Grant: Master's Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Fatigue results in an increase in the number of diagnostic errors made by doctors. It affects both cognitive and motor abilities. Doctor fatigue has been connected to an increased likelihood of motor vehicle accidents, a 61% increase in needle related accidents, and increased error making in intensive care units. This is an important issue. Yet, scientific definitions of fatigue are unclear. The tools in place to measure doctor's fatigue rely on self-report. I propose to use electroencephalography (EEG) to monitor fatigue in medical students. The end goal of this project is to develop an objective, neurophysiological tool for assessing physician fatigue in the field. The Krigolson lab has developed a protocol that uses a portable EEG system to assess cognitive load, alertness, attention, and error monitoring—all factors believed to contribute to fatigue. I will use this protocol to collect data from medical students at various time points throughout a 12-hour medical simulation. In order to validate the EEG protocol as a fatigue assessment I will correlate the EEG data to with existing self-report measures. I will assess changes in the EEG components across time points. Students should become fatigued as they work through the simulation. I believe that differences in EEG components across time will be a reflection of processes that contribute to overall fatigue. It is in the community's best interest that research into medical training and performance is continuous and that measures of physician ability are as objective as possible. Better evaluation of physician fatigue will improve patient survival.