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Standardized Patient Guidelines

 

Job Description

Standardized Patients are individuals from the community hired as part-time employees for Tulane University School of Medicine’s Standardized Patient Program.

The basic functions of Standardized Patients are to simulate medical scenarios for learners in training and/or assessment activities. These may include interviews, counseling and/or physical examinations.

All work is categorized as part-time/as needed due to the project-by-project nature of the job. SPs receive a Tulane Splash card and a Tulane Web e-mail account. SPs are not entitled to receive health insurance or other benefits. 

Standardized patients report to the SP Program Coordinators.

Standardized Patient Roles

All SPs are hired as an SP1 in the University HR system. Individuals who complete the Intimate Exam Training program are then able to participate in both SP1 and SP3 events. Pay depends on skill, experience and invasiveness of physical exam.

  • Standardized Patient - SP (SP1): This is the starting point for all simulation-based teaching and assessment. SPs must be able to accurately portray the physical and emotional criteria of a case as well retain and assess the details of each student encounter.
  • Standardized Patient Teaching Associate - SPTA (SP1): SPTAs are SPs who have received additional training from our program trainers as well as a teaching physician. SPTAs teach physical exam skills to second-year medical students using their own bodies. 
  • Monitor/ Proctor (SP1): SP Monitors are individuals that watch SP student activities for content and performance standardization. Proctors are individuals scheduled by the Office of Medical Education to help oversee major student exams. 
  • Gynecological Teaching Associate - GTA (SP3): GTAs are women who are extensively trained to teach third-year medical students the breast and pelvic exam using their own bodies.
  • Male Urological Teaching Associate - MUTA (SP3): MUTAs are men who are extensively trained to teach the male genital/prostate exam to second-year medical students using their own bodies.