The Standardized Teaching Assessment Resource Center provides a controlled environment where students, residents, physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals can practice their clinical skills using standardized (or actor) patients, medical simulators and task trainers under the direction of MCW faculty and staff. In the STAR Center students have the opportunity to practice interacting with and caring for patients in a safe, learning environment. By using medical simulators as they learn new procedures, students and medical professionals can make mistakes without putting patients or themselves at risk.