Intersection of AI and Medical Education: A Necessity for Future Healthcare Professionals

In the rapidly evolving landscape of healthcare, knowledge is expanding faster and in volumes far beyond the assimilation capability of doctors who are also mere mortals , just like the rest of us.

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and technology, into medical education at the undergraduate level is becoming increasingly important and inescapable. It can no longer be considered to be optional, like it or not.

I believe that initiation of young students and medical school faculty alike, into an early understanding of AI’s capabilities and limitations can significantly enhance the quality of healthcare delivery and adoption of innovations in the future.

With the advent of generative AI and the proliferation of ideas , there has already been a lot written about the integration of AI and the benefits that will accrue in healthcare… Have a peek at a post by Dr Avneesh Khare on AI in medicine.

IMHO and from my POV– while Time shall tell its own tale, to be one up on technology, healthcare professionals must perforce be restless and impatient, and recognise that the future is Now.?

Have quick peek at some of the reasons why AI has not taken off like a runaway horse in healthcare?- Dr. Zhong Wei Khor

At the recent annual (2024) student fest https://illuminatiafmc.in/ at one of the premier medical schools of India, Armed Forces Medical College Pune, we organised a two hour interactive session for about 60 enthusiastic undergraduates on AI in Medicine. Despite it being a post prandial session, remarkably they all were awake! The future is now indeed.

Without quoting from Alvin Toffler, it’s an inescapable reality that the fast track that Technology is on? (including AI), is like an express train, which will leave you behind if you aren’t already queuing up to jump on the bandwagon.?? Climb on, or be relegated to the scrapheaps of history.

The AI in Medicine workshop was anchored by a stalwart Rheumatologist @Dr Subramanian Shankar and we also had onboard a seasoned techprenuer Dr Arvind Chari and a co founder of a new startup Dr Advay Aundhekar (both alumni of AFMC), sharing their pragmatic views from the ground, much to the delight of the audience.

We asked the participants to engage with us through a short questionnaire which included the 12 point Perception on AI in Medicine (PAIM) tool. This online form was used realtime during the conduct of the workshop, for analysis and creating a manuscript, parameterized report, an interactive presentation, and a webpage blog using Quarto in RStudio in under 10 minutes by our ace epidemiologist Dr Gurpreet Singh .

The aim of this session was to demonstrate the utility of open-source reproducible programming for communication in addition to analytics, modelling, and forecasting tasks in a single computational environment.

To effectively integrate AI into medical education, curricula must include foundational knowledge and an orientation to data science, machine learning, and ethical considerations. Hands-on experience with AI tools through simulations and exposure to real-world applications will undoubtedly be crucial for developing competency in this area.

The inclusion of AI education in medical curricula is not just an enhancement but a necessity for preparing competent, innovative, and ethical healthcare professionals. As we stand on the cusp of a healthcare revolution, it is imperative that we equip the next generation of medical practitioners with the knowledge and skills to harness the full potential of AI in healthcare.

Thus we can ensure that the healthcare professionals of tomorrow are not only adept at using technology but are also pioneers in creating a more efficient, accurate, ethical and personalized healthcare system. ????

If you are in academia in a Medical School or an engineering institution, or a corporate / philanthropic agency willing to facilitate this express train towards the future, please do connect directly to discuss ways we can work out an implementable strategy.