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Call for papers - Navigating uncertainty in medical decision-making

Guest Editor

Peter Musaeus, PhD, Aarhus University, Denmark

Submission Status: Open   |   Submission Deadline: 5 September 2025

BMC Medical Education is inviting submissions for a Collection entitled Navigating uncertainty in medical decision-making. This Collection seeks to explore the multifaceted challenges and opportunities that arise when healthcare professionals confront uncertainty in clinical settings. We aim to broaden the understanding of how medical education can better prepare clinicians and healthcare students to deal with the unknown, and how decision-making processes can be optimized under conditions of incomplete information.

Meet the Guest Editor

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Peter Musaeus, PhD, Aarhus University, Denmark

Dr Peter Musaeus works as an Associate Professor at the Centre for Educational Development, Aarhus University, where he specializes in both teacher training and health science student learning. With a focus on sociocultural educational theories, Peter earned his PhD from Aarhus University, concentrating on apprenticeship learning, transformational learning, and later, curriculum development. His work experience includes roles such as a clinical psychologist at Aarhus University Hospital, researcher in Engineering Psychology at Aalborg University, and a visiting professorship at the Institute for Simulation and Training, University of Central Florida, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and LMU, Munich University. Dr Musaeus is actively engaged in research on computational learning and team learning, and is currently focusing on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) and reflective teaching practices within the university.

About the Collection

BMC Medical Education is inviting submissions for a Collection entitled Navigating uncertainty in medical decision-making. This Collection seeks to explore the multifaceted challenges and opportunities that arise when healthcare professionals confront uncertainty in clinical settings. We aim to broaden the understanding of how medical education can better prepare clinicians and healthcare students to deal with the unknown, and how decision-making processes can be optimized under conditions of incomplete information.

In the practice of medicine, clinicians are often faced with ambiguous situations, where clear evidence may be lacking, patient preferences may be complex, and risks are hard to quantify. In these moments of uncertainty, the ability to navigate effectively can define the quality of care, influencing outcomes for patients and shaping the experience of healthcare professionals.

While uncertainty in healthcare is inevitable, its consequences are deeply felt. Medical professionals, from students to seasoned clinicians, must balance scientific evidence with clinical judgment, patient values, and ethical considerations. The complexity of these decisions can be compounded by the rapid evolution of medical knowledge, technological advancements, and the increasing pressures within healthcare systems.

In this Collection, we are particularly interested in contributions that address questions such as:

  • How can medical curricula be adapted to equip future healthcare professionals with the tools to handle uncertainty effectively?
  • What cognitive strategies or frameworks can be employed to improve decision-making when evidence is limited?
  • How does the experience of uncertainty impact the mental health and professional development of clinicians, and how can institutions provide support?
  • What role do patients and their preferences play in shared decision-making under conditions of uncertainty?
  • Can digital tools, artificial intelligence, or other innovations help clinicians manage uncertain situations better?


We welcome both theoretical and practical contributions that provide new insights into the educational, psychological, and systemic dimensions of uncertainty in medical practice. This collection seeks to foster dialogue across disciplines, bringing together diverse perspectives from clinical educators, healthcare professionals, ethicists, psychologists, and policymakers.

All manuscripts submitted to this journal, including those submitted to collections and special issues, are assessed in line with our editorial policies and the journal’s peer review process. Reviewers and editors are required to declare competing interests and can be excluded from the peer review process if a competing interest exists.

Image credit: © sudok1 / stock.adobe.com

  1. Pathology reports serve as the primary communication tool between pathologists and clinicians, directly influencing clinical decision-making and treatment strategies. Despite their critical role, medical stude...

    Authors: Fariba Abbasi, Parvin Ayremlu and Zahra Niazkhani
    Citation: BMC Medical Education 2025 25:490
    Content type: Research Published on:

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Research Articles. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select "Navigating uncertainty in medical decision-making" from the dropdown menu.

All manuscripts submitted to this journal, including those submitted to collections and special issues, are assessed in line with our editorial policies and the journal’s peer review process. Reviewers and editors are required to declare competing interests and can be excluded from the peer review process if a competing interest exists.