Transforming clinical reasoning—the role of AI in supporting human cognitive limitations

Clinical reasoning is foundational to medical practice, requiring clinicians to synthesise complex information, recognise patterns, and apply causal reasoning to reach accurate diagnoses and guide patient management. However, human cognition is inherently limited by factors such as limitations in working memory capacity, constraints in cognitive load, a general reliance on heuristics; with an inherent vulnerability to biases including anchoring, availability bias, and premature closure. Cognitive fatigue and cognitive overload, particularly apparent in high-pressure environments, further compromise diagnostic accuracy and efficiency. Artificial intelligence (AI) presents a transformative opportunity to…

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  Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland