Non-invasive brain scans could one day be used to assess workers' competence on the job. In a new study, researchers have pinpointed key differences in the brain activity of skilled surgeons compared to novices – enough that they were able to distinguish between the two based on the scans. The findings could pave the way for more accurate methods of measuring performance among surgeons and other highly skilled professionals. In a new study, researchers have pinpointed key differences in the brain activity of skilled surgeons compared to novices. 'Measuring motor skill proficiency is critical for the certification of highly skilled individuals in numerous fields,' the researchers explain in a new study published to the journal Science Advances.