Welcome to the Simulation, Affect, Innovation, Learning, and Surgery Lab!
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Our research, directed by Prof. Jason M. Harley, Ph.D., aims to enhance surgical and health professions education and support health care workers by reducing adverse events and inefficiencies, especially those associated with the incidence of undesirable and unregulated emotions, burnout, and harassment. We apply psychological and educational theories using interdisciplinary research methods and leverage a wide range of technologies, including virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI), to support the development of health professions competencies with novel technology-enhanced educational interventions and simulations. Our interdisciplinary research draws on mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative) that include both objective (e.g., skin conductance, facial recognition software, eyetracking) and subjective (self-report instruments, semi-structured interviews) measures of emotion and cognition that help us assess a variety of surgical and health professions competencies.
Our research supporting emotions and training using biometrics, AI, VR, and simulation applies not only to healthcare training on earth, but outer space! Check out a recent McGill article about early work with the Canadian Space Agency Dr. Harley is a part of here.
Current Research Projects:
Learn more about the below ongoing research projects led by Prof. Harley or our completed research projects on AI in surgery and healthcare professional’s psychological well-being during the pandemic.
- Advancing scientific understanding and best practice concerning the individual and collaborative regulation of emotions and cognitive processes in team-based health professions simulation training.
- Implementing and evaluating virtual simulation and haptic robotic technology in dental students’ training at McGill.
- Developing and evaluating high-fidelity simulation scenarios for medical residents to practice combatting harassment and support psychological safety.
- Implementing and evaluating virtual simulation technology within medical and nursing students’ training at McGill.
