Become a Standardized Patient
Help train Northern Ontario’s future doctors by portraying a patient.
What is a Standardized Patient?
Standardized patients (SPs) are healthy people trained to act as real patients. SPs simulate a set of symptoms or medical conditions to help medical students become skilled at the proper techniques for taking patient histories and performing physical exams. Importantly, SPs are trained to provide insightful feedback to students.
SPs participate in the following activities:
- Portraying patients for medical history practice
- Assisting in physical exams
- Participate in clinical skills assessments
- Providing valuable verbal feedback to enhance students’ communication skills.
Benefits:
- Casual work: Get paid to play a patient!
- Make a difference: Help train future doctors.
- Personal growth: You will learn and practice transferable skills.
Apply Now: Newborns, Babies, Toddlers, and Young Children
The NOSM University Standardized Patient Program is seeking families with healthy young children to participate in clinical teaching sessions with Year 2 medical students this September and October.
We are recruiting families with:
- Newborns: born after July 15, 2026
- Babies: born January to March 2026
- Toddlers: born December 2024 to July 2025
- Young children: born January 2021 to April 2024
Each family will meet with one group of four medical students under the supervision of a physician tutor. Parents will be asked about their pregnancy, delivery, and their child’s health and developmental milestones. Students will also perform a routine physical examination, similar to a regular checkup with a health-care provider.
Session dates
- Tuesday, September 22: Newborns and babies
- Tuesday, October 6: Toddlers
- Tuesday, October 13: Young children (Francophone families are welcome on this date or any of the above sessions)
Families with children in more than one age group are welcome to register for multiple sessions.
After we receive your completed survey, we will contact you to confirm your session time and location at NOSM University.
Families will receive compensation for participating.
Apply Now:Teens
The NOSM University Standardized Patient Program is recruiting teenagers, ages 14 to 18, to participate in clinical teaching sessions with Year 2 medical students this November.
Standardized Patients are trained to portray real patients in simulated clinical scenarios. Participants will learn a case and role-play a patient by sharing a medical history, background information, body language, and emotions. No acting experience is required, and physical examinations are not part of these sessions.
Session dates
- Tuesday, November 17, 2026 (Francophone participants are especially encouraged to register.)
- Tuesday, November 24, 2026
Participants may register for one or both sessions.
Training will be provided before the teaching sessions. Participants will also learn how to provide verbal feedback to medical students as part of their role.
Once your registration has been reviewed, we will contact you to confirm your training and session dates, times, and location at NOSM University.
Participants will receive $21 per hour for training and participation, or they may choose to receive high school volunteer hours.
General Application
Interested in becoming a Standardized Patient (SP)? We accept applications on an ongoing basis, although active hiring occurs mainly in late spring and throughout the summer in preparation for the September school year. Our hiring process involves an in-person interview and a mandatory orientation session . Final decisions on hiring are made by our Program Coordinators after a comprehensive assessment of suitability.
Requirements:
- Availability for casual work during weekdays.
- Flexible schedule.
- High school diploma or equivalent.
- BONUS: No acting experience required
To apply as a Standardized Patient, please complete our online application form. We will review your submission and may contact you for further steps.
What to Expect
- You will be trained on your patient case approximately one week prior to your scheduled session.
- Physical examinations conducted as a Standardized Patient are common and resemble those performed in a doctor’s office. Rest assured, there are no procedures involving blood or sample collection. Your participation in physical examinations is entirely voluntary.
- Being a Standardized Patient requires concentration during interviews and examinations. After the encounter, you must provide verbal feedback to the student based on their communication skills. It’s an engaging role that demands attentiveness and effective communication.
Work Schedule
As a Standardized Patient, your work hours will not be fixed. The amount of time you work depends on the teaching requirements at a given time. For instance, we might specifically need female Standardized Patients aged 18-35 when teaching the female reproductive system. On average, Standardized Patients work five hours or one session every 4 to 6 weeks. The frequency may vary based on program needs and patient demographics.
Compensation
Contact Us for Further Inquiries
Contact Information:
Yolette Brant-Max – Sudbury
Standardized Patient Coordinator
Phone: 705-662-7223
Kelly Bertrand – Sudbury
Standardized Patient Coordinator
Phone: 705-662-7255
Pamela Morrow – Sudbury
Standardized Patient Trainer
Phone: 705-662-7139
Erica Dzuba – Thunder Bay
Standardized Patient Coordinator
Phone: 807-766-7335
Julie Ktytor – Thunder Bay
Standardized Patient Coordinator
Phone: 807-766-7434
NOSM University’s Standardized Patient Program is committed to creating a culturally diverse group of SPs. While being equitable in providing work opportunities, we cannot guarantee a certain number of work hours per week.
NOSM University is Canada’s first independent medical university and one of the greatest education and physician workforce strategy success stories of Northern Ontario. More than just a medical university, it was purpose-built to address the health needs of the region. While advocating for equitable access to care, the University relies on the commitment and expertise of the peoples of Northern Ontario to educate health-care professionals to practice in Indigenous, Francophone, rural, remote and underserved communities. With a focus on diversity, inclusion and advocacy, NOSM University is an award-winning, socially accountable organization renowned for its innovative model of distributed, community-engaged education and research.