July 12, 2002
The Association of Standardized Patient Educators Inaugural Conference
Presented by: Gayle Gliva-McConvey

The Association of Standardized Patient Educators (ASPE) held its inaugural conference at the 10th Ottawa Conference on July 12, 2002. ASPE is composed of standardized patient trainers and administrators who work in medical schools and licensing boards internationally. As part of the meeting, working committees were established that will meet periodically and advance the work of the standardized patient (SP) field. Those committees include Grants and Research, Education and Professional Development, Communication and Membership, Finance, and Standards and Practice.

As a member of the Standards and Practice Committee, I can report on that meeting. The meeting was chaired by Gayle Gliva-McConvey, Director of the Theresa Thomas Professional Skills Center, Eastern Virginia Medical School and attended by committee members and observers. The total group was asked to identify areas of interest or concern to them regarding the use of standardized patients for teaching and skills assessment. One of the major issues identified was the need to establish ethical standards regarding the training and use of SPs. SPs are primarily lay people who undergo multiple physical examinations ranging from simple blood pressure readings to pelvic examinations. In high-stakes board exams, they are examined by 10 to 12 candidates at a sitting and can work in such exams multiple days per week for many months.

As the various national boards move toward a SP licensing exam, SPs will be used with even more frequency and intensity. It will be important, therefore, to create ethical standards of practice regarding the use of SPs. It is expected that this committee will draft such standards of practice over the next year.

For more info: http://www.aspeducators.org

Reported by:
Tony Errichetti, Ph.D. <tonye@pcom.edu>
Professor and Director, Clinical Learning and Assessment Center
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine