Artificial intelligence in healthcare: A cross-sectional study among students of a medical college in Jaipur, India

Abstract

INTRODUCTION Artificial intelligence (AI), a general term, implies “using a computer to model intelligent behavior with minimal human intervention.”[1] As the roles of various healthcare providers in modern medicine are re-examined, the incorporation of AI necessitates the interdisciplinary collaboration of healthcare stakeholders, including physicians and other healthcare professionals.[2] This study aimed to explore undergraduate medical students’ awareness and knowledge regarding AI in health care. MATERIALS AND METHODS This cross-sectional study included 356 undergraduate medical students at a constituent medical college of a health university in India. Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the Institutional Ethics Committee (RUHSCMS/Ethics Comm./2023/249). This study complied with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Informed consent was obtained from all participants who agreed to participate in the study. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire (Google Forms) comprising various sections on a Likert scale. The questionnaire was validated to ensure its authenticity and alignment with the aim of the study. A pilot study was conducted to assess the readability and reliability. Data were analyzed using the IBM SPSS Statistics V26.0 software. SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences), also known as IBM (International Business Machines Corporation). The reliability of the items was determined using Cronbach’s alpha, which was deemed acceptable (0.98) as the value was more significant than 0.7. RESULTS The response rate was 41.88%, and the sex distribution was relatively balanced. Most participants were aware of AI’s presence in daily life, and more than 50% were aware of its use in health care. Most students did not receive formal training in AI. The study found that most participants (52.5%–64.6%) were aware of AI in daily use, virtual assistants, natural language processing, and applications such as social media algorithms, gaming, autonomous vehicles, recommendation systems, home automation, and education. Notably, <21% of the respondents had a neutral response. A parallel trend was evident in the data about the familiarity and utilization of AI in health care. Less than 25% of the participants were neutral. A significant number of participants (76.7%) reported having basic knowledge of AI concepts, and most (73.6%) were familiar with AI’s healthcare applications. Comprehension varied, with 65.5% able to distinguish between machine learning and deep learning in AI. In addition, 68% acknowledged AI’s ethical considerations and challenges, whereas 20.5% disagreed. The majority (60.4%) indicated a lack of formal education or training in AI. DISCUSSION This cross-sectional study provides valuable insights into undergraduate medical students’ awareness and knowledge of AI in health care. The findings reveal a mixed landscape of understanding among students. In the present study, the medical students were largely unaware of AI and its role in medicine. Our findings on AI awareness among medical students align with those of Kimmerle et al.,[3] with 36.5% of respondents being aware of AI in natural language processing. Weidener and Fischer[4] reported 38.8% prior use of AI-based chat applications. The results show that while participants generally recognized AI applications in health care, the depth of awareness varied. More than half of the respondents were aware of AI integration in medical imaging, consistent with Barreiro-Ares et al.[5] A systematic review found few studies reporting high AI knowledge among medical students, with most indicating low knowledge and skills.[6] The study’s limitations include potential self-reporting bias and the inherent constraints of questionnaire-based research. Future research could benefit from more diverse methodologies and larger sample sizes to further explore this critical area of medical education. CONCLUSION While awareness of AI in health care exists among undergraduate medical students, there is a clear need for more structured and formal education in this rapidly advancing field. Addressing this gap in medical education is crucial to ensure that future healthcare professionals are well-equipped to navigate and leverage AI technologies in their clinical practice. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.

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