasing demand for our program, the Advanced Clinical Education Center is in the process of recruiting adults for our Standardized Patient Program. The ACEC is looking for men and women of all ages and ethnic groups to represent the various cases and patient problems used for simulations.

We are looking for people:

• From all walks of life
• Of all shapes and sizes
• With excellent written and verbal communication skills
• With a genuine interest in helping students learn
• With reasonably flexible hours
• Who are comfortable with their own health
• Who are comfortable dealing with health professionals
• Who are reliable
• Who are punctual

We are not:

• Entertainers
• Real patients looking for a diagnosis or treatment
• Trying to deceive anyone
• Critics
• Pursuing some agenda with doctors or the medical system

What the ACEC can do for you:

• Provide occasional, as-needed work (not a steady income)
• Paid-training hours
• Paid-session hours
• Enhance your communication skills
• Provide an opportunity to learn more about the medical profession and become a better consumer
• Provide an opportunity to use acting skills while benefiting the community

If you are interested in becoming a Standardized Patient, please click on the application link below, and follow the directions.

To learn more about Standardized Patients and the Program, you can read our frequently asked questions page, or call the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine’s Advanced Clinical Education Center at 412-648-8702 or e-mail us at acec@medschool.pitt.edu

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Standardized Patient Frequently Asked Questions

Standardized Patient Application

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