Simulated patients

Who is a simulated patient?

Simulated patients are people of all ages and backgrounds who are trained to accurately communicate and portray the medical history (a record of information about a person's health), signs and symptoms, and behaviour of a real patient, providing medical students with the opportunity to practice their clinical and communication skills in a safe and supportive environment.

What does a simulated patient do?

Simulated patients give the students the chance to practice important skills such as taking histories, performing physical examinations, making diagnoses as well as practicing their communication skills to help students develop empathy and understanding, which leads to better relationships with patients in real life. By providing real-time feedback, simulated patients allow students to reflect on their performance and to continually improve.

Why join as a simulated patient?

Simulated patients play a crucial role in the development of future doctors by providing students within the JMP an opportunity to develop their communication, diagnostic, and patient care skills and so this is a unique opportunity to gain valuable insight into the medical field, making it a very rewarding experience. As this is a casual role the days and hours of work will vary.

What is it like to be a simulated patient?

As a simulated patient, you'll receive training in how to portray a patient with a particular medical condition or concern in a genuine manner. The medical students may take a medical history, perform a physical examination, or offer counselling in different simulated environments, such as at a GP clinic, hospital outpatient clinic or emergency department. You may have the opportunity to provide valuable feedback to the students, which helps them to develop their skills further.

Success stories & testimonials

Working with simulated patients allows students to develop their knowledge and clinical skills in a safe environment; it is an essential part of our medical program, and we greatly appreciate the time and expertise of the people who volunteer as simulated patients. Professor Katie Wynne, Interim Dean and Head, School of Medicine, UON

Simulated patients are a wonderful resource for our school. They bring a wealth of their own experience to the acting roles and provide our students with realistic personal encounters for students to learn the skills of interacting with patients.  Professor Michelle Guppy, Head, School of Rural Medicine, UNE

Having simulated patients during our clinical exams has been an invaluable learning experience. It’s helped us not only improve our medical knowledge and reasoning, but also our ability to connect and build rapport with patients. These interactions give us the chance to practice in a safe environment, helping us build confidence and be better doctors in the future. Minuri, medical student, UNE

Developing skills with simulated patients is an invaluable part of medical education. Practicing in a safe environment without real-life pressure allows me to make mistakes, receive feedback and build confidence. Mark, medical student, UON

I really love working with the students and watching them grow over the course of their training. At the start, in their first year, they can often feel a bit overwhelmed, unsure of themselves. But as time goes on, you really see them gain more confidence and start to shine by their final year. It’s so rewarding to see that transformation.  Sandra, simulated patient

Help train tomorrow's doctors, become a simulated patient today

Join us in shaping the future of healthcare. Your experience as a simulated patient can make a lasting impact on the next generation of doctors.