Transforming medical education in the AI era: Balancing technological expertise with humanistic care in tomorrow’s doctors
Michelle Jong
Abstract
The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into clinical practice prompts a critical re-examination of the roles of physicians and how we educate them. While AI promises unparalleled gains in accuracy and speed, and better management decisions and health outcomes, doctors must be skilled in harnessing these new AI tools effectively and wisely to improve patient outcomes. We seek to layer further upon this with a call for medical education to go further than simply improving AI literacy of doctors, but to include a comprehensive reform of medical education. This reform would aim to expand physician capabilities from the traditional cognitive knowledge of medicine to integrating AI competencies seamlessly, with a renewed focus on the humanistic aspects of medicine. We propose the Humanistic Medicine - AI-Enabled Education (HuMe-AiNE) framework, which includes the key components: (1) standardisation and individualisation of AI competencies; (2) integration of AI tools through the curriculum; (3) fostering critical thinking skills in integrating technological solutions with a humanistic approach to patient care; and (4) developing a professional identity that encompasses both technology-related and humanistic capabilities. The AI revolution provides an opportunity for developments to medical education—to train doctors to be both tech-enabled physicians and true humanists.