The Evolving Role of Artificial Intelligence in Plastic Surgery Education: Insights From Program Directors and Residents

IF 2.1 3区医学 Q1 EDUCATION, SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES

Journal of Surgical Education Pub Date : 2025-07-18 DOI:10.1016/j.jsurg.2025.103622

Ariana Genovese , Srinivasagam Prabha , Cesar A. Gomez-Cabello , Syed Ali Haider , Sahar Borna , Maissa Trabilsy , Antonio Jorge Forte

{"title":"The Evolving Role of Artificial Intelligence in Plastic Surgery Education: Insights From Program Directors and Residents","authors":"Ariana Genovese , Srinivasagam Prabha , Cesar A. Gomez-Cabello , Syed Ali Haider , Sahar Borna , Maissa Trabilsy , Antonio Jorge Forte","doi":"10.1016/j.jsurg.2025.103622","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To assess the current state of artificial intelligence (AI) policies, educational resources, and perceptions within U.S. plastic surgery residency programs from the perspectives of program directors (PDs) and residents.</div></div><div><h3>Design</h3><div>Cross-sectional study using 2 anonymized surveys to evaluate AI-related policies, current use, educational tools, perceived barriers, and attitudes toward AI use in surgical education and residency applications.</div></div><div><h3>Setting</h3><div>Plastic surgery residency programs across the United States</div></div><div><h3>Participants</h3><div>Program directors (<em>n</em> = 77) were invited via email, with 24 (31%) responding. Residents (<em>n</em> = 89) were recruited via social media; 1 resident per program was randomly selected to ensure institutional diversity, with 23 (26%) completing the survey.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Institutional adoption of AI was limited. Only 8% of PDs reported screening residency applications for AI-generated content, and 88% indicated their programs had no formal policies on AI use. AI-based educational tools were available in 13% of programs, 21% offered AI ethics training, and 8% reported using AI to assess surgical skill. Barriers included lack of expertise (65%), data privacy concerns (52%), cost (48%), and limited evidence of efficacy (48%). In contrast, residents reported substantial independent AI use (50%). Residents used platforms such as ChatGPT (50%), Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and Claude (each 9%)—often to generate clinical explanations (43%), procedural guides (17%), and differential diagnoses (13%). One resident also reported undergoing AI-based surgical skill assessment. Despite this engagement, 74% stated their programs lacked AI-related educational resources. Residents expressed moderate trust in AI (mean 5.26/10), stating it “probably” or “definitely” has a place in their education (86%).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>A marked discrepancy exists between institutional policies and resident usage of AI in plastic surgery education. As residents adopt these tools independently, there is an urgent need for evidence-based guidelines, validated resources, and structured implementation to ensure safe, effective integration into surgical training.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50033,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Surgical Education","volume":"82 9","pages":"Article 103622"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1000,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Surgical Education","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S193172042500203X","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"EDUCATION, SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objective

To assess the current state of artificial intelligence (AI) policies, educational resources, and perceptions within U.S. plastic surgery residency programs from the perspectives of program directors (PDs) and residents.

Design

Cross-sectional study using 2 anonymized surveys to evaluate AI-related policies, current use, educational tools, perceived barriers, and attitudes toward AI use in surgical education and residency applications.

Setting

Plastic surgery residency programs across the United States

Participants

Program directors (n = 77) were invited via email, with 24 (31%) responding. Residents (n = 89) were recruited via social media; 1 resident per program was randomly selected to ensure institutional diversity, with 23 (26%) completing the survey.

Results

Institutional adoption of AI was limited. Only 8% of PDs reported screening residency applications for AI-generated content, and 88% indicated their programs had no formal policies on AI use. AI-based educational tools were available in 13% of programs, 21% offered AI ethics training, and 8% reported using AI to assess surgical skill. Barriers included lack of expertise (65%), data privacy concerns (52%), cost (48%), and limited evidence of efficacy (48%). In contrast, residents reported substantial independent AI use (50%). Residents used platforms such as ChatGPT (50%), Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and Claude (each 9%)—often to generate clinical explanations (43%), procedural guides (17%), and differential diagnoses (13%). One resident also reported undergoing AI-based surgical skill assessment. Despite this engagement, 74% stated their programs lacked AI-related educational resources. Residents expressed moderate trust in AI (mean 5.26/10), stating it “probably” or “definitely” has a place in their education (86%).

Conclusions

A marked discrepancy exists between institutional policies and resident usage of AI in plastic surgery education. As residents adopt these tools independently, there is an urgent need for evidence-based guidelines, validated resources, and structured implementation to ensure safe, effective integration into surgical training.

查看原文本刊更多论文

人工智能在整形外科教育中不断发展的作用：来自项目主管和住院医师的见解

目的从项目主管（pd）和住院医师的角度评估美国整形外科住院医师项目中人工智能（AI）政策、教育资源和观念的现状。横断面研究采用2项匿名调查来评估人工智能相关政策、当前使用情况、教育工具、感知障碍以及在外科教育和住院医师申请中使用人工智能的态度。美国各地的整形外科住院医师项目参与者通过电子邮件邀请了项目主管（n = 77），其中24位（31%）回复了邮件。通过社交媒体招募居民（n = 89）；为确保机构多样性，每个项目随机选择1名居民，共有23人（26%）完成了调查。结果机构对人工智能的采用有限。只有8%的pd报告筛选了人工智能生成内容的住院医师申请，88%的pd表示他们的项目没有关于人工智能使用的正式政策。13%的项目提供基于人工智能的教育工具，21%的项目提供人工智能伦理培训，8%的项目报告使用人工智能评估手术技能。障碍包括缺乏专业知识（65%）、数据隐私问题（52%）、成本（48%）和有效性证据有限（48%）。相比之下，居民报告了大量的独立人工智能使用（50%）。居民使用ChatGPT（50%）、谷歌Gemini、Microsoft Copilot和Claude（各占9%）等平台，通常生成临床解释（43%）、程序指南（17%）和鉴别诊断（13%）。一名住院医生也报告接受了基于人工智能的手术技能评估。尽管如此，74%的人表示他们的项目缺乏与人工智能相关的教育资源。居民对人工智能表示中等信任（平均5.26/10），表示“可能”或“肯定”在他们的教育中占有一席之地（86%）。结论机构政策与居民对人工智能在整形外科教育中的使用存在显著差异。随着住院医师独立采用这些工具，迫切需要基于证据的指南、经过验证的资源和结构化的实施，以确保安全、有效地整合到外科培训中。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Journal of Surgical Education EDUCATION, SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES-SURGERY

CiteScore

5.60

自引率

10.30%

发文量

261

审稿时长

48 days

期刊介绍： The Journal of Surgical Education (JSE) is dedicated to advancing the field of surgical education through original research. The journal publishes research articles in all surgical disciplines on topics relative to the education of surgical students, residents, and fellows, as well as practicing surgeons. Our readers look to JSE for timely, innovative research findings from the international surgical education community. As the official journal of the Association of Program Directors in Surgery (APDS), JSE publishes the proceedings of the annual APDS meeting held during Surgery Education Week.