{
  "id": 19838104,
  "title": "She gets 16 pap smears a day – so yours don’t hurt",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/13/she-gets-16-pap-smears-a-day-so-yours-dont-hurt",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-11-13T17:00:20.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Guardian Health",
    "slug": "guardian-health",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/wellness/ng-interactive/2026/nov/13/pap-smear-pain-medical-students"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Molly Callahan, a gynecological teaching assistant, assists medical students in practicing pap smears and breast exams. During her busiest days, she may experience 16 speculums being inserted into her vagina. Callahan, who is 30 years old and the president of an international association for GTAs, explains that pap smears are not meant to be painful. Despite common belief, she emphasizes that the discomfort many women feel during pap smears is not necessary. Her primary goal is to educate medical students on performing these exams without causing discomfort to patients. According to a study, a significant portion of women aged 21-29 and 30-65 have never had a pap smear due to fear, confusion, and embarrassment related to speculum discomfort. Callahan's role as a GTA helps medical students learn the necessary techniques while providing real-time feedback. GTAs were introduced to improve the ethics and educational quality of pelvic exams and pap smears in the 1970s. Callahan, who teaches at over 30 universities and hospitals, became a GTA after receiving encouragement from her mother, who noticed her aptitude for the field. During her teaching sessions, she focuses on preserving modesty while conducting exams, ensuring patients feel comfortable and informed about the process.",
  "summary": "Molly Callahan, a gynecological teaching assistant, helps medical students practice pap smears and breast exams On her busiest days, Molly Callahan, has 16 speculums inserted into her vagina. She works full-time as a gynecological teaching assistant ( GTA ) – a layperson who helps medical students practice pap smears and breast exams before they work with actual patients. It’s not as unpleasant…",
  "key_points": [
    "Molly Callahan performs 16 pap smears daily during peak times.",
    "Pap smears should not cause pain, according to Callahan.",
    "Callahan educates medical students to reduce patient discomfort."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}