Artificial Intelligence in Medicine: A Multinational Multi-Center Survey on the Medical and Dental Students' Perception

Abstract

Background: The emerging field of artificial intelligence (AI) will probably affect the practice for the next generation of doctors. However, the students' views on AI have not been largely investigated.Methods: An anonymous electronic survey on AI was designed for medical and dental students to explore: (1) sources of information about AI, (2) AI applications and concerns, (3) AI status as a topic in medicine, and (4) students' feelings and attitudes. The questionnaire was advertised on social media platforms in 2020. Security measures were employed to prevent fraudulent responses. Mann-Whitney U-test was employed for all comparisons. A sensitivity analysis was also performed by binarizing responses to express disagreement and agreement using the Chi-squared test.Results: Three thousand one hundred thirty-three respondents from 63 countries from all continents were included. Most respondents reported having at least a moderate understanding of the technologies underpinning AI and of their current application, with higher agreement associated with being male (p < 0.0001), tech-savvy (p < 0.0001), pre-clinical student (p < 0.006), and from a developed country (p < 0.04). Students perceive AI as a partner rather than a competitor (72.2%) with a higher agreement for medical students (p = 0.002). The belief that AI will revolutionize medicine and dentistry (83.9%) with greater agreement for students from a developed country (p = 0.0004) was noted. Most students agree that the AI developments will make medicine and dentistry more exciting (69.9%), that AI shall be part of the medical training (85.6%) and they are eager to incorporate AI in their future practice (99%).Conclusion: Currently, AI is a hot topic in medicine and dentistry. Students have a basic understanding of AI principles, a positive attitude toward AI and would like to have it incorporated into their training.

Using a Virtual Patient via an Artificial Intelligence Chatbot to Develop Dental Students’ Diagnostic Skills

“…AI has experienced great advances in recent years, causing a great impact on science, economics, and education [ 36 ]. In reference to the field of education, in some previous studies with students of health branches [ 40 , 41 ], they valued very positively, as in the present study, the interaction with artificial intelligences. Moreover, as in this study, they affirmed the need to implement this technology in the curricula.…”

“…Moreover, students who teach with patients highly value observational or vicarious learning [ 45 ] together with their fellow trainees. All of these reasons may explain the lack of updating in these developments in dental school [ 40 ].…”

Acceptance of clinical artificial intelligence among physicians and medical students: A systematic review with cross-sectional survey

“…Medical students also felt that they mainly heard about AI from media and colleagues, but received minimal training from their schools ( 18 , 30 ). Accordingly, 15 studies suggested an urgent need to integrate AI into residency programs or school curricula ( 17 – 19 , 21 , 29 – 33 , 38 , 41 , 45 , 49 – 51 ). Our questionnaire appears to confirm this situation with few respondents having good knowledge of AI (13% agreement).…”

“…Forty-five included studies mentioned the views of physicians and medical students on clinical AI, and more than 60% of the respondents in 38 (84.44%) studies had an optimistic outlook regarding it ( 11 , 12 , 17 – 20 , 22 – 26 , 29 , 30 , 32 , 33 , 35 , 36 , 38 – 41 , 45 – 61 ). For example, 75% of 487 pathologists from 59 countries were enthusiastic about the progress of AI ( 11 ); 77% of 1271 dermatologists from 92 countries agreed that AI would improve dermatologic practice ( 19 ).…”

“…Similar positive opinions also existed among radiologists ( 22 , 23 , 25 , 29 , 33 , 39 , 47 , 48 , 53 , 55 , 61 ), gastroenterologists ( 24 , 35 ), general practitioners ( 28 , 62 ), psychiatrists ( 59 , 63 ), ophthalmologists ( 23 , 50 ). Additionally, in 14 studies reporting use intentionality, more than 60% respondents in 10 (71.43%) studies were willing to incorporate AI into their clinical practice ( 17 , 21 , 26 , 34 , 36 , 44 , 49 , 55 , 56 , 61 ). The perceived benefits of AI included promoting workflow efficiency, quality assurance, improving standardization in the interpretation of results, as well as liberating doctors from mundane tasks and providing more time to expand their medical knowledge and focus on interacting with patients ( 11 , 22 , 35 , 50 , 64 ).…”