From Theory to Practice: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Literacy Course for First-Year Medical Students

Cureus. 2024 Oct 2;16(10):e70706. doi: 10.7759/cureus.70706. eCollection 2024 Oct.

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming healthcare by enhancing diagnostics, personalized medicine, and clinical decision-making. In medical education, AI chatbots have the potential to be used as virtual tutors or learning assistants. Despite AI's growing impact, its integration into medical education remains limited. AI is not a standard component of medical curricula, which could leave many future healthcare professionals unprepared for an AI-driven workplace. To address this significant gap, this editorial describes the development of a mini-course to integrate AI training for first-year medical students. The course was focused on the fundamentals of AI, prompt engineering, practical applications of chatbots as learning assistants, and ethical use of generative AI.

Keywords: artificial intelligence; chatbot; course; curriculum; medical education.

Publication types

  • Editorial

Grants and funding

The study was supported by Dean’s Award for Innovative Medical Student Education (UICOMP) and OSF Healthcare Foundation.