Shawn Galin, PhD
Director - OSPE
Dr. Shawn Galin is a Professor in the Department of Medicine and serves as the Director of the Office of Standardized Patient Education (OSPE). Dr. Galin has always been passionate about education and embraced the opportunity to join the SP Center as Director back in 2015. Since then, he has overseen the transition of the operational reporting of OSPE under the Provost’s office and guided the SP Center’s efforts to achieve full accreditation through the Society of Simulation in Healthcare in 2021. He also was successful in receiving grant funding through the University of Alabama Health Service Foundation for his advocacy to enhance LGBT healthcare competencies in medical students. This, in part, earned him the prestigious UAB Lavender Award to recognize his work supporting diversity and humanism.
Dr. Galin is a true UAB alumnus. He stepped onto UAB’s campus as an undergraduate in 1986 and has never left. He credits his love for working at UAB to the unique opportunities UAB continues to provide for professional development and growth as an educator. In addition to his work in OSPE, he is a course director within the Heersink School of Medicine where he directs the Endocrinology course for second-year medical students. His numerous teaching awards are a testament to his connection to students and his drive to enhance their education. His continued passion for education and his efforts in the field of SP methodology led to him being elected as President of the international Association of SP Educators (ASPE) in 2021. Dr. Galin is currently completing his final term as President of ASPE and will continue in the organizational leadership as past-President throughout 2024. He credits a lot of his success and accomplishments in the SP world to his team and the SPs in OSPE because they continue to demonstrate excellence in all areas of the field and continually reflect best practices in action.
Dr. Shawn Galin is a Professor in the Department of Medicine and serves as the Director of the Office of Standardized Patient Education (OSPE). Dr. Galin has always been passionate about education and embraced the opportunity to join the SP Center as Director back in 2015. Since then, he has overseen the transition of the operational reporting of OSPE under the Provost’s office and guided the SP Center’s efforts to achieve full accreditation through the Society of Simulation in Healthcare in 2021. He also was successful in receiving grant funding through the University of Alabama Health Service Foundation for his advocacy to enhance LGBT healthcare competencies in medical students. This, in part, earned him the prestigious UAB Lavender Award to recognize his work supporting diversity and humanism.
Dr. Galin is a true UAB alumnus. He stepped onto UAB’s campus as an undergraduate in 1986 and has never left. He credits his love for working at UAB to the unique opportunities UAB continues to provide for professional development and growth as an educator. In addition to his work in OSPE, he is a course director within the Heersink School of Medicine where he directs the Endocrinology course for second-year medical students. His numerous teaching awards are a testament to his connection to students and his drive to enhance their education. His continued passion for education and his efforts in the field of SP methodology led to him being elected as President of the international Association of SP Educators (ASPE) in 2021. Dr. Galin is currently completing his final term as President of ASPE and will continue in the organizational leadership as past-President throughout 2024. He credits a lot of his success and accomplishments in the SP world to his team and the SPs in OSPE because they continue to demonstrate excellence in all areas of the field and continually reflect best practices in action.
Tara Edmonds, PhD
Director of Assessment
Tara Edmonds is the Director of Assessment in the Office of Standardized Patient Education (OSPE) and a Faculty Instructor in the Department of Medical Education. She holds a PhD in Molecular and Cellular Pathology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. After completion of her doctorate and post-doctoral training, Dr. Edmonds transitioned into the field of medical education where she gained industry experience assessing healthcare professional practice patterns, measuring educational outcomes, and executing needs assessments for the design of future educational initiatives. Since transitioning back to academia, her primary interests are in the optimization of the design and implementation of assessment activities, supporting educational scholarship and research related to health professional education, and overseeing the application of best practices in standardized patient methodology in the OSPE Center.
Dr. Edmonds works closely with UAB health professional educators to develop new or enhance existing simulation curriculum that includes SP-based assessment of clinical competency. She is integral to the process of case and checklist development and assessing learner outcomes to provide faculty and programs with insight into learner performance. Dr. Edmonds is responsible for process improvement and quality control in the SP center and has oversight of center policies and procedures. Her efforts in this area were central to OSPE, as part of the larger Simulation Consortium at UAB, attaining accreditation from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare.
Tara Edmonds is the Director of Assessment in the Office of Standardized Patient Education (OSPE) and a Faculty Instructor in the Department of Medical Education. She holds a PhD in Molecular and Cellular Pathology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. After completion of her doctorate and post-doctoral training, Dr. Edmonds transitioned into the field of medical education where she gained industry experience assessing healthcare professional practice patterns, measuring educational outcomes, and executing needs assessments for the design of future educational initiatives. Since transitioning back to academia, her primary interests are in the optimization of the design and implementation of assessment activities, supporting educational scholarship and research related to health professional education, and overseeing the application of best practices in standardized patient methodology in the OSPE Center.
Dr. Edmonds works closely with UAB health professional educators to develop new or enhance existing simulation curriculum that includes SP-based assessment of clinical competency. She is integral to the process of case and checklist development and assessing learner outcomes to provide faculty and programs with insight into learner performance. Dr. Edmonds is responsible for process improvement and quality control in the SP center and has oversight of center policies and procedures. Her efforts in this area were central to OSPE, as part of the larger Simulation Consortium at UAB, attaining accreditation from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare.
