Objective　To investigate the current situation of standardized patient programs and standardized patient educators in China

and to analyze the existing problems in the implementation. Methods　Questionnaire survey was used in this study. The questionnaire was made by Delphi method

and distributed via E-mails or through the internet to medical colleges

affiliated hospitals and general hospitals across the country. Microsoft Office Excel 2016 was used for data reduction and analysis and cartography. Results　A total of 94 medical colleges and hospitals of 27 provinces and municipalities participated in the survey

of which 43.62% had carried out standardized patient programs. The primary factor affecting the program implementation was the lack of standardized patient educators. The existing trainers were mainly clinicians or nurses

and the main way of training the educators was to send them to other universities for learning. A majority of respondents (94.68%) think it is necessary to establish and formulate a unified national certification system for standardized patient educators. Conclusion　The development of standardized patient program is unbalanced in China

and the lack of standardized patient educators has become the primary factor restricting the development. In order to make standardized patients a greater role in medical education

we should encourage different types of personnel to join in the standardized patient training team

to clarify the responsibilities of standardized patient educators

to standardize the process of trainers training

and to establish the certification system of standardized patient educators.