Simulated patients vs. standardized patients in objective structured clinical examinations.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the use of patient-actors as educators in a senior-level pharmacy practice course, and to contrast the value and application of "standardized patient" and "simulated patient" educational methodologies.


METHODS
The objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) of the licensing examination were utilized during and at the end of the course along with external assessment to determine the impact of this educational methodology. Interviews with a randomly selected cohort of 14 students were undertaken 3 years after graduation and licensure to evaluate long-term impact of this course.


RESULTS
Overall, students responded positively to the shift from "standardized" patients to "simulated" patients, recognizing their value in teaching clinical and pharmaceutical care skills. Concerns were expressed regarding objectivity in assessment and individual grading. Over 98% of students successfully passed the OSCE component of the licensing examination. Long-term follow-up suggests students valued this approach to education and that it provided them with a foundation for better understanding of the psychosocial needs of patients in practice.


CONCLUSIONS
Simulated-patient educators can play an important role in the pharmacy curriculum, and can complement practitioner-educators in providing students with a real-world context for understanding complex patient care needs.
Austin
Zubin
Z
Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto,144 College Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3M2 Canada. zubin.austin@utoronto.ca
Gregory
Paul
P
Tabak
Diana
D
D004512:Education, Pharmacy / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016544:Patient Simulation; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods*; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods