JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Standardized patients (SPs) have been crucial in medical education, offering realistic patient interactions to students. Despite their benefits, SP training is resource-intensive, and access can be limited. Advances in artificial intelligence, particularly with large language models like ChatGPT, present new opportunities for virtual SPs, potentially addressing these limitations.

Objective:

To assess medical students' perceptions and experiences of using ChatGPT as a standardized patient (SP) and to evaluate ChatGPT’s effectiveness in performing as a virtual SP in a medical school setting.

Methods:

This qualitative study, approved by the AUA Institutional Review Board (IRB), involved eleven medical student volunteers (5 females, 6 males, aged 20-32) from the American University of Antigua (AUA) College of Medicine. Students were observed during a live role-play, interacting with ChatGPT as an SP using a predetermined prompt. A structured 15-question survey was administered before and after the interaction. Thematic analysis was conducted on the transcribed and coded responses, with inductive category formation.

Results:

Thematic analysis identified key themes pre-interaction including: technology limitations (e.g., prompt engineering difficulties), learning efficacy (e.g., potential for personalized learning, reduced interview stress), verisimilitude (e.g., absence of visual cues), and trust (e.g., concerns about AI accuracy). Post-interaction, students noted improvements in prompt engineering, some alignment issues (e.g., limited responses on sensitive topics), maintained learning efficacy (e.g., convenience, repetition), and continued verisimilitude challenges (e.g., lack of empathy and non-verbal cues). No significant trust issues were reported post-interaction. Despite some limitations, students found ChatGPT a valuable supplement to traditional SPs, enhancing practice flexibility and diagnostic skills.

Conclusions:

ChatGPT can effectively augment traditional SPs in medical education, offering accessible, flexible practice opportunities. However, it cannot fully replace human SPs due to limitations in verisimilitude and prompt engineering challenges. Integrating prompt engineering into medical curricula and continuous advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) are recommended to enhance the utility of virtual SPs.