UPDATE: Experts warn that collaboration is essential to unlock the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in transforming medical education. A groundbreaking study published in The Lancet Digital Health reveals how AI-powered tools can enhance training for medical students and junior doctors, addressing the urgent global health care needs exacerbated by staffing shortages.
The study, conducted by researchers from Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore General Hospital, and Tsinghua University, highlights that AI can train more doctors, faster and better, particularly as the World Health Organization (WHO) projects a staggering shortfall of approximately 10 million health care workers by 2030. The researchers call for immediate collaboration among medical schools, hospitals, and regulatory bodies to implement AI safely and effectively.
AI technologies, including large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, are not just futuristic concepts—they are here now, with the potential to personalize learning experiences and create virtual patients for realistic clinical scenarios. Dr. Jasmine Ong, a joint first author of the study, emphasizes, “AI is not here to replace clinical educators and mentors, but to empower them.” By serving as a digital co-tutor, AI can enhance learning through personalized feedback and engaging simulations, which are vital in shaping the next generation of health care professionals.
However, the path to integrating AI into medical education is fraught with challenges. Current obstacles include a shortage of qualified trainers and concerns regarding the accuracy and credibility of LLMs, which can produce misleading information. Dr. Ning Yilin, another joint first author, cautions, “As AI becomes more deeply integrated in medical education and training, we need to address the ethical concerns it raises.” Issues such as gender and racial biases embedded in AI training data could perpetuate systemic disparities, emphasizing the need for responsible design and implementation strategies.
Associate Professor Liu Nan, senior author of the paper, asserts that a comprehensive, global strategy is necessary to deploy AI responsibly. “By partnering across sectors, we can create more interactive, accessible training and translate gains into better care for patients,” he states. This collaborative effort includes health care institutions, medical schools, industry partners, and government bodies working together to develop scalable, evidence-based solutions.
As health systems around the globe grapple with increasing demands for quality care, the urgency for adopting AI in medical education has never been higher. The researchers advocate for the establishment of practical frameworks and funding models to support sustainable AI integration in training programs.
This study serves as a rallying cry for immediate action in medical education, emphasizing that the future of health care depends on effectively harnessing AI’s capabilities.
For more details, refer to the study by Yilin Ning et al, “How can artificial intelligence transform the training of medical students and physicians?” published in The Lancet Digital Health, DOI: 10.1016/j.landig.2025.100900.
