F E ATU R E S T ORY
A L L T HE CL INIC’ S
A STAGE
SM I L E, YO U ’ R E O N . . . Medical students, standardized patients, and physician preceptors in session at the SMHS Simulation Center.
The SMHS Simulation Center expands its standardized patient medical simulation model. “They’re teaching the scales and how to
technical and interpersonal skills. These
When employing the SPETA method of
play the instrument,” said Dawn Drake,
“actors” assist in training students in both
instruction, “the patient is a teaching
standardized patient program coordinator
the basic H&P and learning how to interact
associate who can better assist the
for the UND School of Medicine & Health
with patients, all of which is taught with
clinician-instructor,” explained Rachel
Sciences (SMHS) Simulation Center,
physician supervision.
Osowski, the standardized patient trainer
speaking of her standardized patients and explaining how teaching students to take a history and physical (H&P) is a bit like musical composition. “Physicians build on that training and help students make music.”
today, including the SMHS, a select group of SPs are being taught by supervising physicians in a more specialized way. These standardized physical exam
for the SMHS Simulation Center. “They take the teaching one step further by being in the room with the students, helping them learn the exam maneuvers with the students by helping them practice on the SPETA’s own body.”
Standardized patients, or SPs (persons
teaching associates, or SPETAs, serve
using scripted scenarios who play the
as instructors who use their own body to
From Standardized Patient to SPETA
role of patients with various symptoms or
teach the basic techniques of the physical
That is to say, although the primary SP
concerns), have been used for decades
exam to medical students.
program remains a vital part of Simulation
as part of how medical students acquire 12
But in medical schools across the country
North Dakota Medicine Fall 2020
Center training, a series of factors have
