According to multiple reports, Helena Carrè, a gynecologist at Sunderby Hospital, trains medical students in gynecological examinations with the help of professional patients. She is urging more women to become professional patients so that students can practice on real people rather than solely on dolls. Professional patients must be healthy, as the purpose is not for students to find diseases but to learn how to perform an examination. Some doctors have previously only practiced on dolls before their first real patient.
Ida Enqvist from Luleå volunteers as a professional patient for medical students to practice on. According to SVT Nyheter, Enqvist provides direct feedback to students during examinations. Doctor Mikael Mansikka, who practiced on Enqvist when he was a medical student, stated that practicing on a real person is completely different from practicing on plastic dolls.