What is a DO?
DO stands for Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. Learn more about the DO difference
Thank you for your interest in the Standardized Patient Program at the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine! Standardized patients play an integral role as they realistically portray patients in a simulated encounter. These encounters enable students to develop their communication/interpersonal skills along with physical examination (ex. listen to heart sounds) and procedural (ex. take a blood pressure) skills.
You do not need an acting degree or experience! You do need a flexible schedule and the ability to memorize a case, accurately portray a patient, be a good listener and remember what the student asked and did during the simulated encounter.
Application Process
Here at Heritage College, we utilize standardized patients in the clinical skills lab, in which Osteopathic Medical Students conduct interviews, perform physical assessments, both non-invasive and gynecological/genitourinary examinations. Each standardized patient decides which type of exams they would like to be considered for - interview only, non-invasive labs and gynecologic/genitourinary (GYN/GU exam). There may also be opportunities in the Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) lab and in simulations with our students. The pay is $25/hour for assessment labs and $80/hour for more invasive labs (ex. GYN/BREAST/GU exams).
Labs are typically on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. or 1 p.m.-5 p.m. We use an online scheduling process and match standardized patient availability with faculty requests.
The next step is to complete an application online. The instructions and link are below. Once we review your application and complete a reference check, we will reach out to you about the next standardized patient information/orientation session.
Before you get started on the application, here are a few things to know:
- It works best to complete the application on a computer rather than an iPad or tablet.
- Once you start the application, you cannot switch to a different device or save and return to it later.
- The application includes general information such as address, phone, height, weight, ethnicity, languages you speak. The next section allows you to select your availability. The application then asks for additional information about any standardized patient experience. This is followed by general medical information. We use height/weight and basic medical information when faculty have specific patient needs for the learning objectives. Please have all this information available when you start.
Please let us know if you have any questions about the application process.
Frequently Asked Questions
How will I know what to say and how to act?
You will follow a case script. This script will guide how you respond to the student questions and how to act. For example, if your simulated patient has abdominal pain, the script may have you wince when a student touches an area of your abdomen and have you say, “That kind of hurts there.”
How often will I work with the students?
Standardized patients work as needed. How much you work depends on multiple factors: your availability, faculty needs from the simulated patient (age, gender ex.), and which encounters you prefer. You decide which encounters work best for you!
What types of physical examinations will students perform on me?
There are 4 types of encounters: communication only, non-invasive, invasive, and OMM. Typically, you wear street clothes and sit in a chair for communication encounters. For many of the non-invasive encounters, you wear a patient gown with undergarments/shorts under the gown. Students ask your simulated patient’s medical history and examine various body systems (listen to your heart and lungs, for example). For invasive labs, students complete a genitourinary/gynecologic/breast exam. OMM stands for Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine. For these encounters, students practice their OMM examination and treatments. Learn more about OMM treatment
Do I evaluate the student?
After the student encounter, Standardized patients complete a short yes/no evaluation of the student. If you have major student concerns, Standardized patients contact the Clinical Training and Assessment Center (CTAC) Coordinator about the situation.
Do I get paid to be a Standardized Patient?
Yes, standardized patients get paid! The pay is $25/hour for assessment labs and $80/hour for more invasive labs (ex. GYN/BREAST/GU exams). Generally, labs last for 4 hours at a time.
Where are you located?
The Heritage College has three campuses: Athens, Cleveland and Dublin.
Parking is free at all locations, although you will need a parking pass for the Athens campus.
Our Campuses
