Applying to medical schools often feels like a Herculean task.
And in a great number of ways, let’s be honest, it is.
Seriously, no lies, here.
It’s stressful, anxiety ridden and life altering. So don’t brush it off as though it’s not a big deal. You’re worth more than that.
Now, there’s an incredible number of factors to consider when looking into medical schools: location, cost, prestige, home programs focused in the direction you’re thinking of professionally, and size of classes, to name only a few.
This of course doesn’t even begin to touch on the fact that applying and getting accepted are two incredibly different things.
But that’s a conversation for another time.
One thing that is imperative in choosing where to apply (or to whittle down if you get accepted to more than one program, which is a luxury, to say the least) is a school that offers a standardized patient program. Also known as a simulated patient or sample patient.
Why is a standardized patient program so important?
Glad you asked.
What is a standardized patient?
A standardized patient (or SP) is an actor brought in to work with medical students to simulate a patient through what is often called encounters.
The actor has been given a script to learn with information such as a chief complaint or what brought the patient in, current symptoms and medical history, and other details regarding social history, hobbies, and living situation.
The job of the SP is to hold a safe space for the student to practice all the skills required to conduct a patient interview of history taking, a possible physical exam, and counseling.
Benefits of a standardized patient program
By far, without a doubt, the biggest benefit of being involved with a school that has a standardized patient program is to have the ability to learn and make mistakes in a controlled environment.
We all make mistakes.
It’s important.
Making mistakes is essential to learning.
So, let me ask you: would you rather try out, test, and adjust your interview skills, performing a basic exam, and coming up with a potential diagnosis for the first time with a real patient?
Ensuring you have all of your ducks in a row regarding what questions to ask, what diagnoses are possible given what’s on their chart, let alone how to drape a patient properly, is a lot to keep straight, to begin with.
Another benefit of working with an SP is that they often are given the opportunity to give students feedback about how they did.
This is gold.
Getting feedback from an SP can inform you how your performance landed on them and how specific remarks may have made them feel cared for or interrupted. As humans, we may have the best of intentions, but our personality or how we word things may fall on those we speak to differently than we anticipated.
Practicing communication
Has anyone ever told you that you say ‘like’ a lot? Perhaps, ‘um’, ‘good’ or ‘okay’?
Everyone has verbal ticks. Full stop. These are often things we’re not even aware of unless someone brings it to our attention.
Non-verbal communication is just as important as verbal communication.
Examples such as, do you make good eye contact? When you’re nervous, do you fold yourself up in a ball and therefore appear closed off? Do you gesture so often it’s distracting?
These are key aspects of yourself you need to become aware of to learn how to present yourself both professionally and personably when working with patients.
Let alone your colleges and other professionals around you.
Mind you, both verbal and non-verbals ticks or habits you may have are not things to be ashamed of. They’re what make you, well, you. But, to excel as a medical professional, working with the public, these are important to become aware of so you can mitigate them while working.
Most standardized patient programs record sessions for ease of rewatching for students to notice these kinds of things. It’s also a great way to give yourself constructive criticism, because oftentimes when you’re in the hot seat, if you will, it can be a challenge to remember everything you did.
Thinking on your feet
Life is one big improvisation.
And no, I don’t mean Who’s Line is it Anyway?
We often, if not always, can’t anticipate the way someone else is going to react to what we say or do.
By working within a standardized patient program, you’re giving yourself the wonderful opportunity to live in a world called structured improv.
This means that you have the parameters of the encounter, and therefore having studied how to take a patient’s history, etc., you have a pretty good idea of how things will go.
But not completely.
Each patient is a clean slate. You may have their medical chart in front of you but you don’t know them personally.
Encounters with an SP requires you to hone your listening skills and to adjust accordingly.
Based on what’s on a patient’s chart, you may have a great idea of what’s going on with them. However, two minutes into the interview, the patient may throw you a curveball that completely shatters your initial thesis.
With a real patient, you can’t exactly take a time out.
You can’t wander away for ten minutes to map out the new course you need to be on. You have to do it live.
And this is a skill that takes practice.
Rapport building
Another adjustment you’ll learn by working with an SP is creating rapport. This is essential for good healthcare, and one patient is never exactly like another.
You may have the cheeriest, most wonderfully bright personality. And that’s great! But, honestly, that’s not going to mesh well with all patients.
There are ways to adjust yourself to better match a patient’s demeanor, cater to their personality, and in the end, create a rapport where the patient feels heard and that they can trust you.
This is another area where getting feedback from the SP is a fantastic learning tool. By breaking down their compliments and constructive criticism, you’ll strengthen your skills to better read your patient’s reactions and understand how you can adapt your approach.
Get comfortable asking the uncomfortable questions.
This is a big one.
In practice, especially if you go into general practice, you are going to have to ask your patients a lot of questions.
Sometimes, those questions are awkward if not incredibly scary for both you and the patient.
I’m talking about sex, smoking, alcohol and substance abuse.
There are other awkward questions out there.
But these are the big ones.
Taking a sexual history from a patient, for most students, is downright terrifying. And it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Sex is often, societal speaking, an awkward topic to talk about.
Many, if not most, people won’t even talk about issues relating to sexual practices or medical issues within a sexual health space with those closest to them.
So, having to ask your patients these kinds of questions can be incredibly nerve wracking.
How do you phrase such questions?
There’s a HUGE difference between seeing how to ask a question written down in your notes after a lecture. It’s not the same as thinking about it in your head or role-playing it out with fellow med students.
Plus, the more you ask these kinds of questions, the less nervous you’ll be asking them!
As stated earlier, life is an improvisation. You can’t guarantee what the other person is going to say. Especially a patient that you don’t have a long-term rapport with.
You don’t know their views on sexual health, their practices, or what could offend them.
So, how on earth do you practice such a thing so you don’t faceplate with a patient?
You probably guessed it by now. By having the safe space of working with a standardized patient.
It’s the perfect environment to test out different phrases, experience different reactions, and adjust accordingly, WITHOUT the pressure, (or embarrassment) of it being a real patient.
Telehealth
Telehealth is becoming a way of life.
Though technology is incredible in many ways when communicating via a virtual environment, some important elements can get lost.
Expressing empathy through a screen can be a challenge. You can’t feel the energy in the room and you’re most likely missing out on plenty of your patient’s non-verbals.
Knowing how to adapt to a Telehealth environment is becoming increasingly key in a medical students toolbox.
Most importantly
A medical schools ultimate goal is to prepare you with the skills you need to succeed in a medical career.
So, why not give yourself the advantage of working with standardized patients to hone your interpersonal and improvisational skills?
It’s the best way to better prepare yourself for the exciting career that’s waiting for you.