A practice-based approach to teaching antimicrobial therapy using artificial intelligence and gamified learning.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Infectious Diseases
• Artificial Intelligence

Background:

• Scalable teaching methods are increasingly important in academic practice.
• Medical students require effective training in antibiotic stewardship (ABS).
• Artificial intelligence (AI) and gamification offer potential for enhanced learning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of gamified learning on medical students' knowledge and uncertainty in antibiotic prescription.
• To assess the utility of AI in evaluating freeform answers related to antibiotic stewardship.
• To explore scalable teaching approaches for antibiotic stewardship.

Main Methods:

• Four short courses on ABS were provided to 46 self-selected medical students.
• A questionnaire assessed knowledge in microbiology, infectious diseases, and pharmacy, alongside antibiotic prescribing proficiency.
• Gamified learning mechanics and AI for freeform answer evaluation were employed.

Main Results:

• Significant improvement in correctly answered questions for three topics.
• Enhanced self-assessed safety in prescribing antibiotics.
• AI effectively identified student learning gaps and areas needing further instruction.

Conclusions:

• An interdisciplinary short course combining gamified learning and AI substantially improved ABS learning.
• AI, despite being a developing technology, shows promise for scaling tutor-based teaching in ABS.
• Gamified learning and AI represent a viable approach to enhance medical education in antibiotic stewardship.