Newsletters

We will release semi-annual newsletters to bring information forward to our SPs. Each release will be emailed to all SPs, posted in the SP Waiting Room, or you can look through our archive of SPP Newsletters.

Policies & Procedures

Please review our Policies & Procedures Manual for Standardized Patients (SPs):

Download Policies & Procedures Manual for Standardized Patients (SPs)

If any updates are made to the manual, all SPs will receive the revisions by email, and an updated version will be maintained on this website.

Feedback manual

As an SP, you will regularly be asked to provide feedback. We have prepared a Guide to Effective Feedback for Standardized Patients to assist you, in addition to the sessions you have been asked to attend:

Download Guide to Effective Feedback for Standardized Patients

Demographic Descriptions and Demands

When we speak of demographics, we are addressing the gender, age, and other physical requirements of a given scenario. For example, some cases require a certain body type, or the SP must not have a particular existing health condition.

The amount of SP bookings we offer are driven by our users, whether that be University Programs, or external agencies. The SP Program itself does not determine the demographics required for any scenario, nor the demand for those scenarios. Unfortunately, this results in us not being able to guarantee any SP a set number of hours. The position of an SP is that of a "casual" employee, and the offerings of work can vary greatly.

Maps and directions to other sites

On occasion, SPs will be requested at locations other than McMaster University Medical Centre. Below you can find directions from McMaster to some of our most used locations.

• Map and directions to Juravinski Hospital (Henderson)
• Map and directions to McMaster Niagara Regional Campus
• Map and directions to McMaster Waterloo Regional Campus
• Map and directions to Mohawk College — Fennell Campus
• Map and directions to St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton's West 5th Campus
• Map and directions to St. Joseph's Healthcare's Charlton Campus (St. Joseph's Hospital)
• Map and directions to West End Clinic — McMaster Family Practice
• Map and directions to West Lincoln Memorial Hospital

Pay Schedule

For questions regarding deposit dates and pay periods, please see McMaster’s payroll schedule. Deposits for SPs are made on the dates indicated as "Staff Payday".

Further payroll questions should be directed to spadmin@mcmaster.ca

Parking Pass Information

SPs are provided parking passes when coming to the CSBL, or simulation anywhere on campus. These passes are only accepted in the underground parking lot, so please ensure that is where you park. Passes must be signed out from the front desk in the CSBL, and will be allocated based on the length of time you were scheduled for, plus 30 minutes to allow for parking and sign in time.

If you are asked to simulate off campus, you will be required to pay up front, and then provide your receipt to the SP office for reimbursement. You will be provided with cash once a receipt is supplied to us. (No more waiting for an expense report to be processed!)

What do we mean by "External vs. Internal"?

Frequently you will hear the SPP staff talking about "internal" and "external" functions. To clarify, internal are considered to be programs within the University (E.g. Medical school, nursing etc.). External events are those which the SPP is contracted for, such as the Medical Council of Canada exams. You will be informed upon booking offer if you are being asked to participate in an external function, and further details will be provided regarding payroll etc.