Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technology

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing medical education by enhancing learning experiences, improving knowledge retention, and providing personalized guidance. Through interactive simulations, virtual tutors, and adaptive learning platforms, AI-powered solutions help students in preclinical education grasp difficult ideas. Thus this study aims to examine the impact of AI on preclinical medical education students' academic performance, engagement, and readiness for clinical training among preclinical medical students, examining its applicability, efficacy, potential, and limitations. Which is done by outlining the objectives and evaluating the effectiveness, opportunities, and challenges of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) tools in medical education among Year 1 and Year 2 MBBS students in a private medical university, Malaysia.

The study involved 300 sample population, including 152 Year 1 and 148 Year 2 students. A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted, with a sample size of 184 with a 95% confidence level. Data were collected through online surveys and analysis using Microsoft Excel and IBM SPSS version 23.0.

All 184 preclinical students used AI tools in their medical education, mainly relying on ChatGPT. About 84.2% are familiar with AI in this context. The effectiveness of AI in improving learning was rated from 1 to 3, with most students scoring AI as 4 or 5 in problem-solving, decision-making, critical thinking, and inspiring new ideas, indicating a high perception of its effectiveness. Many believe AI supports traditional teaching. However, concerns exist about over-reliance on technology (83.2%) and loss of critical thinking skills (77.7%). Also, 42.9% rated their worries about AI's impact on clinical decision-making skills as a 3.

Most preclinical students know about AI in medical education and believe it helps improve learning. AI assists students in solving problems, making decisions, encouraging critical thinking, and generating new ideas. However, concerns felt about much dependence on technology and weaken critical thinking skills in medical education. Students believe that AI will not entirely harm clinical decision-making skills. In summary, AI offers both advantages and disadvantages in medical education.