A Pediatric- and Adolescent-Focused Medication Abortion Curriculum for Multidisciplinary Trainees

Date of Review: January, 2026

This resource, from MedED PORTAL, teaches medication abortion for adolescents and young adults to pediatric trainees, including residents, nurse practitioner students, and medical students. The curriculum uses a flipped-classroom model with four brief (6-10 minute) asynchronous video modules followed by a 2-hour facilitated workshop that combines short didactics, values clarification exercise, small-group case discussions, and role-play. Because the authors provide ready-to-use video modules, slides, facilitator guides, and learner resources, this curriculum could be readily adapted as a modular component within existing clinical education programs and experiences. Strengths include its focus on areas often underrepresented in general abortion curricula, such as adolescent-specific barriers to accessing abortion care, developmental considerations, and confidentiality. The use of multiple learning modalities, particularly case-based role-play, supports skill building rather than knowledge acquisition alone. Additional strengths include its grounding in Kern’s Six Steps and Social Cognitive Theory, its multidisciplinary learner and facilitator design, and the well-organized curricular materials that support dissemination. A limitation is that the curriculum is likely to function best in settings where abortion care is legally feasible and supported; however, the authors attempt to address this constraint by incorporating harm-reduction content focused on caring for patients after self-managed abortion and by providing national referral resources. An additional limitation is that the curriculum’s impact on provider intentions to provide and advocate for medication abortion is unclear, given already high baseline intentions among participants and reliance on self-reported measures rather than observed clinical behaviors. –Gayane Archer, MD, NCEAS

Corresponding Author’s Email:

chelsea.garnett@ucsf.edu

Institution:

University of California San Francisco

Where was the Curriculum Implemented:

San Francisco, California

Relevant Specialty:

OBGYN/Womens Health, Pediatrics

Outcomes that Have Been Reported for the Curriculum:

Learner Satisfaction or reaction

Self-reported learner attitude

Measured in learner knowledge

Outcome and Study Design:

Pre/Post

Level of Learner Assessment

Knowledge Acquisition (MCQ, IRAT, GRAT)