The Simulation, Affect, Innovation, Learning, & Surgery Lab (SAILS)
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
Our research supporting emotions & training using biometrics, AI, VR, & simulation applies not only to healthcare training on earth, but outer space!
Check out the new Canadian Space Agency-funded Research Project, C-STARS: Studying mental well-being in space. Prof. Harley is one of the investigators.
Check out this McGill article about the Steinberg Centre for Simulation and Interactive Learning hosting the Canadian Space Agency’s Health Beyond Initiative.
Visit to the Canadian Space Agency for inaugural C-STARS research meeting: Jennifer Stellar (U of T.) Jelena Brcic (UFV), and Jason M. Harley (McGill U.).
Current research:
Prof. Harley is conducting the following research projects:
- Developing and evaluating high-fidelity simulation scenarios for medical residents to practice combatting harassment and support psychological safety.
- 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.
- Investigating connections between astronauts’ stress, coping strategies, meaningful work, and transcendental emotions on the International Space Station.
Check out our completed research projects on AI in surgery, health literacy, healthcare professional’s psychological well-being during the pandemic, and more.
