JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being utilized in many aspects of society, including healthcare and education. AI has the potential to enhance healthcare delivery, education, and administration. Healthcare trainees will increasingly be required to master these AI technologies. To teach trainees to effectively and ethically leverage AI technologies, educators must be appropriately trained and empowered to use these technologies.

Objective:

We developed a health professions education course to enable healthcare professionals to overcome their fears and concerns about integrating AI technologies into daily practice. The course was also designed to foster competency and facility with AI tools in educational, administrative, research, and clinical activities.

Methods:

Employing a multi-method approach, we analyzed data gathered from three different sources using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase reflexive thematic analysis. This involved familiarization with the data sources, generating initial codes, developing, refining, and defining the themes, and finally, writing up the results.

Results:

Our findings indicate that learners initially described misconceptions towards AI, frequently accompanied by negative and crippling affect, such as fear. It was only after experiential engagement with AI technologies that they were able to shift their perspectives and gain the confidence to integrate AI technologies in their daily practice.

Conclusions:

A brief six-week course on the use of AI technologies for healthcare professional educators, focused on experiential and peer-based learning, resulted in dramatic shifts in affect towards the technologies and their applications. It also propelled learners to shift increasingly outward in their discussion, application, and advocacy for AI technologies in their daily practice. Clinical Trial: Not Applicable