Kaplan Center

The Robert J. Kaplan, M.D. Clinical Skills Center (CSC) is a place for teaching, assessment, and improvement of clinical skills and communication for future health care professionals. Clinical skills include physical examination, medical history taking, and interpersonal communication skills. Through the use of standardized patients (SPs), students have the opportunity for hands-on experience. The program uses standardized patients to provide realistic clinical experience to students in risk-free, simulated patient situations, and also allows students to get immediate feedback on these skills.

The CSC was established in the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) College of Medicine (COM) in 1999 and was housed in various locations on campus. In 2018 the CSC became part of the UTHSC Center for Healthcare Improvement and Patient Simulation (CHIPS) and moved to the new simulation facility at 26 S Dunlap Street.

Programming at the CSC focuses on enhancing students’ ability to take patient histories, perform physical exams, and communicate effectively with patients, as well as to assess the students’ achievement of clinical skills and professional values.