Development costs are less since live patients are more easily programmed than are computers. There are some competencies that cannot be assessed through use of computer simulations. Further, diagnostic reasoning is more complex in encounters with live standardized patients where everything occurs in real time. Diagnostic reasoning must occur while the participant also manages the relationship with the patient and performs physical examinations or other skill maneuvers. All of the SPs are thoroughly trained by standardized patient trainers and physicians from various medical schools to simulate a patient's history and physical findings completely and realistically.
Training generally takes from five to ten hours, depending on the complexity of the case.
There is also a group of patients with actual physical findings. Presently, there are more than 100 standardized patients trained to portray more than 125 patient cases. The SPs and PIs can be very important in the teaching and assessment of individual students. They combine opportunities for practice with demonstrations of skills, individualized instruction, and feedback. The Clinical Performance Center offers a variety of services to its clients ranging from teaching workshops to clinical examinations.