Job Summary:

The Simulated Patient (SP) Educator develops, trains, manages, coordinates, and evaluates learning activities involving standardized or simulated patients (SPs). SPs are individuals hired from the local community to portray clinical patients so that medical students and other learners can practice and hone their clinical skills, including interviewing, physical exam, communication, and other skills. The SP Educator is the primary individual responsible for recruiting, training, evaluating, providing feedback, and retaining SPs to authentically portray clinical patients, provide constructive verbal and written feedback to medical students, and to assess learner skills using appropriate rubrics. The SP Educator also develops SP cases in collaboration with clinical skills leadership and faculty.

Duties & Essential Job Functions:

1. Recruits and orients new SPs.
2. Schedules and manages SP availability, hours, and reporting for payment.
3. Develops, trains, and manages SPs in portrayal of clinical scenarios.
4. Develops, trains, and manages SPs in assessment of learner skills.
5. Trains, monitors, coaches, and evaluates SPs on delivering effective verbal and written feedback.
6. Evaluates SP performance and implements ongoing quality improvement for SPs.
7. Develops SP cases with clinical skills and other faculty.
8. Participates in teaching and evaluation exercises with medical students.
9. Plans logistics for SP simulation events which include organizing equipment, and other resources.
10. Develops and participates in SP-related research activities.
11. Participates in quality assurance activities to ensure SP accuracy of case portrayal and scoring.
12. Attends Clinical Skills team meetings.
13. Attends relevant professional meeting(s) annually, most importantly the Association of Standardized Patient Educator annual conference.
14. Performs other related duties as assigned including but not limited to participating in special events and assisting with non-human simulation (e.g. operating manikins and task trainers).

Required Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree.
• 2 years working as a standardized patient or in SP education for a medical school.

Preferred Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Acting, Theatre, Communication, or related field.
• 2 years of related experience working as a standardized patient or with SPs in a simulation center affiliated with a medical school.
• Experience as an SP Trainer in a medical school setting.
• Experience using CAE Learning Space or similar software.
• Experience managing personnel.

Required Licensure/Certification/Specialized Training:

• None

Preferred Licensure, Certification, and/or Specialized Training:

• None

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Knowledge of simulated patient education
• Knowledge of applicable strategies and approaches to contemporary medical education.
• Ability to exercise excellent oral and written communication skills
• Ability to model and teach effective SP behaviors for clinical learning
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team and lead the work of others.
• Ability to coordinate activities with multiple faculty, staff, and learners
• Skill in analysis of performance data, identification of gaps, and development and implementation of quality improvement plans.
• Ability to troubleshoot technical procedural concerns.

TCU Core Competencies:

University Core Competencies definitions may be found on the Human Resources website and in the staff performance management system.

Physical Requirements (With or Without Accommodations):

• Visual acuity to read information from computer screens, forms and other printed materials and information.
• Able to speak (enunciate) clearly in conversation and general communication.
• Hearing ability for verbal communication/conversation/responses via telephone, telephone systems, and face-to-face interactions.
• Manual dexterity for typing, writing, standing and reaching, flexibility, body movement for bending, crouching, walking, kneeling and prolonged sitting.
• Lifting and moving objects and equipment up to 25 lbs.

Work Environment:

• Work is indoors and sedentary and is subject to schedule changes and/or variable work hours.
• There are no harmful environmental conditions present for this job.
• The noise level in this work environment is usually moderate.
• This is a student facing in-person and on-campus position.

AA/EEO Statement:

As an AA/EEO employer, TCU recruits, hires, and promotes qualified persons in all job classifications without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ethnic origin, disability, genetic information, covered veteran status, or any other basis protected by law.