Karen Reynolds

Karen Reynolds is Manager, Interactive Studies Unit, Institute of Clinical Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK

Keynote 3: Focus on Standardized Patients

The Interactive Studies Unit at the University of Birmingham, UK has worked with role players since the early 1990’s. Over the last 15 years the programme has expanded and now incorporates ACEs and GTAs.
Who are they and what do they do?
Is it difficult to start a GTA programme?
Where is the SP methodology going in the future?
How is it expanding?
The Birmingham SPs work with medical, dental, pharmacy, physician associate and veterinary students, as well as qualified health professionals. How can other programmes expand in a similar way?
This talk will look at these questions and will explain how they were recruited, trained and what they currently do within the ISU.

Karen Reynolds (née Barry) is the Manager for the Interactive Studies Unit (ISU) at the University of Birmingham, UK. The (ISU) offers teaching of the highest quality in communication and related areas, utilising SP methodology, for health professionals and undertake research of the highest quality, which can inform our teaching and educational understanding.
Karen completed a BA in Communication Processes and went on to do some TEFL teaching in Taiwan before she arrived in Birmingham, UK.
Karen started working with the ISU in 2001 as the Administrator and over the first few years there she developed her role and pursued some educational interests. Karen’s educational interests are working with simulated patients and integrating clinical communication teaching with clinical skills teaching. Karen is educational lead for the Gynaecological Teaching Associate programme at the University of Birmingham, which she set up in 2007 with clinical colleagues.
Currently Karen is an Executive member of ASPiH (Association of Simulated Practice in Healthcare) and is an active member of the SP SIG (Special Interest Group). Karen was the Vice-President of Operations for ASPE (Association of Standardized/Simulated Patient Educators) for 2014-2015. She is also a past Chair of ASPE’s International Committee. Through Karen’s interest in human simulation and her international perspective she has worked on the SSH Certification Committee and the Terminology and Concepts Committee.