Investigating Students' Perceptions towards Artificial Intelligence in Medical Education

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Informatics
• Artificial Intelligence in Medicine

Background:

• Medical education reform necessitates student understanding of artificial intelligence (AI) in modern healthcare.
• AI is increasingly integral to medical practice, necessitating its integration into educational curricula.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate medical students' perceptions of AI's role and impact within medical education.
• To assess student awareness, understanding, and attitudes towards AI in healthcare.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was administered to medical students at Kuwait University.
• Data collected via an online questionnaire from June to November 2021.
• Survey achieved a 51% response rate with 352 participants.

Main Results:

• 99.1% of students believe AI will be crucial in healthcare.
• 60.5% understood AI principles; 93.4% were comfortable with AI terminology.
• 83.5% felt AI knowledge would benefit their careers; 82.1% advocated for AI training.

Conclusions:

• Medical students generally hold positive perceptions of AI in medicine.
• AI is expected to significantly transform, not replace, healthcare professionals.
• There is strong support for incorporating AI education into medical training programs.