What is a Standardized Patient?  

A Standardized Patient is a layperson trained to replicate a clinical encounter consistently and realistically.  Standardized Patients provide the medical student an opportunity to fine-tune professional skills, to gain self-confidence and be better able to instill confidence in patients.  The student learns to become patient-oriented, more aware of patient feelings and concerns, and most of all, to become an active listener.  The ability to listen and understand and communicate this understanding is a skill of significant benefit to medical students, and Standardized Patients play a central role in this process.

The skills that are taught and/or evaluated with Standardized Patients include interpersonal, communication, history-taking, and/or physical examination techniques.  Standardize Patients allow medical students to fine-tune their professional skills, to gain self-confidence and be better able to instill confidence in their patients.  The Standardized Patient Program at UTMB has 150 individuals ranging in age from 13 to 80 years of age.  The patient roster includes white, Hispanic, and African Americans providing a mix of individuals similar to the population found in the real patients of our community.  UTMB Standardized Patients are employees and members of the community or surrounding area who come from all walks of life and share the enjoyment of being able to participate in medical education activities. 

This site is maintained by the Office of Educational Development Web Development Team, under the auspices of the Web Advisory Board.

Copyright ©  2007  The University of Texas Medical Branch. Please review our privacy policy and Internet guidelines.
Send mail to lkusneri@utmb.edu with questions or comments about this web site. 

This site was last updated on 01/20/2011.