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Introduction: Residents traditionally acquire surgical skills through on-the-job training. Minimally invasive laparoscopic techniques present additional demands to master complex surgical procedures in a remote 2-dimensional venue. We examined the effectiveness of a brief warm-up laparoscopic simulation toward improving operative proficiency. Methods: Using a “Poor-Man's Laparoscopy Simulator,” 12 Ob/Gyn residents and 12 medical students were allocated 10 minutes to transfer 30 tablets with a 5-mm grasper from point A to point B via laparoscopic visualization in a warm-up exercise. Participants repeated the exercise following a 5-minute pause. Mean scores, expressed in seconds/tablet, and overall improvement (percentage difference between warm-up and follow-up) were analyzed according to postgraduate standing (PGY1-4), dexterity skills, and pertinent vocational activities. Results: Significant improvements were noted for both residents (+25%) and medical students (+29%), P