Video Games hone surgical skills, boost mental acuity, and are far from frivolous: Elon Musk on Joe Rogan podcast

Elon Musk, during his appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience, passionately refuted the common perception of video games as mere entertainment. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO, who revealed he dedicated significant time to Quake during his college years, contended that gaming offers substantial cognitive advantages, going so far as to suggest its integration into medical training.

Musk described how playing challenging video games provides a form of "mental calibration." "If I play a video game on Extreme difficulty... I have to concentrate fully on the game," Musk explained, adding that this intense focus "has a calming effect" and allows him to assess his mental sharpness. "If I...play badly...I'm like 10% below what I should be," he stated, illustrating how gaming performance can reflect cognitive state.

Rogan brought up a study showcasing the positive impact of gaming on surgeons, noting that those who regularly played video games made significantly fewer errors during surgery. Musk emphatically agreed, "If somebody's epic at video games... I'd say their surgical skill is going to be very good." He attributed this to the demanding hand-eye coordination, rapid reaction time, and complex multitasking demanded by games like Starcraft and Quake, all of which are transferable to the operating room.

Musk delved into the intricacies of these skills, saying, “In order to be good at [fast-paced] video games…look at this, 32% fewer errors, 24% faster and scored 26% better overall than their non-player colleagues. You've got like 10 milliseconds to react…and if your keystrokes…are wrong, you lose the game.” He even suggested, perhaps slightly tongue-in-cheek, that video games should become a prerequisite in medical schools. "If somebody's like top ranked…and they’re a surgeon, I'd be like plus plus one plus two type of thing,” Musk joked, underscoring his belief in the powerful link between gaming prowess and real-world skills.