Health Care Students’ Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence: Countrywide Survey in Canada (Preprint)

Abstract

UNSTRUCTURED Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept; it is increasingly integrated into healthcare practice. Many recent commentaries indicated the need to introduce AI literacy training into medical curriculum. However, little is known about what students want to learn about AI, and even less is known from healthcare students outside of medicine. We performed a nation-wide survey of healthcare students across 10 different health professions in Canada. 2167 students across 10 different health professions from 18 universities across Canada responded to the survey. The majority (80%) predicted that AI technology will impact their careers within the coming decade, and 72% reported a positive outlook towards the emerging role of AI in their respective fields. Attitudes towards AI varied by discipline. Findings inform student-identified gaps in knowledge and preferred education delivery formats. This study adds to current literature as it is the first to explore what healthcare students want to learn about AI, and provides insight into future directions for collaboration among sectors such as healthcare, education, and industry.