Standardized Patient Actor for Simulations (Pool)

Job Position(s): Standardized Patient Actor for Simulations (Pool)

The University of North Carolina Wilmington is hiring a Standardized Patient Actor for Simulations (Pool) based in Wilmington, NC. This role sits within UNCW’s School of Nursing Simulation Learning Center, where actors portray patients and other individuals in scripted medical scenarios used for nursing instruction, skills practice, and clinical evaluation. It suits performers with stage or screen experience who are comfortable working within structured educational performance settings and taking direction from simulation faculty.

About the Role

The Simulation Learning Center operates as its own rehearsal and production environment, matching actors to case scenarios that mirror real clinical encounters used in healthcare training programs. A typical session involves reviewing a scripted patient case, receiving direction on character presentation, and performing that role live in front of nursing students during simulation exercises. All encounters are non-invasive, with no needles, tubes, or scalpels involved, and the center follows standards set by the Association of Standardized Patient Educators.

Key Responsibilities

• Portray assigned patient characters or other individuals within scripted simulation scenarios developed for nursing student instruction and evaluation.
• Prepare for each case by studying character background, symptoms, and behavioral cues provided in simulation scripts prior to each session.
• Deliver consistent, repeatable performances across multiple simulation runs so that each nursing student receives a comparable training experience.
• Wear hospital gowns or provided costume pieces as required by the scenario, with personal clothing permitted underneath for coverage.
• Participate in pre-simulation briefings and post-session debriefs with simulation faculty to ensure scenario accuracy and performance notes are addressed.
• Follow all Simulation Learning Center health and safety protocols, including the use of dedicated equipment for any items that make contact with the body.

What You Bring

• Performance background in theater, film, television, or educational simulation work.
• Ability to take detailed character direction and maintain consistency across repeated scripted performances.
• Comfort in a clinical simulation environment and willingness to portray medical conditions or distressed patient states.
• Availability for flexible scheduling, as work hours and days are determined by department need.

Why This Role

UNCW’s School of Nursing is a program operating within an R2-designated research university with a significant healthcare education footprint, giving actors consistent simulation performance work in a structured, professional setting. This is a temporary, pool position with a closing date of July 30, 2027, and the length of each assignment is based on department need with the possibility of continuation. Compensation is $17 per hour.

Apply now for the Standardized Patient Actor for Simulations (Pool) position at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and bring your performance skills into a healthcare education environment that values professional, prepared actors.