Standardized Clients

Touchstone Institute looks for SCs with the following skills:

• Strong verbal communication
• Ability to convey ideas and emotions
• Reliable, courteous, non-judgemental and professional
• Accepts constructive feedback and adjusts accordingly
• Ability to follow detailed instructions and reproduce simulation consistently
• Experience scoring or providing feedback to participants
• Improvisational skills

Touchstone Institute recruits SCs for a number of clinical roles:

• History taking roles unfold as a conversation between the examinee (or learner) and the SC in a clinical setting. The examinee asks the SC questions and the SC answers based on information provided in a script.
• Physical roles can be either non-invasive or invasive. All SCs will be trained on what type of physical assessments may occur with the examinee. Most of these roles require the SCs to wear a hospital gown.
• High affect roles deal with sensitive material. SCs may be required to cry or simulate behaviours associated with depression or other mental health diagnoses.

Touchstone Institute recruits SCs for a number of non-clinical roles:

• Conversational roles are conducted in the context of a normal conversation between an SC and the examinee, where the examinee is required to ask questions and collect information from the SC.
• Conversational role under emotional circumstances requires the SC to display emotions such as sadness, anger, exasperation or frustration.

1. Training: Approximately three weeks prior to an exam, Touchstone Institute hosts a 90-minute training session. SCs receive a script and a Trainer standardizes the role with the group.
2. Dry Run: Approximately a week before an exam, SCs complete a 60- to 90-minute dry run of the exam with a lead examiner. This is an opportunity for all SCs from a station to finish standardizing the affect and station content. During the dry run, the lead examiner plays the role of a variety of examinees, giving all SCs an opportunity to watch and experience a wide range of encounters. These varied interactions allow SCs to be better prepared. All SCs must come to the dry run prepared and ready to be off-script at this point in order to work the exam day. Attendance at the dry run is mandatory.
3. Exam Day: It all comes together on exam day. SCs perform a final dry run with the examiner assigned to their station. Once completed, examinees are brought to the testing rooms and the assessment is ready to begin.