FAKED SICKHave you ever ?

Recent statistics say that more than half of Canadians have faked an illness to get out of work or other commitments this year. For some, it’s a psychological disorder - at the extreme end, it’s Munchausen Syndrome - and it can cost the medical system hundreds of thousands of dollars every year.

But for Michelle MacFadyn, faking sick has become a fun and rewarding mini-career.

Michelle (pictured bottom left) is one of 200 standardized patients (SP) with the Health Sciences Education and Research Commons (HSERC) at the University of Alberta. For the last four years, she has been working with health sciences students, playing the role of a patient and acting out numerous scenarios to help students gain clinical experience - before they interact with actual patients.

“I absolutely love it,” she says with a laugh. “I think, deep down, I always wanted to be a movie star, so being a standardized patient is a great outlet for that kind of creativity. And I love that I’m helping new medical professionals gain confidence and the skills they’ll need in their careers. It’s a win-win - for me, it’s great fun, and for them it’s a great learning experience.”

And for HSERC, it’s an excellent fit with the values of the Health Sciences Council. “The standardized patient program is a really authentic learning experience for students in nearly all of the health science programs, from medicine and nursing to pharmacy and nutrition,” says JoAnne Davies, education manager with HSERC. “Simulated learning is a powerful experience for students. It helps them learn empathy as well as clinical skills. As part of IntD 410 [the interprofessional course all health students are required to take] we set up three opportunities for students to interact with standardized patients. In many instances, it will be the first time students interact with each other and with patients in a clinical setting, and it is such an important first step for students to deal with actors in this way before they interact with real patients.”

The standardized patient is given a role to perform, with a detailed outline of the patient’s issues, and it can often be a learning experience for the SP as well as the student. “That’s one of my favorite parts of being an SP,” Michelle says. “I learn a lot about what it takes to be a good clinician, and I think it’s made me more empowered to act as an advocate in my own health care. I understand more about the process from the professional’s standpoint, so I’m better equipped to give them what they need, which benefits us both.”

JoAnne DaviesEducation Manager,

HSERC

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?Truly a community endeavor, the standardized patient program also extends beyond the borders of the University of Alberta, and works with other institutions like NAIT, MacEwan University and Norquest College. “We contract a lot of business with the licensing exams,” says Pam Rock, associate director with HSERC. The exams truly put the ‘standardized’ into the standardized patient program, as actors are required to give identical performances to each student, in order for grading to be accurate. “While it can be great fun for the SPs, it really is hard work,” Pam says. “They have to stay in character for long hours, and they have to be very consistent in their performances. It can be emotionally draining.”

Pam RockAssociate Director,

HSERC

But Michelle welcomes the challenge. “I truly enjoy the interaction,” she says. “I think the most challenging part of doing the exams is not being tempted to help the students out a little - sometimes they’re so nervous, I just want to give them a hug and tell them they’re doing well. But obviously I can’t do that. So that’s where the challenge is for me. Yes, it’s tiring, but it fuels me. I feel like I’m contributing to something important, which is just one reason why I love it.”

Not bad for a day’s work.

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