At the Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine, the Standardized Patient Program offers first- and second-year medical students the opportunity to practice clinical skills in a realistic and supportive environment. Directed by Ben Matkin, the program bridges the gap between classroom learning and real-world patient care through simulated scenarios with trained patient actors.
“Our standardized patient program is set up for our first- and second-year students to be able to have a simulated patient scenario with our patient actors in a clinical setting,” said Matkin. “We have fully functional clinic rooms that our student doctors can utilize to interview and examine the standardized patients.”
The program employs members of the community who are trained to portray specific patient scenarios designed by faculty to align with the curriculum. “Each standardized patient is trained on a script that is created by the faculty who is teaching that portion of the semester,” Matkin explained. “We train the standardized patients on how to act out the script, add any details that may be needed to make the medical scenario more believable, and look more realistic.”
Student doctors work with the standardized patients individually or in groups, allowing them to hone their skills in communication, diagnosis, and examination. Additionally, a unique aspect of the program involves sessions where community members bring their children, typically ages 3 to 7, for wellness exams and sick visits. This hands-on experience helps students develop confidence and competence in working with pediatric patients and their parents.
“This gives the student doctors an opportunity to speak with parents, speak with children, and get more comfortable doing exams on some of our younger patients that we have out there,” said Matkin.
The Standardized Patient Program at Burrell College is an integral part to our medical education, offering a controlled environment where students can make mistakes, receive feedback, and refine their techniques. These simulations prepare students for their third and fourth years, where they will encounter real patients during clinical rotations.
“Our ultimate goal for the Standardized Patient Program is for our student doctors to leave here with a high level of confidence and skills that will help them be successful in their third and fourth years,” Matkin emphasized.
The program underscores Burrell College’s commitment to equipping future physicians with the tools they need to provide exceptional care in diverse clinical settings.
Learn more about Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine: https://burrell.edu/explore
Burrell is fully accredited by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) and ranked second in the nation for the percentage of underrepresented minority students enrolled in colleges of osteopathic medicine.
Quick Facts
-99% Graduate Medical Education (GME) placement
-94% 2020-2024 COMLEX First Time Pass Rate (99.9% scores reported)
-706 physician graduates (2020-2024)
-Mission Medicine (Border Region, Native-American)
