Medicine for the wandering mind: mind wandering in medical practice

Medical Education 2011: 45: 1072–1080 Context Mind wandering – defined as a cognitive focus on information that is unrelated to immediate sensory input or the task at hand – is a ubiquitous characteristic of the human condition. When it occurs, the integrity of a wide range of cognitive skills can be compromised. Objectives The current paper describes the phenomenon of mind wandering, explores its potential role in medical practice and considers...