# Practical Strategies for Integrating Ad Hoc Simulated Participants in Emergency Medicine Education: A Faculty Guide

## TL;DR

This paper provides practical guidance for using untrained individuals as simulated patients in emergency medicine education when professional ones are unavailable.

## Contribution

The paper offers new practical strategies for integrating ad hoc simulated participants into EM education based on educator experience and best practices.

## Key findings

- Ad hoc simulated participants can be effectively used in emergency medicine education with proper preparation and support.
- Educators can follow outlined steps to recruit and deploy untrained individuals as simulated patients.
- Best practices from the Association of Standardized Patient Educators are integrated into the recommendations.

## Abstract

Standardized patients, simulated participants, and simulated patients (SPs) are essential in emergency medicine (EM) training, offering both structured and psychologically safe opportunities for learners to develop communication and interpersonal skills. With upcoming changes to the American Board of Emergency Medicine Certifying Exam, the importance of SP-based education in residency training has further increased. Yet many programs face various constraints that preclude consistent access to professionally trained SPs, including financial, scheduling, availability, or other resource limitations. As a result, many EM educators are increasingly turning to ad hoc SPs, here defined as individuals recruited from local networks who have not undergone formal SP training. This paper draws on the collective experience of EM educators who have worked extensively with both professionally trained and ad hoc SPs across undergraduate, graduate, and continuing medical education settings, as well as best practices recommended by the Association of Standardized Patient Educators. We outline practical recommendations for recruiting, preparing, deploying, and supporting ad hoc SPs for programs with limited access to professionally trained SPs.