In this Mindworks in Conversation episode, Broadway performer, voice coach, and standardized patient Mary Illes explores the intersection of performance art and medical education. Drawing from her experience on stage and in clinical simulation, Illes reflects on how artistic skills such as voice, physical presence, emotional authenticity, and improvisation can help medical students become more aware, responsive, and human-centered in patient encounters.
In This Conversation
- How first impressions, posture, and vocal tone shape the way patients perceive clinicians
- Why clinical encounters can feel like a kind of performance, with trust needing to be built quickly
- How standardized patients help students practice difficult, ambiguous, or emotionally complex interactions
- The complementary relationship between artists and clinicians in medical education
- Why authenticity matters in both acting and healthcare communication
- How reflection and feedback help students move beyond checklist-driven interactions
For Illes, standardized patient work is where the tools of performance meet the realities of medical training. Actors bring close observation, emotional range, timing, and improvisation. Medical students bring clinical knowledge and the pressure of learning how to care for real people. In the simulation room, those worlds come together, giving future clinicians a place to practice not only what they say, but how they show up.
Illes also reflects on the unique role standardized patients play after the encounter ends. They are not just portraying a patient. They are also watching closely, listening for what felt natural, what created trust, and what may have caused distance. Her feedback begins with reflection, asking students to notice what went well before moving into what could be stronger.
A central theme throughout the conversation is authenticity. Illes encourages students to move beyond memorized scripts and checklist-style interactions so they can become more present with the person in front of them. Her own preparation as a performer is rooted in repetition, physical awareness, and emotional truth, all of which help a simulated encounter feel less staged and more human.
The conversation also touches on the emotional boundaries of this work. Like theater, standardized patient encounters can be intense, but they are also contained. Illes describes a clear “curtain down” moment, when the role ends and she returns to herself.
