Standardized Patient Program

At the Gordon Center, Simulated Patients (SPs) play a vital role in preparing the next generation of healthcare professionals. SPs are trained to portray patients with accuracy and consistency, recreating real-world clinical scenarios that allow learners to practice interviewing, examination, communication, and clinical decision-making skills in a safe and controlled environment.

The Simulated Patient Program coordinates all SP participation for educational and assessment activities within the Gordon Center and the UM Miller School of Medicine. From recruitment and training to scheduling and case preparation, the program ensures meaningful and high-quality learning experiences across lectures, student sessions, and simulations.

Our mission is to create impactful simulated patient experiences that inspire empathy, encourage self-reflection, and strengthen clinical competence. Through meaningful feedback and authentic interactions, we help learners develop the communication skills, professionalism, and cultural sensitivity needed to provide exceptional care to diverse patient populations.

Standardized Patient Program

Some of our Requirements Include

Standardized Patient Program Gordon Center
  • Flexibility and reliability with scheduling and assignments.
    • This is a part-time per diem position within the university. We work on a typical school schedule, slowing down during the summer and winter months. We schedule based off demographic and experience; once we send you an invite, you decide whether you can participate.
  • Comfortable with Zoom, Microsoft Word, Outlook, Teams, Workday – or is open to learning.
    • We’re not expecting perfection and we’ll be there at the beginning to help you find your footing.
  • Ability to memorize information and scripted materials.
    • We’ll provide you with all the information needed to portray our patient roles at least one week before your session, then it’s your job to memorize. Don’t worry, within that time you’ll have gone through training with us to have a better understanding of your role, and we’re always open to more questions to help you be as patient ready as you can be.
  • Ability to act out ailments and emotions.
    • We’re not expecting an Oscar nominated performance, just enough acting to get your pain and the urgency of the situation across. No acting background is necessary.
  • Providing constructive feedback and facilitate debriefing
    • Half of an SP’s role is to provide feedback on how the learner made them feel as their patient, sharing specific examples and observable behaviors, so our learners know what was effective or what was ineffective to adjust for their future encounters.
  • Open to Quality Assurance and reception to constructive feedback
    • Just like our learners, we have a standard we have to uphold within our program, and our Quality Assurance program and initiatives help us get there.

Become a Standardized Patient

The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine is recruiting SPs in the training and evaluation of healthcare professionals, including medical, nursing, prehospital, public health, and social work trainees. As an SP, you will be audio and video-recorded during simulated encounters for quality assurance and training purposes only.

Candidates must demonstrate flexibility and reliability with scheduling and assignments, as this is a part-time paid position.

Click to apply

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Amanda Fernandez-Acosta, BA
Manager, Simulated Patient Program
Amandafacosta@miami.edu

Samantha Syms, MS, CHSE-A
Director, Simulated Patient Program
ssyms@miami.edu