Awareness, Perceptions, and Concerns among medical students regarding Artificial Intelligence integration in...

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into healthcare, creating a demand for AI technology literacy among healthcare professionals. This study aimed to investigate undergraduate medical students' awareness, concerns, and perceptions of AI in healthcare.

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 356 undergraduate medical students at a constituent medical college of a health university in India. Data were collected using various sections of a structured questionnaire (Google Forms). The questionnaire was validated to ensure its authenticity and alignment with the study's aim. To assess reliability and readability, a pilot study was conducted. Before the study, ethical approval was obtained, and each participant gave their informed consent. SPSS-26 was used to analyze the data.

There was a 41.88% valid response rate, but the overall response rate 45.05%, and a fairly balanced distribution of sexes. Across AI domains, combined awareness ranged from 48.6% to 58.1%, whereas combined disagreement ranged from 22.8% to 32.9%. Most students did not receive formal training in AI. The major concerns noted were job security (43.8%), patient data privacy (47.2%), and errors in medical diagnosis and treatment (44.1%). However, 53.8% of the students perceived AI as a valuable tool for improving healthcare delivery and patient outcomes.

Undergraduate medical students show moderate awareness of AI in healthcare but lack formal training and in-depth understanding. Concerns persist regarding ethics, job displacement, loss of empathy, and clinical errors, despite recognition of AI's potential to improve healthcare outcomes. These findings highlight the need for structured AI education within medical curricula and further research on its long-term impact.