A method where the clients become physically and emotionally involved in the education process. A proven and effective way of learning to deal with difficult situations. The participatory experience gives true practical and emotional knowledge of scenarios being simulated. The SP is able to express the same symptoms and demonstrate the same physical examination findings as the case study and is additionally trained to provide feedback to students on their performance during the simulated patient encounter. These simulations play an important role in the education of future physicians and health care providers.
Simulated patients allow instructors to carefully control the clinical learning experience.
The encounter is much less intimidating to the medical student than if he or she was working with an actual patient. Instructors are able to explore the student's thoughts, reasoning process and clinical abilities without worrying about compromising a patient's well being. Simulated patients are also used in formal testing of clinical competence at various points in the training of medical students, residents and new doctors. Advantages to Using Simulated Patients Validity T he patient is standardized. It will be the same problem to all students.