Medical Education  2011;42(1):29-35

doi:10.11307/mededjapan.42.29

A Survey on Training of Simulated and Standardized Patients(SP)and SP Program in Undergraduate Medical Education in Japan

Toshiro Shimura ; Fumihito Yoshii ; Akinobu Yoshimura ; Keiko Abe ; Yuzo Takahashi ; Haruko Saeki ; Kazuhiko Fujisaki ; Ryoko Aso ; Chikako Inoue

Keywords

simulated and standardized patients; training; field survey; standardization; curriculum

Country

Japan

Language

Japanese

Abstract

A survey was conducted to better understand the current status of training of simulated and standardized patients (SP) in medical education and training protocol of SP training at each site, and to determine the future planning of the committee
1) Methods: A series of questions regarding the SP and SP training was sent to all 80 medical schools in Japan.
2) Results: Responses were received from 68 medical school (85%). According to the survey result, 43 medical schools (63%) trained their own SP. The total numbers of SP reported in this survey were 1,036 with ratio of male to female 1:3. The average numbers of SP at each medical school were 24 (range 5 to 87). SP training protocols were included basic training (88%) and to prepare common achievement test OSCE (84%), classes (74%) and advanced OSCE(60%). Only 6 medical school (14%) had the systematic curriculum for SP training.
3) Conclusion: To produce standardized, accurate SP training for medical education, the committee recommends to establish the standard curriculum and portrayal requirements for SP training.