Presenter

Tara Cohen, PhD, is the Director of Surgical Safety and Human Factors Research at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. She is a research scientist and associate professor in the Department of Surgery and also serves as the Director of Simulation Research.

Dr. Cohen earned her PhD in Human Factors from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, in 2017. Her research focuses on understanding how humans interact with complex systems to enhance safety, efficiency, and well-being in healthcare. She has received funding from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the Henry Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, and industry partners to investigate technology integration in surgery, patient experience during and after surgical care, psychosocial safety for transgender and nonbinary patients, and teamwork in high-stakes surgical environments.

Dr. Cohen is the editor of Human Factors in Surgery: Enhancing Safety and Flow in Patient Care and has authored over 50 publications and delivered more than 100 national and international presentations. She is also the Co-Chair of the International Symposium on Human Factors and Ergonomics in Healthcare and a founding member of the Society for Surgical Ergonomics.