Zac Babb
Standardized Patient Educator II
OSPE’s longest serving staff member is Zac Babb. Zac joined the SP Center in 2005 as an SP. After serving in the role of SP for 9 years, Zac was hired in 2014 as the first SP Educator UAB’s SP Center, known as the Clinical Skills Center at that time. Zac’s talents and effective supervisory skills earned him a promotion in 2018 to SP Educator II. The role of the SP Educator in SP Center operations goes beyond training SPs for an event. The SP Educator is responsible for working with programs and faculty to design and schedule an event and provide logistical support to make effective use of learner and faculty time. The SP Educator assures are audio/visual requirements and needs are met and has ongoing supervision of all things related to IT support. The SP Educator has a supervisory role in assuring the movement of SPs and learners in and out of clinic rooms adheres to the time allotted in the event design. They essentially orchestrate the symphony of human players as the move around in and out of character during formative and summative assessments. Zac continues to work closely with schools and programs to assure quality events are scheduled and trained for. He continues to pursue professional development opportunities to hone his skills. Finally, Zac, due to his time spent in the SP Center, has a great working relationship with all the ~90 SPs currently employed by OSPE which is a huge asset to OSPEs continued success.
OSPE’s longest serving staff member is Zac Babb. Zac joined the SP Center in 2005 as an SP. After serving in the role of SP for 9 years, Zac was hired in 2014 as the first SP Educator UAB’s SP Center, known as the Clinical Skills Center at that time. Zac’s talents and effective supervisory skills earned him a promotion in 2018 to SP Educator II. The role of the SP Educator in SP Center operations goes beyond training SPs for an event. The SP Educator is responsible for working with programs and faculty to design and schedule an event and provide logistical support to make effective use of learner and faculty time. The SP Educator assures are audio/visual requirements and needs are met and has ongoing supervision of all things related to IT support. The SP Educator has a supervisory role in assuring the movement of SPs and learners in and out of clinic rooms adheres to the time allotted in the event design. They essentially orchestrate the symphony of human players as the move around in and out of character during formative and summative assessments. Zac continues to work closely with schools and programs to assure quality events are scheduled and trained for. He continues to pursue professional development opportunities to hone his skills. Finally, Zac, due to his time spent in the SP Center, has a great working relationship with all the ~90 SPs currently employed by OSPE which is a huge asset to OSPEs continued success.
Tanci Clark
Standardized Patient Educator
Tanci holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from The University of Alabama and is a certified phlebotomy technician. Tanci has experience in various healthcare settings and teaching environments. She has over 12 years’ experience as an SP and case trainer. In her role, she is responsible for overseeing the execution of OSPE events, including case development with program faculty and staff, SP training, as well as assisting with ongoing OSPE quality control efforts and assuring a safe learning environment. Tanci is a strong advocate for personalized patient care and is excited for the opportunity to work with OSPE stakeholders, learners, and SPs to continue to improve the overall quality of OSPE educational and assessment activities.
Tanci holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from The University of Alabama and is a certified phlebotomy technician. Tanci has experience in various healthcare settings and teaching environments. She has over 12 years’ experience as an SP and case trainer. In her role, she is responsible for overseeing the execution of OSPE events, including case development with program faculty and staff, SP training, as well as assisting with ongoing OSPE quality control efforts and assuring a safe learning environment. Tanci is a strong advocate for personalized patient care and is excited for the opportunity to work with OSPE stakeholders, learners, and SPs to continue to improve the overall quality of OSPE educational and assessment activities.
John Andrews III
Program Manager II
John holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from UAB. Mr. Andrews has successful sales and managerial experience within the marketing, advertising and media industries. He originally began with the SP Program as a standardized patient in 2008, but left for another full-time employment opportunity in marketing. After a few years of job relocations out-of-state, Mr. Andrews returned to Alabama, and his alma mater, and joined the OSPE team in the capacity of Program Manager II.
In his role, John is primarily responsible for supply management, financial data tracking and SP payroll. He also leads OSPE’s recruitment, hiring and training efforts in onboarding new SPs. During events, John assists with event quality control by evaluating SP role portrayal and providing feedback to the SPs. John collaborates with all of the OSPE staff in tracking event data for OSPE clients. John continues to pursue professional development opportunities, in addition to all of his job duties.
John holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from UAB. Mr. Andrews has successful sales and managerial experience within the marketing, advertising and media industries. He originally began with the SP Program as a standardized patient in 2008, but left for another full-time employment opportunity in marketing. After a few years of job relocations out-of-state, Mr. Andrews returned to Alabama, and his alma mater, and joined the OSPE team in the capacity of Program Manager II.
In his role, John is primarily responsible for supply management, financial data tracking and SP payroll. He also leads OSPE’s recruitment, hiring and training efforts in onboarding new SPs. During events, John assists with event quality control by evaluating SP role portrayal and providing feedback to the SPs. John collaborates with all of the OSPE staff in tracking event data for OSPE clients. John continues to pursue professional development opportunities, in addition to all of his job duties.