Bread and Circuses

Physicians like to sleep in scientific meetings, but when and why? Kenneth Rockwood, David B. Hogan and Christopher J. Patterson for The Nodding at Presentations (NAP) Investigators publish a crucial piece in the online Canadian Medical Association Journal, entitled "Incidence of and risk factors for nodding off at scientific sessions," in which they:

conducted a surreptitious, prospective, cohort study to explore how often physicians nod off during scientific meetings and to examine risk factors for nodding off. After counting the number of heads falling forward during 2 days of lectures, we calculated the incidence density curves for nodding-off episodes per lecture (NOELs) and assessed risk factors using logistic regression analysis. In this article we report our eye-opening results and suggest ways speakers can try to avoid losing their audience.

Despite their known inefficiency, lectures ("a means of transferring notes from the pages of the speaker to the pages of the audience, without going through the mind of either") continue to predominate as a means of helping physicians learn their trade. At a recent 2-day lecture series, we noticed that many of the attendees around us were nodding off, including one of our coauthors (C.J.P.). After awakening him, we decided to study the boredom itself by measuring how often physicians nodded off during the lectures and assessing risk factors for this behaviour.

[thanks Paul Wolpe]