Standardized Patient Educator

The Standardized Patient (SP) Educator is responsible for the recruitment, training, development, quality assurance, scheduling support, and performance evaluation of SPs who participate in educational activities within the School of Medicine Simulation and Clinical Skills Center. The SP Educator collaborates with faculty, course directors, simulation staff, and curriculum leadership to ensure standardized patient encounters are educationally effective, realistic, reliable, and aligned with curricular objectives. 

This position plays a critical role in preparing SPs to accurately portray patient cases, deliver constructive learner feedback, complete assessment instruments, and maintain consistency across formative teaching and high-stakes assessment activities such as Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs). 

The ideal candidate is passionate about healthcare education, training and development, simulation methodology, quality improvement, and creating exceptional learning experiences for future healthcare professionals. 

SP Recruitment 

• Partner with program leadership to identify recruitment needs and ensure adequate pool of qualified SPs for educational programs. 

• Recruit, interview, onboard, and orient new SPs. 

• Maintain accurate SP rosters, including SP availability, experience, special skills, training history, and participation in educational activities. 

• Develop and implement recruitment strategies to attract and retain a diverse pool of Standardized Patients through professional networking, community outreach, conferences, partnerships, and other engagement opportunities. 

SP Training 

• Prepare and revise SP guidelines, training documents, patient scripts, orientation materials, and other educational resources in alignment with curricular goals. 

• Lead initial and ongoing SP training sessions for a range of educational activities, including patient portrayals, physical examination encounters, ultrasound experiences, and OSCEs.  

• Coach and mentor SPs during learner activities to ensure accurate, consistent, and realistic case portrayals. 

• Train SPs to provide effective learner assessments and constructive feedback.  

• Maintain competency records and continuing education documentation for SPs. 

• Work with faculty to optimize SP training sessions, including planning agenda, facilitating sessions, and interfacing between faculty and SPs. 

Quality Improvement 

• Maintain and contribute to program strategic planning and continuing quality improvement initiatives for the SP program.  

• Develop and implement evaluation processes to ensure SPs demonstrate standardization across multiple learner encounters.  

• Design and administer surveys related to SP and learner experiences, providing feedback on training and other internal processes. 

• Collect, review, analyze, and disseminate survey data to program leadership to support continuous improvement initiatives. 

• Utilize data, stakeholder feedback, and performance metrics to identify opportunities for program enhancement and operational effectiveness. 

• Monitor live and recorded SP encounters for accurate case portrayals consistent with overarching curriculum goals and objectives. 

• Work with program leadership to ensure standards of best practices in SP methodology are fully implemented. 

• Maintain expertise in SP methodology through active participation in annual conferences, national organizations, continuing education opportunities, and networking with the SP community.   

Program Support 

• Partner with program leadership to manage SP performance issues, providing coaching, documentation, and recommended disciplinary action as appropriate.  

• Assist with CSC management software, audiovisual recording, and scheduling platforms. 

• Support budget planning related to SP-based education. 

• Provide SP scheduling and operational support during educational sessions as needed. 

• Other duties and projects as assigned. 

Knowledge and Skills 

• Knowledge of medical terminology.  

• Excellent communication and writing skills. 

• Experience working with Microsoft365 applications, scheduling systems, databases, and learning technologies. 

• Willingness to adopt new technology. 

QUALIFICATIONS: 

Required

• Bachelor's degree in healthcare, Nursing, Education, Communication, Film/Theatre, Psychology, or a related field.  

• Prior experience in simulation or standardized patient education and training may be accepted in lieu or as equivalent to an Bachelors' Degree. (Preferred Associate’s Degree in healthcare-related field or theater). 

Preferred:  

• Experience in healthcare simulation, medical education, standardized patient methodology, training and development, adult learning, educational program coordination, or curriculum support. 

• Experience facilitating training, coaching, teaching, or performance development programs.