Kathryn Bunting

Standardized Patient work entails something different every day. She is drawn towards many of the things that people tend to shy away from, so working for a Medical School in a department that teaches others how to deal with difficult topics comes naturally to her. Her first job in the Standardized Patient field was with the University of Central Florida’s College of Medicine where she served as program assistant in the HR department. At the time UCF’s COM didn’t have students yet, and she was responsible for the hiring process for all of the Standardized Patients--in addition, the Faculty needed a brand new College of Medicine. Initially she had only planned to stay a year, as she was trying to save money so that she could return to Africa and continue working on a research program. Two years later a coordinator position opened up in the Clinical Skills and Simulation Center and that’s all she wrote. Kat started at Tulane in 2014. The first time she had ever been to New Orleans was for her job interview, and she considers herself relatively new to both Tulane and New Orleans. As Program Director, she ensures that the department meets its academic, financial, and staffing needs and the needs of its students. As an open, straightforward person Kat is keenly aware that most Standardized Patient work surrounds topics that few want to discuss. She is devoted to creating an educational environment that teaches future doctors how to ask the kinds of challenging questions that are crucial to an effective medical interview and accurate diagnosis.

Fun fact: Kat works with big cats. She worked at the Central Florida Animal Reserve while living in Florida and lived in Africa for two months working with lions.