ChatGPT, a Friend or a Foe in Medical Education: A Review of Strengths, Challenges, and Opportunities

Abstract

Background: ChatGPT is a large-scale language model that utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) to answer a broad range of scientific inquiries, create clinical scenarios, and evaluate educational programs. While its use offers numerous advantages, it also presents several challenges. Objectives: The aim of this study is to conduct a comprehensive review of ChatGPT's functionality and explore the benefits, challenges, existing solutions, and future prospects of using AI in medical education. Method: A comprehensive literature review was conducted using various databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. The search phrases used were ChatGPT, Artificial Intelligence, Chatbot, Medical Education, and large language models (LLMs). Results: The application of ChatGPT in medical education offers several advantages, such as enhanced quality of interaction between medical students and patients, improved education quality, enhanced research opportunities, personalized learning, virtual patient simulations, and cost-effectiveness. However, there are also critical challenges, such as ethical and transparency concerns, limited access to reliable databases, restricted information availability after 2021, limited development of students' critical thinking ability, and the risk of generating hallucinations. Conclusions: Artificial intelligence models have become a popular tool for researchers to access scientific resources, comprehend articles and textbooks, and create scientific texts. ChatGPT has been used extensively in medicine and medical education in a short period. It is essential to weigh the benefits and challenges, use expert supervision, conduct frequent assessments, and provide feedback reviews to guarantee its efficacy. Although this technology should not replace human labor, it is essential to prepare for the changes brought by AI and create appropriate guidelines and curricula by reviewing existing solutions and conducting extensive studies.