Knowledge, attitude, and perception of Arabmedical students towards artificial intelligence in medicine and radiology: Amulti-national cross-sectional study

Abstract

ObjectivesWe aimed to assess undergraduate medical students’ knowledge,attitude, and perception regarding artificial intelligence (AI) inmedicine.MethodsA multi-national, multi-center cross-sectional study was conductedfrom March to April 2022, targeting undergraduate medical students in nine Arabcountries. The study utilized a web-based questionnaire, with data collectioncarried out with the help of national leaders and local collaborators. Logisticregression analysis was performed to identify predictors of knowledge, attitude,and perception among the participants. Additionally, cluster analysis wasemployed to identify shared patterns within their responses.ResultsOf the 4492 students surveyed, 92.4% had not received formal AItraining. Regarding AI and deep learning (DL), 87.1% exhibited a low level ofknowledge. Most students (84.9%) believed AI would revolutionize medicine andradiology, with 48.9% agreeing that it could reduce the need for radiologists.Students with high/moderate AI knowledge and training had higher odds ofagreeing to endorse AI replacing radiologists, reducing their numbers, and beingless likely to consider radiology as a career compared to those with lowknowledge/no AI training. Additionally, the majority agreed that AI would aid inthe automated detection and diagnosis of pathologies.ConclusionsArab medical students exhibit a notable deficit in their knowledgeand training pertaining to AI. Despite this, they hold a positive perception ofAI implementation in medicine and radiology, demonstrating a clear understandingof its significance for the healthcare system and medical curriculum.Clinical relevance statementThis study highlights the need for widespread education and trainingin artificial intelligence for Arab medical students, indicating itssignificance for healthcare systems and medical curricula.Key Points• Arab medical students demonstrate asignificant knowledge and training gap when it comes to using AI in thefields of medicine and radiology.• Arab medical students recognize theimportance of integrating AI into the medical curriculum. Students with adeeper understanding of AI were more likely to agree that all medicalstudents should receive AI education. However, those with previous AItraining were less supportive of this idea.• Students with moderate/high AI knowledgeand training displayed increased odds of agreeing that AI has the potentialto replace radiologists, reduce the demand for their services, and were lessinclined to pursue a career in radiology, when compared to students with lowknowledge/no AI training.