More Than Standardized Patients: Best Practices for Collaborating With Simulated Participants in Emergency Medicine

Standardized patients, simulated patients, and simulated participants (SPs) are widely integrated into medical education. With the American Board of Emergency Medicine adopting objective structured clinical examinations in its new Certifying Exam format, emergency medicine (EM) educators have new impetus to develop expertise in SP methodology and implement best practices for SP-based education within the unique context of EM residency programs. To address this need, the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Simulation Academy convened a work group to review and synthesize best SP educational practices for EM residency programs. The work group consisted of EM faculty who oversee SP-based education in their respective residency programs, often as an extension of their expertise in simulation. Using the Association of SP Educators Standards of Best Practice as the organizing framework, the work group adapted its five domains-(1) safe work environment, (2) case development, (3) SP training, (4) program management, and (5) professional development-to the specific needs and challenges of EM residency education. The resulting recommendations are intended to help EM educators integrate SP methodology into a wide range of resource contexts, including programs with and without access to professionally trained SPs.