Patient Actor

Do you have a theater or drama background? 

Are you interested in helping to train the next generation of healthcare professionals?

We have a job you might be interested in.
 

MAHEC is now hiring Patient Actors (Standardized Patients)

• Patient Actors are key to MAHEC's mission of educating the next generation of healthcare professionals! They provide opportunity to enhance medical interviewing skills, communication skills, and physical exam techniques by practicing in a role play setting that reflects real-world examples of the patient bases they serve. Patient Actors have a fulling and direct influence on highly impactful public health care in Western North Carolina.

• The ideal candidate will have acting/theatre experience, attention to detail, and availability to work on a PRN basis during standard business hours, with weekday afternoon availability in most demand. On average, simulations occur in 2 - 4 blocks during the hours of 8am - 5pm, Monday - Friday, from MAHEC's Simulation Center at our Biltmore Campus location in Asheville. Healthcare experience is not needed for this position.

Role Description:

• A Standardized Patient (Patient Actor) is a person who has been coached to accurately and consistently recreate the history, personality, physical findings, and emotional structure and response pattern of an actual patient at a particular point in time. Patient Actors are interviewed and examined by both male and female healthcare learners and may be audio or videotaped during simulation. Patient Actors are trained to give appropriate verbal and written feedback to learners on communication and interpersonal skills.

The Ideal Candidate: 

• Reliable, punctual and dependable
• Good memory and recall skills and enjoys role playing
•  Committed to supporting healthcare providers in learning the value of connection, empathy and astute inquiry and assessment in patient care.
• Comfortable wearing a hospital gown and willingness for learners to perform non-invasive physical exams, such as listening to the heart or lungs, pressing on the abdomen or checking reflexes.
• Experience or training in acting (theatre or drama) – not required but a plus
• Interest or experience in healthcare or healthcare training – not required but a plus
• Work hours are sporadic and on an as needed basis only

Specific Responsibilities

• Memorize a case script detailing specific emotions, behaviors, and disease signs/symptoms for presentation during simulated learning situations
• Present case information in a standardized manner, as elicited by healthcare students during simulated interactive patient history and/or medical examinations
• Remain in a specific patient character as trained when responding to student questions
• Accurately and consistently remember encounters with students for the purpose of scoring student behaviors with standardized checklists
• Maintain confidentiality of information related to cases, student behaviors, and feedback evaluations
• Provides constructive verbal and written feedback within a structured format
• Work in a professional manner when interacting with learners, faculty, supervisors, and peers
• Accept ongoing feedback from facilitators and incorporate into case simulation
• Be willing to be audio and videotaped during simulations
• Adapt to quick changes and work in a dynamic environment

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THE SIM CENTER

• Our beautiful 15,000-square-foot Simulation Center is located on MAHEC's Biltmore campus and provides medical professionals and students with the opportunity to practice real-life hospital, in-office, and emergency scenarios. The center uses a variety of simulation modalities for experiential learning including state-of-the-art, high-fidelity manikins, standardized patient actors, task trainers, and virtual reality simulators.

SCHEDULE

• Standardized Patient encounters are scheduled based on the learners’ curricular schedules. Dates are provided as far in advance as possible. Work hours will need to be flexible, on an on-call basis, in order to respond to work assignments as requested by the Medical Education Simulation Manager. Events typically run during the week, Monday-Friday, between the hours of 7:00 am – 6:00 pm. Most classes occur in the afternoon. This position is PRN, as needed, only with no guaranteed weekly or monthly hours.

POSITION COMPENSATION:

• $17.70/hour, PRN

At MAHEC, we strive to equip all team members with Total Rewards (pay + benefits) to honor their service, support their health, manage their financial security, build their career, and thrive.

All MAHEC employees and learners will be required to receive the Flu vaccine or have an approved exemption. MAHEC Talent Management is located at 121 Hendersonville Road, Asheville, NC 28803. Equal Opportunity Employer.

If you are interested in this role, and you have related experience and qualifications, we encourage you to apply or reach out to AskTalent@mahec.net for support in your job search process. You could be the talent we are seeking for this or other opportunities.