The need for artificial intelligence curriculum in medical education: A Canadian cross-sectional study of future oncology trainees.

Authors

null

Aidan Pucchio

School of Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Kingston, ON, Canada

Aidan Pucchio , Raahulan Rathagirishnan , Natasha Caton , Peter Gariscsak , Joshua Del Papa , Vicky Vo , Wonjae Lee , Jacqueline J. Nabhen , Fabio Ynoe de Moraes

Organizations

School of Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Kingston, ON, Canada, School of Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, London, ON, Canada, Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, Hamilton, ON, Canada, School of Medicine, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil, Kingston Health Sciences Centre, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada

Research Funding

No funding received

Background: Emerging artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have diverse applications in medicine, with early evidence suggesting that AI tools can accurately perform key tasks in oncology. As AI tools advance towards clinical implementation, skills in how to use and interpret AI in a healthcare setting could become integral for physicians. This study seeks to assess exposure to AI in medical education among trainees interested in pursuing a career in oncology, and the need for AI education in medicine. Methods: A 32 question survey for Canadian undergraduate medical students was distributed to students at all 17 Canadian medical schools. The survey assessed the currently available and perceived need for learning opportunities about AI and barriers to educating about AI in medicine. Interviews were conducted with participants to provide narrative context to survey responses. Likert scale (LS) survey questions were scored from 1 (disagree) to 5 (agree), and analyzed using a two-sided one sample t-test vs a neutral value. Interview transcripts were analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis. Results are described as mean LS score ± standard deviation. Results: We received 486 responses from 17 of 17 medical schools. Of these respondents, 98 (20.2%) are willing to pursue a residency in an oncology-related field (pathology, radiology, general surgery, internal medicine, radiation oncology). Respondents agreed that AI applications in medicine would become common in the future (3.80±0.38) and would improve medicine (3.71±0.54). Further, respondents agreed that they would need to use and understand AI during their medical careers (3.76±0.572; 3.43±0.773), and that AI should be formally taught in medical education (3.43±0.756). In contrast, a significant number of participants indicated that they did not have any formal educational opportunities about AI (1.76±0.785) and that AI-related learning opportunities were inadequate (2.12±0.802). Interviews with 18 students were conducted. Emerging themes from the interviews were a lack of formal education opportunities and logistical challenges in adding AI to curriculum. Conclusions: A lack of educational opportunities about AI in medicine were identified across Canadian medical students. Given that medical students overwhelmingly believe that AI is important to the future of medicine, and AI tools are currently progressing towards clinical implementation, AI should be considered for inclusion in formal medical curriculum.

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2022 ASCO Annual Meeting

Session Type

Publication Only

Session Title

Care Delivery and Regulatory Policy

Track

Care Delivery and Quality Care

Sub Track

Clinical Informatics/Advanced Algorithms/Machine Learning

Citation

J Clin Oncol 40, 2022 (suppl 16; abstr e13583)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2022.40.16_suppl.e13583

Abstract #

e13583

Abstract Disclosures

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