4 Responses to This Article Has Moved On

  1. Karen Merritt November 14, 2017 at 4:54 pm #

    A fantastic “survival” job for an actor is working as a standardized patient at a medical school. Pay varies, depending on if you are with a medical school or private company, but it is a field where acting skills can come in handy. And it is very flexible. Many actors in my area do this kind of work, so the job also becomes a way to network with other actors. Yeah, we got a lot of jokes about the job being like that Seinfeld episode where Kramer portrays a patient, but it is not quite like that. The main part of the job is portraying believable patients for medical students who can then practice their communication skills with you. Medical students can practice all kinds of situations – like dealing with an angry patient, breaking horrible news, learning how to show respect to others, and expressing empathy. I’ve portrayed a very wide range of patients, and it is the kind of job where you feel like you are making a difference in the world.

    • David H. Lawrence XVII November 14, 2017 at 5:01 pm #

      Awesome suggestion, Karen! Thank you! Any leads on where actors can audition/apply/get more info? Is it through the hospital or university?

      • Karen Merritt November 14, 2017 at 6:30 pm #

        Google “standardized patients” and you will see a ton of universities that pop up. Also, some hospital networks hire directly, too. Another term used is “simulated patient.” There are private standardized patient companies, too, and those jobs often pay at a higher rate. Standardized patients are used for disaster relief training, psych training, nursing schools, dental schools, pharmacy and physician assistant schools. I did this job for nine years at University of Pittsburgh’s School of Medicine, and was on the training team, until I switched more fully over into voiceover work. I will probably get back to SP work someday.

  2. jeffrey.gitelle December 13, 2017 at 2:40 pm #

    Hello,
    Yes, I work as a Standardized Patient in Boston. I second what Karen Merritt wrote. If anyone needs some inside info into the Boston market, feel free to track me down.