Strengthening Chinese Medicine Health Management Education through Artificial Intelligence: A South African Case Study

Abstract

Background/purpose. The need for effective, accessible, and culturally sensitive training models has become increasingly important, particularly in cross-cultural and resource-limited contexts, such as Africa. Traditional Chinese Medicine has gained global recognition for its holistic and preventive approach to health. This study explores the integration of Artificial Intelligence into Chinese medicine health management training at a public university in South Africa, where interest in Traditional Chinese Medicine is growing despite significant educational and infrastructural challenges. Materials/methods. Grounded in Everett Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation theory and framed within an interpretivist paradigm, the study adopts a qualitative case study approach to examine the experiences and perceptions of six students enrolled in a complementary medicine program. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed thematically according to Braun and Clarke’s six-step thematic analysis. Results. Participants emphasized the potential of Artificial Intelligence to bridge linguistic and pedagogical gaps in Traditional Chinese Medicine education, particularly through tools such as adaptive learning platforms, virtual diagnosis simulators, and natural language processing for classical texts. However, they also expressed caution about the risk of eroding the philosophical and intuitive essence of Traditional Chinese Medicine if AI tools are not carefully designed and implemented. Conclusion. The study concludes that integrating Artificial Intelligence into Chinese medicine health management training can modernize pedagogy, enhance accessibility, and support culturally grounded learning, especially in diverse contexts such as South Africa. Further research with broader participation is essential to evaluate long-term outcomes and ensure the adoption of culturally sensitive, pedagogically sound Artificial Intelligence.

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