The future of simulated patient methodology

This chapter summarizes our views of current and future advances in simulated patient (SP) methodology. We advocate for SP methodology being underpinned by a professional workforce, with increasingly complex, challenging and nuanced practices. We discuss some of the tensions in the SP methodology when those who are portraying roles are also examining, lecturing or supervising learners and suggest that this is an important area for future research. The chapter proposes that significant opportunities for enhanced patient-centred practice will be achieved by the inclusion of real patients in scenario development and the increasing presence of SP methodology in practice environments. Finally, we describe a range of shifting boundaries, technological and pedagogical, before suggesting ‘simulated participant’ (SP) as a more inclusive term.