Familiarity and Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Health Professions Education: Perspectives of Students in a Community-Oriented Medical School

Background and aim Medical students are expected to be familiar with artificial intelligence (AI) applications in healthcare. This cross-sectional study looked at the attitudes, thoughts, and understanding of healthcare students toward AI. Materials and methods During the academic year 2023-2024, medical students enrolled in the College of Medicine and Health Sciences (CMHS) at the Arabian Gulf University (AGU) were included in this study. A questionnaire was developed to evaluate their understanding and opinions regarding the use of AI in medical training. These data were gathered, categorized, and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, US). Categorical variables were shown in the form of frequencies and percentages, whereas continuous variables were presented as mean and standard deviation (SD). Chi-square tests were utilized for comparing categorical variables. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The study found that n=41 (27%) of medical students are very familiar with AI applications while n=92 (60.5%) are somewhat familiar. Familiarity increases as students progress in their medical education, with senior clinical phase students more familiar than juniors. There was no significant difference in perceptions of AI application among medical phases. Familiarity with research methodology and studies increases familiarity with AI applications. Most students believe AI will have a positive impact on medical education, but perceptions vary by educational phase. Many students support integrating AI into curricula with 67 (44.1%) of students using AI applications, with a higher percentage in pre-clinical phases, likely due to application in research projects in this phase. Concerns were raised about AI impacting the human touch in medical practice and doctor-patient communication, as well as technical challenges faced by students when applying AI. Conclusion Arab Gulf medical students show positive attitudes toward AI applications in medical education. Tailored educational strategies are needed to optimize AI integration in medical practice and address concerns effectively.