The other way to train medics is to have them practice a skill so many times that it becomes automatic. So when the prefrontal cortex goes AWOL, when reasoning drops away, muscle memory, one hopes, will persist.
In Mary Roach's book "Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War," she discusses a unique approach to training medics that emphasizes repetitive practice. By having medics repeatedly perform specific skills, they develop muscle memory that can be relied upon in high-pressure situations when cognitive functions may fail. This method aims to ensure that essential medical procedures become second nature for the medics.
Roach highlights the significance of muscle memory in...