Physician Associate Student Use of Large Language Models to Support Learning: A Phenomenological Study

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
• Digital Literacy in Medicine

Background:

• Generative AI adoption in higher education is rising, yet its specific application in physician associate (PA) programs is under-researched.
• Existing studies on AI in PA education often overlook crucial aspects like learner engagement, critical thinking development, and institutional support structures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how didactic physician associate (PA) students integrate generative artificial intelligence (AI) into their learning processes.
• To understand student perceptions, attitudes, and the institutional context surrounding AI use in PA education.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative study involving semistructured interviews with 8 self-identified AI-using didactic PA students from diverse institutions.
• Analysis guided by interpretative phenomenological analysis and constructivist learning theory, with thematic coding of interview transcripts.

Main Results:

• Students utilized AI for generating practice questions, clarifying complex content, and preparing for clinical assessments.
• Perceptions of AI were mixed, acknowledging its efficiency and supportiveness while noting concerns about accuracy and limitations.
• Institutional support was minimal, with students largely navigating AI integration independently within permissive but unstructured academic environments.

Conclusions:

• Didactic PA students proactively integrate generative AI into their studies through iterative trial, reflection, and adaptation.
• Participants exhibited developing digital literacy and critical engagement with AI tools, even with limited formal institutional direction.
• Findings emphasize the necessity for developing AI-integrated curricula and faculty training to ensure ethical and pedagogically effective AI utilization in PA programs, preparing students for technology-enhanced clinical practice.