Thursday, 21 February 2019
by Eliana Christoforou, Simulated Patients’ Coordinator
On 1 November 2018, the Medical School successfully organised its first Simulated Patients’ (SPs’) Conference. The half-day conference was attended by current and newly recruited simulated patients, in addition to the relevant faculty and staff.
Professor Alexia Papageorgiou, Chair of the Centre of Medical Education chaired the conference.
Ms Eliana Christoforou, who had recently been appointed to the position of ‘Simulated Patients Coordinator’, presented the overall scope of the SP programme, and explained her new role. She outlined the programme’s policies and procedures, and she explained the logistics behind the allocation of SPs to teaching and assessment sessions.
Professor Papageorgiou delivered a refresher session on ‘How to provide feedback’, followed by an opportunity for the participants to mingle and to exchange ideas.
In the last hour of the conference, there was an open session during which the participants were able to raise questions and to discuss issues of mutual interest with members of faculty and staff who are actively involved with the SP programme.
Overall, the conference helped to introduce and elucidate the new policies and procedures that have been put in place for the SP programme, and to create a platform for a constructive and collaborative relationship between SPs and the Medical School.