Simulated Patient in Worcester

Are you interested in contributing to the development of the next generation of healthcare and medical professionals? As a Standardised/Simulated Participant (SP), you can play a vital role in enhancing student learning and making a meaningful impact on the future of healthcare and medicine.

Main duties of the job:

• Simulated patients are trained individuals who portray specific patient roles, enabling health and care students to practise their communication, consultation, and physical examination skills.
• SPs realistically represent a patient's history, personality, physical findings, and emotional responses.
• These experiences provide a crucial bridge between classroom learning and real clinical practice, allowing students to build confidence and competence in a safe, supported environment.

Job responsibilities:

• The simulated patient is responsible for portraying a simulated patient or family member in teaching and assessment scenarios in a clinical and non-clinical setting.
• They will be responsible for portraying specific emotions, behaviours and disease symptoms while interacting consistently and accurately with candidates.
• Understand the content of the examination and intended outcomes to assist in the simulated role, acknowledging the importance to perform standardised and reliable simulations.
• Memorise and rehearse the simulated patient scripts detailing specific emotions, behaviours, and disease signs/symptoms for presentation during clinical simulation and assessment, whilst remaining in a specific patient character as trained when responding to the candidates' questions.
• Present case information in a standardised manner, as elicited by students during simulated interactive patient history and/or clinical examinations.
• Adopt each role/character as defined using speech, gesture, and body language to allow for cues, prompts accordingly, and use props, costumes and make up/moulage to help depict the roles/character.
• Adapt with ease to changes made to character/role profiles, switch roles/characters swiftly and decisively, be flexible to allow variations in candidate behaviour and contribute to discussions around improvement and review of the simulator resources.
• Support the Examiner and Technician to ensure the examination environment is conducive to testing, including adhering to all health and safety requirements.
• Ensure commitment, upholding the high standards of an examination setting, treating all candidates equally, undertake to learn roles accurately, and spend sufficient time rehearsing and be reliable and punctual.
• Maintain confidentiality of candidate and examination information.
• Provide feedback to students on their history taking and communication skills.
• Maintain personal and professional development to meet the changing demands of the job; participate in appropriate training activities and encourage and support staff in their development and training.
• Take steps to ensure and enhance personal health, safety, and well-being and that of other staff and students.
• Carry out these duties in a manner that promotes equality of opportunity and supports diversity and inclusion, that supports the University's duty to secure and promote freedom of speech within the law and takes into account the University's commitment to environmentally sustainable ways of working.

Person Specification:

• Experience: Experience of undertaking acting or acting & drama related activities.
• Qualifications: Knowledge and understanding of the OSCE process and scenarios.
• Knowledge and Skills: Ability to accurately, sympathetically and convincingly maintain a specified character as trained. Ability to work flexible hours. Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing. Ability to recall case information, as cued by students in a simulated situation. Ability to switch roles/characters swiftly and decisively. Ability to maintain confidentiality of case and student information. Ability to understand and follow directions and incorporate trainer feedback. Knowledge and understanding of the role of a simulated patient.