Medical Students’ Attitudes Toward AI in Medicine and their Expectations for Medical Education

Abstract

Objectives Artificial intelligence (AI) is used in a variety of contexts in medicine. This involves the use of algorithms and software that analyze digital information to make diagnoses and suggest adapted therapies. It is unclear, however, what medical students know about AI in medicine, how they evaluate its application, and what they expect from their medical training accordingly. In the study presented here, we aimed at providing answers to these questions. Methods In this survey study, we asked medical students about their assessment of AI in medicine and recorded their ideas and suggestions for considering this topic in medical education. Fifty-eight medical students completed the survey. Results Almost all participants were aware of the use of AI in medicine and had an adequate understanding of it. They perceived AI in medicine to be reliable, trustworthy, and technically competent, but did not have much faith in it. They considered AI in medicine to be rather intelligent but not anthropomorphic. Participants were interested in the opportunities of AI in the medical context and wanted to learn more about it. They indicated that basic AI knowledge should be taught in medical studies, in particular, knowledge about modes of operation, ethics, areas of application, reliability, and possible risks. Conclusions We discuss the implications of these findings for the curricular development in medical education. Medical students need to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to use AI effectively and ethically in their future practice. This includes understanding the limitations and potential biases of AI algorithms by teaching the sensible use of human oversight and continuous monitoring to catch errors in AI algorithms and ensure that final decisions are made by human clinicians.

Understanding and Perception of Automated Text Generation among the Public: Two Surveys with Representative Samples in Germany

“…This is problematic with tools like ChatGPT, where the information provided will probably be judged based on the user's beliefs about the perceived sources, for instance. However, systematic surveys about people's beliefs, experience, or knowledge concerning specific AI fields are rare, with the majority dealing with perceptions of AI in general or in the medical context [40][41][42][43] and surveys even leaving out the specific field of ATG entirely [44]. To the best of our knowledge, there is no current investigation specifically on people's beliefs about ATG or their concepts about its function, responsibilities, or data sources.…”

Using ChatGPT in Psychiatry to Design Script Concordance Tests in Undergraduate Medical Education: Mixed Methods Study

“…While acknowledging AI’s intelligence, they did not consider it to be anthropomorphic. The consensus was that fundamental AI knowledge, covering its operation, ethics, applications, reliability, and potential risks, should be integrated into medical education [ 22 ].…”