McMaster Standardized Patient Program 2.18

The Standardized Patient Program is a sub-division of the Centre for Simulation-Based Learning (CSBL) and coordinates the use of standardized patients (SPs). A standardized patient is a healthy person who is trained to realistically and accurately reproduce a history, physical and/or emotional medical scenario that a real patient would present. Standardized patients provide faculty and students opportunities to teach, assess, and refine a variety of skills, including communication, interview, diagnostic, and clinical skills.

The Standardized Patient Program is a fundamental resource for curriculum. It provides a unique and optimal environment to learn because it is risk-free and controllable. Students have the ability to explore techniques without causing harm, while SPs can be 'fast-forwarded', 'rewound', 'paused' or 'repeated' to various points of a simulation.