Using standardized patients for assessing clinical performance: an overview

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Clinical Skills Assessment

Background:

• Standardized patients are increasingly utilized worldwide for evaluating clinical skills.
• Medical licensure and certification examinations are planning to incorporate standardized patients.
• The Morchand Center for Clinical Competence was established at Mount Sinai School of Medicine to assess clinical performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of standardized-patient assessment.
• To describe the assessment program at The Morchand Center.
• To summarize research on standardized-patient assessment, including work from The Morchand Center.

Main Methods:

• Overview of standardized-patient assessment principles.
• Description of the operational program at The Morchand Center.
• Summary of existing research findings and ongoing studies.

Main Results:

• Standardized patient assessment is a validated method for evaluating clinical competencies.
• The Morchand Center successfully implements standardized patient testing for multiple medical schools.
• Research supports the reliability and utility of this assessment approach.

Conclusions:

• Standardized patient assessment is a crucial tool in medical education and professional evaluation.
• The Morchand Center serves as a key site for standardized patient assessment and research.
• Continued research is vital to refine and expand the application of standardized patients.