Work

Incorporating Technology Adoption in Medical Education: A Qualitative Study of Medical Students’ Perspectives [Letter]

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: As advocates for pioneering advancements in medical education, we are compelled to offer further analytical insights into the seminal work, "Incorporating Technology Adoption in Medical Education: A Qualitative Study of Medical Students' Perspectives" by Alrashed et al, 2024.This publication meticulously examines the perceptions and anticipatory frameworks of medical students towards the integration of Virtual Reality (VR), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and telemedicine within their educational and clinical frameworks.The study deftly elucidates a spectrum of awareness among the cohort concerning VR, AI, and telemedicine.VR is depicted as a pivotal modality for immersive pedagogical experiences, significantly enhancing cognitive retention, comprehension, and student engagement. 1 It offers a controlled environment conducive to heuristic learning through problem-solving and iterative trials.AI is portrayed as a paradigm-shifting innovation in healthcare, poised to refine diagnostic precision and clinical decision-making processes.2 Telemedicine is acknowledged for its potential to democratise access to medical services, particularly for geographically isolated or under-resourced populations, resonating with global movements towards technology-enhanced healthcare delivery.Alrashed et al integrate VR and AI in medical education, enhancing immersive learning in anatomy and surgical simulations, and fostering personalized diagnostic support.3 They evaluate telemedicine's role in expanding educational access to remote regions, highlighting its importance in modern healthcare education.The study used semi-structured interviews analysed with Atlas.ti,capturing diverse student perspectives and revealing varying levels of technological engagement and preparedness.Strict ethical protocols, including informed consent and participant anonymity, ensured data integrity and reinforced the study's credibility.The study underscores the transformative potential of VR and AI in reshaping medical education.It advocates for the development of structured educational modules that incorporate these technologies, coupled with continuous professional development to adapt to rapid technological evolutions.Additionally, it calls for the standardisation of curricula to ensure comprehensive exposure and proficiency in these technologies among all medical students, suggesting a phased and inclusive strategy for technology integration.However, certain limitations of this study are discernible and merit attention.The investigative scope, confined to the King Saud Medical University from May to September 2023, might not provide a sufficiently expansive or applicable dataset for wider inferential conclusions.4 The modest cohort size of 13 participants constrains the extrapolation of these findings to a broader population.The employment of semi-structured interviews, although allowing flexibility in responses, introduces potential variability in data collection and necessitates a meticulous approach in qualitative analysis to mitigate subjectivity.The open-ended nature of these interviews generates complex data volumes that are challenging to code and analyse systematically, introducing a time-consuming process.5 Furthermore, the partial utilisation of AI within their curriculum

Source: Advances in Medical Education and Practice

DOI: 10.2147/amep.s491808

Authors: Mohammad Eisa Ali, Maleeha Pandit, Mohammad Motassam Ali

Institutions: University of Huddersfield, University of Pavia, Medical University Plovdiv

Language: English

Topic: Innovations in Medical Education

Subfield: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Quality education, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,320