Publication:

Impact of a structured AI awareness session on knowledge and attitude of undergraduate medical students in Maharashtra: an interventional study

Background Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming healthcare, necessitating that future medical professionals possess adequate knowledge and a positive attitude towards its integration. This study aimed to assess the impact of a structured AI awareness session on the knowledge and attitude of first-year MBBS students in Maharashtra.

Methods An interventional study was conducted on 600 first year MBBS students from six medical colleges in Maharashtra over a period of seven months. A pre-test/post-test design was employed. Participants completed a validated questionnaire assessing their knowledge and attitude towards AI in medicine before and after a standardized, structured AI awareness session. The difference in the means of pre-intervention scores and post-intervention scores were analyzed for statistical significance using ‘paired t-test’ (‘p’ value <0.05 considered significant).

Results The mean pre-intervention knowledge score was 41.22±7.42 (out of 100), which significantly increased to 72.45±8.78 after the intervention (t=-150.73, p<0.001). Similarly, the mean pre-intervention attitude score was 3.10±0.40 (on a 5-point Likert scale), which significantly improved to 4.29±0.47 post-intervention (t=-101.18, p<0.001). Significant improvements were observed across all the participants of six medical colleges across Maharashtra.

Conclusions The structured AI awareness session significantly improved both the knowledge and attitude of first-year MBBS students towards AI in medicine. These findings underscore the importance of integrating AI education into the undergraduate medical curriculum to prepare future doctors for the evolving healthcare landscape.