Abstract: A proximal control apparatus for providing a healthcare professional with proximal control over a guide wire and an elongated medical device, such as a catheter, installed over the catheter is disclosed. The proximal control apparatus includes a relatively short guide wire extender and a housing with a passageway for receiving the guide wire extender and a portion of an elongated medical device installed over the guide wire extender. The guide wire extender has a curvilinear configuration that corresponds to a curvilinear configuration of the passageway through the housing. These complementary configurations secure the guide wire extender within the passageway as an elongated medical instrument is installed onto and moved along the guide wire extender and a guide wire that has been coupled to a distal end of the guide wire extender.