Principles for medical students' responsible use of generative AI: a student-partnered Delphi study

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Artificial Intelligence Ethics

Background:

• Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is increasingly used in undergraduate medical education (UGME).
• Lack of established guidelines necessitates principles for responsible and ethical GenAI use by students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop consensus-based principles for GenAI use in UGME.
• To establish ethical guidelines through collaboration between medical students, faculty, and international experts.

Main Methods:

• A modified Delphi process involving medical students, faculty, and international experts in AI and medical education.
• Four rounds of modified Delphi, including idea generation, rating, and external expert validation.
• Utilized a 7-point Likert scale and median scores to achieve consensus on principles.

Main Results:

• Fourteen consensus-based principles for GenAI use in UGME were identified.
• Principles were established through a rigorous Delphi process with student-faculty collaboration and expert validation.

Conclusions:

• Explicit guidance is crucial for students adopting GenAI in medical education.
• An internationally informed, expert-validated set of principles for GenAI use by medical students has been established.
• This framework can be adapted by institutions for implementing GenAI guidelines in local educational contexts.