Standardized Patient Program

The UK College of Medicine standardized patient program was introduced in the 1980s, and over the subsequent decades the program has become deeply engrained throughout all years of our students' training through direct integration in multiple longitudinal courses. In fact, many other colleges at the University of Kentucky rely on the College of Medicine Standardized Patient Program in their training. 

Our standardized patients at all of our campuses are rigorously trained to portray a wide variety of clinical scenarios with diverse backgrounds. Exam rooms at all campuses are designed to mimic a standard clinic room with all necessary equipment. Students interact with these standardized patients through various combinations of taking a history, performing a physical exam, sharing information, and counseling. 

To aid students as they work to build their clinical skills as they progress to the curriculum, students are assessed and provided with both formative and summative feedback frequently on their core clinical skills through Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs). Feedback by SPs is based on standardized communication rubrics and physical examination checklists. The communication rubric builds on itself as students’ progress from first through third year. Feedback is specific and observation based. Students work closely with UK College of Medicine faculty, who provide coaching to build up student’s clinical skills. To aid in this feedback all rooms have high-quality cameras and integrated computer systems to allow review by students and faculty. These systems allow the students the opportunity to document after encounters, mimicking a real-world setting.