An Interactive, Project-Based AI in Healthcare Curriculum for Clinicians and Medical Educators

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
• Clinical Informatics

Background:

• A significant gap exists between rapid advancements in medical artificial intelligence (AI) and clinicians' ability to critically evaluate, adopt, and govern these tools.
• Current AI in healthcare education often relies on passive, lecture-based formats, failing to equip learners with practical skills for real-world application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and pilot an interactive curriculum aimed at closing the AI evaluation and adoption skills gap among healthcare professionals.
• To develop a generalizable, no-cost educational model that fosters practical application of AI principles in clinical settings.

Main Methods:

• A 10-week interactive AI in Healthcare curriculum was developed, employing a Socratic teaching method with immediate, individualized feedback on learner tasks.
• Learners engaged in developing an original AI project addressing a clinical or educational problem, culminating in a GitHub repository detailing a structured R.O.A.D. analysis, algorithm selection, ethics framework, and validation plan.

Main Results:

• Pilot testing of the foundational module confirmed the feasibility of the interactive correction model.
• Measurable improvements were observed in learner performance across four graded tasks, notably in formulating precise, evidence-based project objectives after instructor feedback.

Conclusions:

• The developed curriculum provides a scalable and cost-effective model for enhancing clinicians' skills in evaluating and governing AI tools.
• Future plans include formal validation of assessment methods and implementation across a full cohort to address the critical AI skills gap in healthcare education.