Papaya: a simulation model for training in uterine aspiration.

Family medicine physicians from several residency programs received training in manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) using papayas as low-cost simulation models. Ninety-two percent of trainees (n = 26) rated the value of the simulation practice as "high," and 73% of trainees from a separate session (n = 11) reported that it would change the way they managed patients. Trainees asked to rate their perceptions before and after simulated practice (n = 16) indicated a 55% decrease in perceived difficulty of uterine evacuation and a 275% increase in procedural confidence. These preliminary measures suggest that simulation is an effective first step in teaching uterine aspiration procedures.