I, Patient: Performance Practices in Medical Simulation at Hôpital Montfort

Abstract

Abstract: This article compares the performative experiences of medical simulation participants who train with both standardized patients (SPs)—actors trained in patient simulation—and android patient simulators. Training participants may be doctors, nurses, or other medical personnel. A brief history of medical simulation is provided, covering both human and artificial patient simulation. Additional simulation elements, such as the training environment and medical moulage (makeup), are also discussed in relation to the heightened realism they bring to scenarios. A case study then follows, outlining medical simulation practices currently employed at the Montfort Hospital simulation lab, as well as individual staff roles. Practical and theoretical advantages and disadvantages of human versus android patient simulators are examined, as are the performative elements that each presents. The article concludes with a brief look at future developments in the field of medical simulation at the Montfort Hospital and abroad.