Knowledge and attitudes of medical students in Lebanon toward artificial intelligence: A national survey study

Abstract

Purpose: This study assesses the knowledge and attitudes of medical students in Lebanon toward Artificial Intelligence (AI) in medical education. It also explores the students' perspectives regarding the role of AI in medical education as a subject in the curriculum and a teaching tool. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study using an online survey consisting of close-ended questions. The survey targets medical students at all medical levels across the 7 medical schools in Lebanon. Results: A total of 206 medical students responded. When assessing AI knowledge sources (81.1%) got their information from the media as compared to (9.7%) from medical school curriculum. However, Students who learned the basics of AI as part of the medical school curriculum were more knowledge about AI than their peers who did not. Students in their clinical years appear to be more knowledgeable about AI in medicine. The advancements in AI affected the choice of specialty of around a quarter of the students (26.8%). Finally, only a quarter of students (26.5%) want to be assessed by AI, even though the majority (57.7%) reported that assessment by AI is more objective. Conclusions: Education about AI should be incorporated in the medical school curriculum to improve the knowledge and attitudes of medical students. Improving AI knowledge in medical students will in turn increase acceptance of AI as a tool in medical education, thus unlocking its potential in revolutionizing medical education. Copyright © 2022 Doumat, Daher, Ghanem and Khater.