The importance of theory and method: A brief reflection on an innovative program of research examining how situational factors influence physicians’ clinical reasoning

Clinical reasoning, a complex process that involves gathering and synthesizing information to make diagnostic and treatment decisions, is a topic researchers frequently study to mitigate errors. Scientific reasoning has several similarities with clinical reasoning, including the need to generate hypotheses; observe, gather, and interpret evidence; engage in the process of elimination; draw conclusions; and refine and test new hypotheses. However, researchers have only recently begun to take into consideration the role that situational factors (also known as contextual factors), such as language barriers or the lack of diagnostic test results, can play in diagnostic error. Additionally, questions remain about the best ways to teach these complex processes.